
Rossfeld delivers a spectacular Alpine skiing experience straddling the German-Austrian border, with 6km of varied terrain reaching 1,600m. This historic mountain combines gentle learning slopes with several challenging runs, all set against the dramatic backdrop of the Berchtesgaden Alps. The breathtaking panoramic views extending to Salzburg and the Tennengebirge mountains create an unforgettable skiing atmosphere rarely found in German resorts of this size.
Rossfeld above Berchtesgaden is a small, gentle ski area with seven runs and 8 kilometres of piste between 1,300 and 1,554 metres, a vertical of 254 metres. It is overwhelmingly easy, graded 88% beginner and 13% intermediate, so there is little here to challenge anyone who already skis confidently. Access is by road along the Rossfeld Panoramastrasse, and four T-bars serve the open slopes. The setting is wide, sunny meadow terrain close to the Austrian border, which gives it an airy feel that many bigger German hills lack.
This is a family and learner mountain first. Wide, forgiving slopes let children and first-timers build turns without anyone bearing down on them, and a small fun area near the top gives teenagers something to play on. The longer valley run down towards Oberau is the one route that stretches the day, although its condition depends on cover. Rossfeld works well as a half-day or day trip from Berchtesgaden or Salzburg, a place to teach a beginner rather than to chase vertical. Intermediates will tick it off quickly, so treat it as a gentle outing.
Rossfeld typically operates from December through March, with the most reliable conditions in January and February. The resort benefits from its elevated position in one of Bavaria's snowiest regions, with substantial natural snowfall creating excellent powder opportunities after storms. The predominantly north-facing slopes maintain good snow quality throughout the season, often preserving excellent conditions when lower areas struggle. The exceptional panoramic views make Rossfeld particularly appealing during clear, sunny days when the full Alpine panorama is visible.
Located near Berchtesgaden in southeastern Bavaria, Rossfeld sits approximately 160km from Munich and just 25km from Salzburg in Austria. The resort enjoys a spectacular position along the German-Austrian border, with the famous Rossfeld Panoramastraße providing access to some of the most impressive Alpine viewpoints in Germany. This unique location provides visitors with opportunities to experience both German and Austrian Alpine cultures. The historic town of Berchtesgaden offers excellent accommodation options and authentic dining serving regional specialties in an area renowned for its natural beauty and cultural significance.
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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 Rossfeld features 5 installations efficiently serving the mountain's varied terrain. The network includes modern chairlifts and surface lifts that maintain steady uphill capacity without extensive queues. With a vertical drop of 200m, the lifts provide access to diverse skiing zones across multiple faces of the mountain. The main chairlift transports skiers smoothly to panoramic viewpoints offering some of Germany's most impressive mountain vistas, including the towering Hoher Göll and Kehlstein peaks.
More Rossfeld intelligence: trail map, snow report, webcams, resort overview.