Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Skiing for 15 years and visited resorts in:
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Plose is the local mountain of Brixen (Bressanone) in the Eisacktal in South Tyrol, a ski area spanning 1,039m to 2,505m across 42.5km of pistes on two peaks of the Plose massif - the Plose summit itself and the adjacent Cima Piatta (Pfannspitze). The terrain is broad, mostly south-facing and consistently sunny, with the ski area recording an average of 71 sunny days per season - among the highest of any resort in South Tyrol. From the summit, the panorama sweeps across the UNESCO Dolomites to the south and the main Alpine ridge to the north.
The ski area's most celebrated run is the Trametsch, a 9km descent from 2,446m at the Plosehütte to the gondola base at 1,067m, dropping 1,400m of vertical. It is one of the longest groomed valley descents in South Tyrol and runs as a black piste in its lower sections, making it a benchmark challenge for strong skiers ending the day. A Speed Check station on the mountain allows skiers to measure their velocity on designated stretches.
Off the slopes, the RudiRun is a 9km natural toboggan run - the longest in South Tyrol - descending from the gondola summit station to the valley base, with a shorter 4km variant finishing at the mid-station. The Plosebob, a separate rail-guided sled run, adds a further activity accessible from the top station. Snowmaking covers 80% of marked pistes, with the high-altitude position above 2,000m providing good natural snow retention through the core winter months.
Plose sits within the Dolomiti Superski network and also participates in the Gitschberg-Jochtal-Brixen regional pass, which gives access to a combined 98km of pistes across the two areas. A Rio Pusteria-Brixen multi-resort pass further extends access to five South Tyrolean ski areas including Lüsen, Velturno and Funes.
Total Runs
20
Total Area
42.5km
26.4 miles
Seven lifts serve Plose's terrain between 1,039m and 2,505m, comprising two gondolas, one six-seat chairlift, one quad chairlift, one triple chairlift, one double chairlift and one T-bar. The compact network belies the scale of the vertical on offer, with the two main gondolas providing efficient access to the upper ski area from two separate valley entry points.
The primary access from St. Andrä (Sant'Andrea), 7km from Brixen city centre, is the Plose gondola - a 10-seat installation renewed for the 2023-24 season, carrying skiers to the Kreuztal mid-station at 2,060m before continuing to the upper ski area. The Pfannspitze gondola, also a 10-seat installation, provides a second valley entry point from Palmschoss at 1,697m, climbing to the Cima Piatta area at 2,463m and opening up terrain on the eastern face of the massif.
The Rossalm six-seat chairlift serves the upper mountain terrain and connects the two gondola zones at altitude, while the remaining chairlifts cover the mid-mountain sectors and the beginner terrain below 2,000m. A dedicated beginners' drag lift and magic carpet conveyors at the snow schools operate independently of the main network. All three valley entry points - St. Andrä, Palmschoss and the Skihütte at 1,900m - have valley return runs giving skiers the option of descending to whichever base suits their accommodation.
The gondola from St. Andrä doubles as the access lift for the RudiRun toboggan run, with the summit station serving as the start for the full 9km descent. Bus line 321 connects Brixen city centre to the gondola valley station throughout the ski season.
Total Lifts
7
Lift Types
6
Plose operates from early December through to early April, with the 2025-26 season running from 5 December 2025 to 6 April 2026. The season window reflects the resort's mid-range altitude and predominantly south-facing aspect, with snowmaking covering 80% of marked pistes and the upper terrain above 2,000m typically holding natural snow well into March.
Annual snowfall averages 3.5 metres across the ski area, with the summit area around 2,500m maintaining reliable depth through the core winter period. Average snow depth at the summit peaks around 95cm in February and March - the deepest and sunniest months respectively - with March delivering around 21 sunny days on average, the highest of any month in the season. The south-facing aspect accelerates morning warm-up but also accelerates afternoon softening, making early starts on the mountain particularly rewarding.
The Trametsch valley run is at its best during the mid-season window from January through March, when full base depth allows the complete 9km descent from summit to valley station. The RudiRun toboggan run operates alongside the ski season with the same gondola access, adding an evening or alternative activity option for groups splitting ski and non-ski days.
Brixen itself provides a genuine off-slope draw throughout the season. The medieval city - one of the oldest in South Tyrol, with a cathedral dating to the 10th century - hosts a Christmas market in late November and December and offers year-round restaurants, cafés and the Acquarena wellness centre with 12,000m² of pools, saunas and fitness facilities.
Current Season
2025 - 2026
Opening Day
12/5/2025
Closing Day
4/6/2026
Days Open
123
Plose sits above the city of Brixen (Bressanone) in the Eisacktal in South Tyrol, with the gondola valley station at St. Andrä located 7km from the city centre. Brixen is directly on the A22 Brenner motorway corridor, with the Bressanone motorway exit placing skiers within 15 minutes of the gondola base. The city is one of the most accessible urban ski bases in the Dolomites for drivers coming from the north.
Innsbruck Airport in Austria is the closest international gateway, approximately 60km to the north via the A22 across the Brenner Pass. Verona Villafranca Airport to the south is around 200km via the same motorway. Bolzano Airport, with limited connections, sits around 40km to the south.
Brixen is served by the main Brenner rail line with frequent InterCity and regional services connecting to Innsbruck, Bolzano and Verona. From Brixen station, bus line 321 runs directly to the Plose gondola valley station at St. Andrä. The journey takes around 15-20 minutes. Drivers can also access the upper mountain from Palmschoss via a separate road, which suits visitors based in the villages above the valley floor.
Brixen is a functioning city of around 22,000 people with a well-preserved medieval centre, a full range of accommodation across all categories, and a restaurant scene that draws on both South Tyrolean and northern Italian culinary traditions. The combination of urban amenity and direct gondola access to a 2,500m ski area within 20 minutes is unusual in the Dolomites context and is Plose's clearest point of difference in the regional market.
