
Imberg-Steibis offers a delightful Bavarian skiing experience with 13km of immaculately groomed slopes set against spectacular Allgäu mountain backdrops. This family-oriented resort combines gentle learning areas with intermediate terrain, creating an ideal environment for improving skiers and snowboarders. The uncrowded slopes and reliable snow conditions make Imberg-Steibis a fantastic alternative to larger, busier resorts, while still delivering authentic Alpine ambiance.
Imberg - Steibis offers 19 runs and 17.6 kilometres of piste between 859 metres and 1,338 metres, with a vertical of 479 metres. The grading is unusual for a small area, with 34% beginner, 28% intermediate and 38% advanced, and no expert runs. That makes it one of the more testing hills in this part of the Allgäu. Lifts lean heavily on drag technology, with nine T-bars alongside a gondola and a six-seater chair. The gondola climbs from the valley toward the Imberghaus, so the busiest stretches of terrain are quick to reach.
Beginners are not neglected, with children's areas at both the valley and mountain stations and gentle slopes on the high plateau. A fun park offers some variety, and the steeper pistes give stronger skiers a genuine workout, particularly on the lower slopes. The mix suits families with a confident older sibling, groups of mixed ability and day-trippers from Oberstaufen or the Bodensee region. T-bars can be tiring for beginners, so younger children are better off sticking to the lifts on the easier sectors. Overall it is a lively regional ski area that punches above its size.
Imberg-Steibis typically operates from December through March, with the most consistent conditions in January and February. The resort benefits from substantial natural snowfall, averaging 3-4m annually, supplemented by strategic snowmaking on key runs. The predominantly north-facing slopes retain snow exceptionally well, often maintaining good skiing conditions well into March. The microclimate created by the surrounding mountains frequently delivers powder days when other nearby areas receive less favourable weather.
Situated near Oberstaufen in Bavaria's picturesque Allgäu region, Imberg-Steibis sits approximately 170km from Munich and 60km from Bregenz on Lake Constance. The resort enjoys a stunning position within the Nagelfluhkette Nature Park, surrounded by impressive limestone peaks. This convenient location allows for easy day trips from larger population centers while maintaining an authentic mountain atmosphere. The charming village of Steibis provides traditional accommodation options and excellent dining serving authentic Allgäu specialties.
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Mammoth Mountain is first up in California, targeting Friday 13 November after a dusting of September snow. Heavenly and Northstar follow on 20 November, Palisades Tahoe on Wednesday 25 November and Sugar Bowl on 27 November, with Kirkwood on 4 December and June Mountain on 19 December. Plenty of smaller areas have no date yet. A super El Niño favours the Sierra, but a warmer storm track is the catch.

Arapahoe Basin, Keystone and Winter Park are all chasing an October start, though none has a firm date yet. The first dated openers are Breckenridge and Copper on Friday 6 November, then Vail on 13 November, with most of the rest bunched around US Thanksgiving. Hesperus did not open at all last season. A super El Niño offers hope but no guarantee, and forecasters say the southern mountains have the better odds.

Dolomiti Superski is spending around €100 million across its 12 areas before winter. Kronplatz gets a new 10-passenger gondola with a middle station, 3 Zinnen gets Helmissimo, and Val di Fassa swaps a chairlift for a gondola above Col Valvacin. New water-storage basins and upgraded snowmaking follow, and construction has started on the San Martino to Passo Rolle link. A peak adult day pass is €89.

Brian Head is targeting 6 November, though last year it aimed for 7 November and did not open until the 25th. Park City, Alta and Solitude are pencilled in for 20 November, Snowbird and Snowbasin for 27 November, and Deer Valley for 5 December. Eagle Point will stay closed after the Cottonwood Fire. A super El Niño is forecast, but the big snow is not expected until January.

Hintertux became Austria's second glacier to open for 2026-27 on Friday 2 October, after the Pitztal Glacier. Twelve kilometres of piste are running around the Olperer and Gefrorene Wand, served by one gondola and two drag lifts, with the Betterpark also open. Lifts officially run 8:15 am to 4:30 pm, but skiing stops at 2 pm for now.

A historically poor western winter cut Vail Resorts' annual net income from $280 million to $147.5 million and skier visits by 13.4 per cent. Now 2026-27 pass units are down 12 per cent as of 18 September, worse than the 10 per cent flagged in spring. Vail blames the weather and thinks some buyers are simply waiting, and it forecasts a rebound if the snow behaves.

Arizona Snowbowl advertised eight $1 lift ticket days this winter. Go looking and only three are showing - 10 March, 1 April and 10 April - so the rest may already have gone. The consolation is a calendar full of $9 days, including all but one day in April. Opening day is 20 November, weather permitting, and opening weekend is $19.

For years, Whitewater's Short Side was where you ducked a rope and hoped for the best: unmapped, ungroomed and unpatrolled. This winter it's inbounds. Six new runs of glades and fall-line skiing add 190 acres (about 77 hectares), taking the resort past 1,400 acres in total. F2 Logging spent a month in the trees to make it happen, and opening day is pencilled in for 4 December. Bonanza now needs less snow to groom, too.
The lift system at Imberg-Steibis includes 7 modern installations efficiently serving the entire ski area. The network features comfortable chairlifts and surface lifts that minimize waiting times even during peak periods. With a vertical drop of 500m, the lifts provide access to varied terrain across the mountain face. The Imbergbahn cable car transports skiers smoothly to 1,502m, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding Nagelfluhkette mountains and nearby Hochgrat peak.
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