The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) rises directly above Sterzing/Vipiteno in the Eisacktal valley of South Tyrol, offering 20km of slopes between 960m and 2,120m across 10 marked runs. The mountain sits on the sunny side of the main Alpine divide, roughly 20km south of the Brenner Pass and 50km from the Austrian border - a position that delivers more winter sunshine than many nearby resorts, with views extending across the Stubai Alps, Zillertal Alps and out to the Dolomites.
The terrain leans heavily intermediate, with seven of the ten runs graded red and a bias toward open, well-groomed pistes on the upper mountain. A dedicated beginner area with carpet conveyors sits at the gondola top station, and a new funslope added for the 2025-26 season introduces jumps, waves and banked turns for those looking for something beyond standard groomed runs.
Rosskopf is also home to Italy's longest illuminated and artificially snow-covered toboggan run - a 10km descent dropping 900m of vertical from the gondola mountain station through forest back to the valley base in Sterzing. Singled out by ADAC testing in 2011 as the best toboggan trail in German-speaking Europe, the run operates on Tuesday and Friday nights until midnight.
The resort is part of two pass networks - the Ortler Skiarena, which connects 15 South Tyrolean ski areas across more than 300km of pistes, and the Wipptal Skiverbund, which links Rosskopf with Ladurns, Ratschings-Jaufen and Kalcher Alm for a combined 50km on one pass. Children aged five and under ski free when accompanied by a paying adult.
1160m
Vertical
10
Runs
20 km
Piste
4m
Annual snow
The Terrain
10 runs across 20 km of piste
Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) spreads 10 runs across 20 km of piste of terrain. It leans intermediate at 65%, with 3 beginner runs to find your feet and 1 advanced or expert run when you want to push.
Terrain split
10
runs
10 runs across 4 grades
Beginner3 runs · 30%
Intermediate7 runs · 65%
Advanced1 run · 5%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo)
The 2025-26 season at Rosskopf ran from 5 December 2025 to 6 April 2026, a compact winter window typical of a south-facing mid-altitude South Tyrolean resort. Snowmaking covers 100% of the ski area's slopes, which is the critical factor in maintaining consistent conditions across the 960m base - one of the lower valley bases in the region - and ensuring the toboggan run operates from opening day.
Average annual snowfall at Rosskopf sits at 3.7 metres, with the upper mountain around 2,100m holding natural snow reliably through February. Snow depth peaks in February, when the upper mountain averages around 85cm. The resort records 59 sunny days per season on average, slightly below the Italian average of 63 but consistent with its exposure on the Eisacktal's eastern ridgeline.
January and February are the most reliable months for all-mountain conditions, with cold temperatures keeping the groomed red runs in good shape and the beginner zones well covered. The combination of snowmaking coverage and altitude means Rosskopf typically holds serviceable conditions through to early April even in moderate-snow seasons.
The proximity to Sterzing means the resort suits a short-stay skiing format as much as a dedicated ski week - a morning on the slopes can be combined with an afternoon in the town's medieval streets, which host a well-regarded Christmas market from late November through early January.
Season 2025 - 2026
6 Dec 2026
Opens
29 Mar 2027
Closes
113
Days open
4 m
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo), and where to stay
Rosskopf sits directly above Sterzing/Vipiteno in the Wipptal (Eisack valley), the natural corridor connecting the Brenner Pass to the rest of South Tyrol. Sterzing is Italy's northernmost town, positioned at 948m at the foot of the pass and less than 20km from the Austrian border. The gondola base station sits a five-minute walk from the town's pedestrian zone, making Rosskopf one of the most walkable ski resorts in South Tyrol.
Innsbruck is the closest city, approximately 58km north via the A22 Brennero-Modena motorway - around 45 minutes by road. Bolzano is roughly 59km to the south, and the regional hub of Bressanone/Brixen sits 30km down the valley. Milan is accessible in approximately three hours via the A22.
Rail access is among the best of any ski resort in northern Italy. Sterzing station sits on the main Brenner rail corridor, served by regional trains from both Innsbruck and Bolzano as well as intercity services. The gondola base is a short walk from the station, making a car-free visit straightforward. Neighbouring stations at Gossensass/Colle Isarco (5km) and Freienfeld/Campo di Trens (6km) also connect to the valley bus network.
Drivers approaching from the north take the A22 motorway from Innsbruck over the Brenner Pass, exiting at Sterzing. From the south, the same motorway connects via Bolzano and Bressanone. Parking is available near the gondola valley station, a short distance from the town centre pedestrian zone.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo), powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
FIS Weighs Holding World Championships in Almost Every Winter, Starting 2032
The International Ski and Snowboard Federation is looking at a major shake-up to its title events calendar. From 2032, World Championships could run not just in odd-numbered years but in every non-Olympic winter too, effectively putting a global title event on the calendar almost every season. The FIS Council has approved the concept following a feasibility study, though an accelerated rollout as early as 2028 is also under consideration.
4 Sept 2026
Mount Buller Becomes Latest Australian Resort to Call Time Early on 2026
Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.
4 Sept 2026
Tremblant to Add New Timber Summit Ski Sector for 2027/28 Season
Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.
2 Sept 2026
Mount Hotham to Close for the 2026 Season on Sunday, September 6
We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.
1 Sept 2026
Thredbo to Replace Ageing Gunbarrel Quad With New Six-Seat Chairlift for 2028
Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.
