
Fichtelberg stands as eastern Germany's highest and most significant ski resort, offering 15km of diverse slopes across the beautiful Ore Mountains. Rising to 1,215m, this historic destination combines excellent intermediate terrain with dedicated learning areas and challenging runs through forest sections. The resort maintains its traditional Saxon character while delivering modern skiing amenities and stunning views extending into neighboring Czech Republic.
Fichtelberg spreads 10 runs across 15.5 km of piste of terrain. It leans beginner at 44%, with 4 beginner runs to find your feet and 2 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Fichtelberg typically operates from December through March, with the most reliable conditions in January and February. The resort benefits from substantial natural snowfall, averaging 4-5m annually, complemented by strategic snowmaking on key runs. The predominantly north-facing slopes maintain excellent snow quality throughout the season, often delivering good skiing conditions when lower regions struggle. The Ore Mountains microclimate frequently creates powder opportunities, particularly during cold easterly weather patterns.
Situated on the German-Czech border in Saxony, Fichtelberg sits approximately 150km from Dresden and 90km from Chemnitz. The resort adjoins the historic mining town of Oberwiesenthal, Germany's highest town at 914m. This unique location in the former East Germany provides visitors with insights into the region's rich cultural heritage alongside quality skiing experiences. The surrounding Ore Mountains offer excellent cross-country skiing across a vast network of trails, winter hiking paths, and traditional Christmas markets famous throughout Germany.
Hotels and lodges near Fichtelberg, powered by Stay22.

Firefighters saved every base building at Maverick Mountain, Montana, but the resort's sole chairlift didn't survive the Sand Creek Fire. Owners Erik and Kristi Borge say the lift is "most likely" out for the 2026/27 season after flames tore through the mountain on August 8. The wildfire has since grown past 27,700 acres with zero percent containment. It's a gutting result for the tiny, one-lift operation near Dillon - though the lodge, groomers and equipment all made it through untouched.

Spain's government has approved a draft tobacco law that would ban smoking across a wide range of outdoor spaces, including sports venues - a category Spanish winter sports media expect to cover ski resorts, potentially extending to slopes and lifts themselves. The rules would also apply to e-cigarettes and vaping devices, even nicotine-free ones. The bill still has to clear the Spanish parliament before any ban, signage, or fines can take effect.

South Tyrol has approved a full rebuild of the Ciampinoi cable car in Selva di Val Gardena, replacing the current 12-person gondola with a 16-person cabin and a new mountain-station restaurant. Capacity is capped at 3,200 people an hour rather than the 3,600 the operator wanted, and 250,000 euros must go toward compensatory measures. No construction or opening date has been set, though the upgrade is partly aimed at clearing bottlenecks before the 2031 Alpine Ski World Championships.

Hoshino Tomamu is the ski resort equivalent of a conference hotel that happens to have excellent powder. Built for corporate retreats and package tourists, it offers genuine Hokkaido snow on surprisingly limited terrain - 29 runs spread across 585 vertical metres.

La Thuile is spending 38.7 million US dollars on a new 10-person cable car linking Les Suches to Chaz Dura, replacing the La Combe and Chaz Dura chairlifts after nearly forty years of service. Built by Leitner, the new cable car runs 1,950 metres to a top station at 2,576 metres, carrying up to 3,000 people an hour with a six-minute ride. It also improves the connection to La Rosiere in France via the Petit-Saint-Bernard Pass, and is on track to open for the 2026/27 season.

The Remarkables is adding new inbounds terrain for winter, bringing the Scarpa Bowl - known locally as the Toilet Bowl - into its lift-accessed network after years as backcountry-only ground. The roughly 500 metre run is reached by bootpacking from the top of the Sugar Bowl chairlift, with a shuttle picking skiers up from the road at the bottom. It's a smaller, faster addition than the resort's planned Doolans expansion, though the new terrain hasn't opened yet due to a lack of snow this season.

Ski Portillo remains isolated after an extended storm buried the Chilean resort under more than 4.5 metres of snow, with both ground and air access suspended since Tuesday while crews monitor avalanche hazards and worsening weather. Resort officials say further snowfall is expected in the coming days and haven't set a timeline for reopening the mountain road. Once access resumes, the scale of the snowpack could set up a strong season at one of the Southern Hemisphere's most historic ski resorts.

Lotte Arai receives 22 metres of annual snowfall - exceptional even by Japanese standards - but its corporate ownership model and limited terrain create an unusual cost-benefit equation. Here's what the numbers actually mean on the ground.
More Fichtelberg intelligence: snow report, lift system, webcams, resort overview.