
Wurmberg stands as northern Germany's largest ski resort, offering 15km of varied terrain across the beautiful Harz Mountains. Rising to 971m, this impressive destination combines excellent intermediate slopes with dedicated learning areas and challenging forest runs. Despite its relatively modest altitude, Wurmberg delivers reliable skiing throughout winter thanks to substantial snowmaking investments, providing genuine mountain experiences just hours from major northern cities.
Wurmberg, above Braunlage in the Harz, is often described as the biggest ski area in northern Germany, with 16 runs over 12.2 kilometres from 565 to 970 metres. The vertical of 405 metres is respectable for the region. The Sanity grading is 82% beginner, 11% intermediate and 7% advanced, so the mountain is mostly easy ground with a short steeper streak. A gondola from Braunlage, a six-seat chair, a quad and three T-bars link the slopes, and extensive snowmaking helps keep the pistes open when natural cover is thin.
The Hexenritt is the piste people talk about, an old, steep descent that is the toughest on the mountain and well beyond most of the other terrain here. Everything else is gentle and wide, so learners and children can ski without much traffic pressure. Those with some experience will enjoy a handful of quicker reds, but the top-to-bottom sensation is short. Wurmberg suits beginners, families and day-trippers from Lower Saxony and beyond, and it is a good first ski area before moving on to bigger mountains in Austria or Switzerland.
Wurmberg typically operates from December through March, with the most reliable conditions in January and February. The resort has invested heavily in snowmaking technology, with extensive coverage ensuring consistent skiing regardless of natural snowfall patterns. The Harz Mountains microclimate often delivers surprising powder days, particularly during cold easterly weather patterns. The comprehensive grooming fleet maintains excellent piste conditions throughout the winter, even during challenging weather periods.
Located in Lower Saxony approximately 120km from Hannover and 170km from Leipzig, Wurmberg offers exceptional accessibility for northern Germany's population centers. The resort sits adjacent to the historic town of Braunlage, providing extensive accommodation and dining options. This central location within the Harz Mountains makes it an ideal destination for weekend trips and longer winter holidays. The surrounding Harz National Park offers additional winter activities including extensive cross-country skiing, winter hiking, and historic mining towns showcasing authentic northern German traditions.
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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.
More Wurmberg intelligence: snow report, lift system, webcams, resort overview.