31 Aug 2026
Aerial Tram Collides With Crane at Alpe d'Huez: 23 Injured
An aerial tram carrying around fifty passengers struck the boom of a construction crane on the route to Pic Blanc at Alpe d'Huez on Wednesday morning, injuring 23 people, three seriously. The cabin tipped on impact before the operator reversed it to right the car. Most of the injured were treated on site, with five taken to hospital in Grenoble, including a pregnant woman assessed as a precaution.
28 Aug 2026
Why Glaciers Are Collapsing - And What Happens When They Do
A deadly flood on the Nepal-China border, a decade-old tragedy on Italy's Marmolada, and an unstable glacier right now above a village near Zermatt - three very different mountain ranges, the same underlying story. Warming ice is destabilising terrain that was considered settled for generations, and the results range from catastrophic floods to slow-motion monitoring situations that could go either way.
27 Aug 2026
Pitztal Glacier Set to Reopen for the 2026/27 Ski Season on 26 September
Tyrol's highest ski area is gearing up to open a full month ahead of most of the Alps. The Pitztal Glacier is scheduled to start its 2026/27 season on Saturday 26 September, running through to 2 May 2027, with the lower-altitude Rifflsee area following in December. High-altitude terrain up to 3,440 metres gives the glacier a head start on snow, though as always, the actual opening extent will depend on how September's weather plays out. Early online ski pass bookings can save up to 30%.
26 Aug 2026
Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) Webcams
5 live angles across the mountain. Tap any camera to go full-screen.
About Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo)'s live webcams
Check live conditions across Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) with 5 real-time webcams showing snow, weather, and lift operations, updated every 10 minutes. Check high-elevation cams for powder visibility and base-area cams for crowd levels before you head up.
Camera guide
- Rosskopf Mid Mountain1860m
- Survey the beating heart of Rosskopf ski resort through this sweeping Rosskopf webcam positioned at the gondola summit station at 1,860 meters above Sterzing/Vipiteno. This live cam pans across the ski area toward the Sterzing valley basin, capturing real-time conditions on the main pistes alongside the Telemix Panorama combination lift and the Mountain Chalet Stern. Essential for planning your day on these South Tyrolean slopes, this Rosskopf live snow cam delivers the full mountain picture from the central hub where all of the resort's terrain connects.
- Chalet Stern1900m
- Check upper-mountain conditions at Rosskopf ski resort through this Rosskopf webcam mounted at the atmospheric Chalet Stern at 1,900 meters elevation. This Rosskopf live cam captures the sunny mountain plateau that defines this South Tyrolean resort - a ridge-top position that earns it a reputation for more winter sunshine than many neighbouring areas, with views extending across the Stubai and Zillertal Alps toward the Dolomites. A reliable read on snow quality and visibility in the upper ski area, this Rosskopf web cam helps skiers time their journey up from Sterzing's medieval streets just a few minutes below.
- Rosskopf Gondola North1860m
- Look north toward the Austrian border through this Rosskopf webcam fixed at the gondola mountain station at 1,860 meters elevation. This directional live snow cam captures the dramatic landscape of the upper Eisacktal corridor stretching toward the Brenner Pass, just 20km from this point, providing a real-time read on incoming weather from the north. For skiers assessing visibility and conditions before committing to a day on Rosskopf's 20km of predominantly red-graded terrain, this Rosskopf snowcam is the clearest early indicator of what the mountain has in store.
- Rosskopf Gondola North East1860m
- Scan Rosskopf's primary skiing terrain through this northeast-facing Rosskopf webcam positioned at the gondola top station at 1,860 meters. This Rosskopf live cam looks directly across the resort's main slope network and the Telemix Panorama lift corridor, giving a ground-level view of snow conditions on the red runs that make up the bulk of the 20km ski area. Perfect for checking piste surface and crowd levels before heading up from Sterzing, this live snow cam is the most practical pre-ski conditions check for the resort's core intermediate terrain.
- Rosskopf Gondola South East1860m
- Look back toward Italy's northernmost town through this southeast-facing Rosskopf webcam at the gondola summit at 1,860 meters - a vantage point that captures the full 900-meter vertical drop back to Sterzing/Vipiteno below. This Rosskopf live cam reveals current conditions on the lower mountain and the valley run that descends almost to the historic old town, making it ideal for assessing snow quality across the descent before you ride up. For anyone combining a ski day with time in Sterzing's medieval streets, this Rosskopf web cam shows exactly what to expect on the way back down.
Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) snow cams FAQ
How often do Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) snow cams update?
All Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) snow cams and webcams update every 10 minutes with fresh images showing current mountain conditions. This frequent update schedule ensures you have access to near real-time conditions for planning your ski day at Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo).
Which Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) webcam shows the best powder conditions?
The high-elevation Chalet Stern webcam at 1,900m provides the clearest view of powder conditions and snowfall. These Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) webcams capture fresh snow accumulation and visibility better than base area cameras.
Can I see Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) lift queues on the webcams?
Yes. Multiple Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) snow cams specifically show lift queue areas and chairlift operations, helping you time your arrival and avoid peak queue periods.
When is the best time to check Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) snow cams?
Check Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) webcams early morning (7-8am) for overnight snowfall assessment, and mid-afternoon for current crowd levels and weather. The live cams are most useful after storm events to assess fresh powder.
How can I check current conditions before buying Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) lift tickets?
Use our Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) webcams alongside the live snow report to assess conditions before purchasing lift tickets. The webcams show real-time visibility, snow quality, and operational status.
Do Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) webcams work on mobile devices?
Yes. All Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) snow cams and webcams are optimized for mobile viewing, so you can check live conditions from anywhere using your phone or tablet.
More Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) intelligence: snow report, lift tickets, trail map, resort overview.