
Brauneck delivers a quintessential Bavarian skiing experience just 60km from Munich, with 34km of diverse slopes accommodating all ability levels. This accessible mountain features spectacular views across the Alpine foothills and crystal-clear Lake Tegernsee. The resort combines family-friendly terrain with several challenging descents, offering authentic mountain experiences without requiring long travel distances from Bavaria's capital.
Brauneck in Lenggries is one of the bigger ski mountains in the Bavarian Pre-Alps, south of Munich, with 20 runs and 30.7 kilometres of piste across a vertical of 1,012 metres, from 700 up to 1,712 metres. Grading is 11% beginner, 67% intermediate and 22% advanced, with no expert terrain, so it is a red-run mountain at heart, with long, steady descents. A gondola, two six-seaters, two quads, a triple and 10 T-bars share the work. Few German areas offer this much vertical within easy reach of Munich.
From the summit, the Garland slope is the steep section, with mogul runs and a black World Cup piste dropping toward Lenggries. Idealhang and the middle slopes suit intermediates cruising on medium-pitch pistes, while the family run to Wegscheid is about four kilometres long and drops nearly 800 metres, a satisfying long finish to the day. Lower slopes at Streidl, Jauden and Draxl are wide and easy for learners. Brauneck suits strong intermediates, Munich day-trippers and families, though it can get busy on weekends. Experts will find the black runs short.
The ski season at Brauneck typically extends from December through March, with the best conditions usually found in January and February. The resort receives an average snowfall of 3-4m annually, supplemented by comprehensive snowmaking that covers over 70% of all slopes. March often delivers brilliant spring skiing conditions with longer daylight hours and softening afternoon snow, making it perfect for casual skiers and families.
Situated just 60km south of Munich, Brauneck offers one of Germany's most accessible mountain experiences. The resort sits adjacent to the charming Bavarian town of Lenggries, with the turquoise waters of the Isar River flowing nearby. This convenient location makes Brauneck extremely popular for day trips and weekend visits from Munich. The surrounding region features stunning Alpine scenery, traditional farmhouses, and excellent cross-country skiing options, providing diverse winter activities beyond downhill skiing.
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Europe’s ski season is open, technically. After a record-warm summer, glaciers in Austria, Switzerland and Italy are running a few pistes apiece, Sölden, Stubai and Kitzsteinhorn started late, Titlis has pushed back to 24 October, and Zermatt reopens a few lifts on 14 October after more than two months shut. Finland’s Levi and Ruka are skiing on stored snow. Here is what is open, and what you actually get at each.

Zermatt is having another crack at a World Cup downhill, and this time nobody has to cross a border. Around 13 million Swiss francs is going into rebuilding the Gornergrat piste, including a jump fed by a roughly 300-metre in-run across the roof of the Gornergrat Railway gallery, with the Matterhorn lined up behind it for the TV cameras. First men’s race is pencilled in for March 2028, pending FIS homologation.

Lake Tahoe’s highest base elevation is paying off early: Mt. Rose has started making snow for 2026-27 after the first flurries and a cold snap. The Nevada resort is backing it with nearly US$2 million in upgrades, including a replacement snowmaking main line, a new PistenBully groomer and restraint bars on every lift. Opening day is yet to be confirmed, though Heavenly and Northstar are already eyeing 20 November.

Utah is still building flat out. For 2026-27, Powder Mountain opens a steep new Skytrac chair into more than 1,000 acres of advanced terrain, Deer Valley adds 200 acres on Hail Peak, Sundance gets a new quad and Park City adds a gondola from its new parking structure. Snowmaking is expanding almost everywhere, Eagle Point stays closed after the Cottonwood Fire, and the 2034 Games are setting the pace. Here’s what’s new, resort by resort.

Mt Hutt is getting busier, and its base lodge is about to catch up. NZ$12 million goes into a heated sun deck roughly three times the current size (430 m² to 1,300 m²), plus a new toilet block, heated steps down to snow level, extra storage and a new food and beverage outlet. Building starts after the 2026 season, with everything due for winter 2027.

Vermont's season is slow to take shape. Stratton is tentatively targeting 18 November and Sugarbush 21 November, while Pico has Friday 11 December on the calendar. Killington never sets a date and opens when the snowmaking allows, and Vail Resorts has yet to name days for Stowe, Okemo and Mount Snow. The forecasts disagree about snow, and the main El Niño worry for the Green Mountains is warmth.

Less than four months out from the Crans-Montana 2027 World Championships, the man running the organising committee has stepped down. Claude-Alain Schmidhalter resigned as Swiss-Ski vice president and OC president after being indicted over a business dispute unrelated to skiing. He denies the allegations and faces court on October 27. Interim leaders are in place for the February 1-14 event.

Kelly Canyon had a rough 2025-26, and the Idaho resort has spent the summer making sure it doesn’t repeat. Snowmaking now reaches the top of Goldrush, the terrain park is doubling in size with a stereo system, lights and a snack shack, and the car park is getting bigger. Grooming is stepping up too. Target opening is December 4, conditions permitting.
More Brauneck intelligence: snow report, lift system, webcams, resort overview.