
Steinplatte Waidring stands as one of Austria's most impressive ski destinations, straddling the border between Tyrol and Salzburg. This sun-drenched resort boasts panoramic views of the Wilder Kaiser mountains, offering visitors a brilliant mix of well-groomed slopes and stunning Alpine scenery. With terrain suitable for beginners through to advanced skiers, Steinplatte has earned its reputation for quality snow conditions and excellent facilities without the overwhelming crowds found at larger resorts.
Steinplatte-Winklmoosalm spreads 22 runs across 42 km of piste of terrain. It leans beginner at 48%, with 11 beginner runs to find your feet and 1 advanced or expert run when you want to push.
The ski season at Steinplatte Waidring typically runs from early December through to mid-April, with reliable snow coverage throughout this period. January and February deliver the most consistent powder conditions, while March offers a brilliant combination of sunshine and well-preserved snow thanks to the resort's favourable north-facing aspects. The area receives an average annual snowfall of 5m, supplemented by comprehensive snowmaking capabilities that ensure quality skiing even during less snowy periods.
Located just 90km from Salzburg and 120km from Munich, Steinplatte Waidring offers excellent accessibility for international visitors. The resort sits in the SkiWelt region, directly connected to the charming village of Waidring with its authentic Tyrolean character. This strategic position allows visitors to explore nearby attractions including the stunning Pillersee Valley and the medieval town of Kitzbühel, just a 30-minute drive away. The resort's proximity to the German border also makes it a popular day-trip destination for Bavarian skiers.
Hotels and lodges near Steinplatte-Winklmoosalm, powered by Stay22.
Steinplatte-Winklmoosalm's season typically runs from December 6 to April 5, roughly 120 days, weather and conditions permitting.
Steinplatte-Winklmoosalm has about 42 km of piste across 22 runs.
Steinplatte-Winklmoosalm operates 16 lifts in total.
Steinplatte-Winklmoosalm averages around 98 inches (8.2 feet) of snowfall per season.

Arosa's Hörnli sector is getting its biggest overhaul in decades. The 1986 gondola and 1994 chairlift linking toward Lenzerheide are both being replaced, with capacity up, tower count down and a new base station lower on the hill. At roughly CHF 67 million, it is the largest single investment Arosa Bergbahnen has ever made - and the target opening has already slipped a year, to December 2028. Here is what is changing, and why the timeline moved.

Sundance Mountain Resort's back mountain is finally getting a proper lift. The Electric Horseman Express opens for 2026-27, unlocking a new bowl next to Bishop's Bowl and three expert gladed chutes across roughly 105 fresh acres - on top of the Storyteller ridge run that debuted in preview form last season. It's Sundance's biggest expansion since 1985, and it turns a three-lift slog into a single six-minute ride to Bearclaw Summit.

Finland's Levi and Ruka open for the 2026-27 season on October 2, more than seven weeks before most of Europe sees a lift turn. Neither resort is waiting on autumn snowfall - both are skiing on snow buried since last spring, insulated through the Finnish summer and dug back out for opening day. It is not a shortcut. It is a decades-old system now spreading from the Arctic Circle to Idaho, Utah, Vermont and Colorado. Here is how snow farming actually works, and why it is catching on.

Nassfeld is putting €13 million into a new 6-seater chairlift, the Tressdorfer Almbahn, connecting Sonnleitn with the Tressdorfer Alm from December 2026. It replaces three ageing drag lifts and will run through summer too, from June 2027, moving up to 2,500 people an hour on the roughly three-minute ride. It's the latest step in Carinthia's largest ski resort building out a genuine year-round offering, following last year's Gartnerkofelbahn gondola.

Italy's Stelvio Glacier has pulled the plug on summer skiing from August 15. It was the last lift-served ski option left standing in continental Europe, and now there's none. Operator SIFAS pointed to persistent heat, storms, and a snowpack that simply wasn't refreezing overnight anymore. The cable car keeps running. Whether skiing comes back later this summer depends on the weather turning - and right now, nobody's promising anything.

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.

Fairmont is bringing its second Japanese property to Niseko, and this one's got history. The 165-room resort will rise on the site of the stalled La Plume project, which collapsed into bankruptcy in 2025 before J-Will Partners bought the site for redevelopment. Set between Mount Yotei and Mount Annupuri, it's slated for an early 2028 opening - putting it in play for the 2027/28 season. Expect two restaurants, a spa, onsen bathing, and a kids' club, a short drive from Niseko Village and Hirafu.

Saas-Fee is closing its glacier to summer skiing from Monday, August 10 - the second major Swiss resort to shut in under two weeks after Zermatt suspended operations on August 1. Persistent heat and warm nights that won't let the glacier refreeze are behind the call, per Saastal Bergbahnen. That leaves Italy's Stelvio as the only glacier ski area open in the Alps. Reopening could come as early as August 17, though nothing's confirmed - and racing teams are already looking south instead.