SnowStash
ForecastsCompareNews
SnowStash Logo

Live snow, webcams and expert resort guides for the world's mountains - plan your next day on snow.

hello@snowstash.com
Download on the App Store

Destinations

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • Europe
  • Japan
  • New Zealand
  • United States

Company

  • About Us
  • Work With Us
  • Privacy Policy

Explore

  • Compare Resorts
  • News & Updates
  • Snow Forecast
  • Mobile App

© 2026 SnowStash. All rights reserved.

    Italy, Europe

    Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo)

    20km of slopes above medieval Sterzing in South Tyrol, 960-2,120m. Home to Italy's longest toboggan run. Ortler Skiarena pass valid.

    Open in the app

    Live Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) conditions, webcams & maps. Opens straight here.

    Download on the App Store

    Open in the app

    Live Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) conditions, webcams & maps. Opens straight here.

    Download on the App Store
    Season 2025 - 2026
    Opens
    6 Dec 2026
    Closes
    29 Mar 2027
    Days open
    113
    Annual snow
    0.8m
    Snow record
    17cm
    2026-27 so far
    23% of a typical winter74cm
    Explore 10 winters of snowfall→
    The Overview
    MF
    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
    0.8m
    Annual snow
    Advertisement
    The Terrain

    10 runs across 20 km of piste

    Rosskopf is the small ski area above Sterzing, South Tyrol's northernmost town, with 20 kilometres of piste across 10 runs. The mountain climbs from 960 to 2,120 metres, giving a 1,160-metre vertical that suits its size better than the numbers suggest. Grading is firmly intermediate: 30% beginner, 65% intermediate and 5% advanced, with no expert pistes. The slopes face the sun and are mostly open and well groomed, with a beginner zone at the gondola top station. Just five lifts cover everything, so the area is easy to learn and quick to ski, and it rarely feels crowded.

    The main trail is the long valley run of roughly 5.5 kilometres, which finishes beneath the concrete pillars of the Brenner motorway on its way back to town, a surprisingly memorable sight. The Telemix Panorama lift mixes chairs and cabins to reach the summit, and a funslope adds jumps and banked turns. Freeriders and advanced skiers will find almost nothing here. Rosskopf suits families, beginners and relaxed intermediates, and it pairs neatly with the 10-kilometre toboggan run for an evening out, plus the easy train link from Innsbruck or Bolzano.

    Terrain split
    10
    runs
    10 runs across 4 grades
    Beginner3 runs · 30%
    Intermediate7 runs · 65%
    Advanced1 run · 5%
    Expert0 runs · 0%
    Advertisement
    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
    0.8 m
    Annual snow
    The record

    Historical snowfall at Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo)

    Daily snow reports at Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) go back to 2017, 10 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.

    55 cm
    Snowiest day
    3 Feb 2019
    17 cm
    This winter · 2026-27
    so far
    74 cm
    Typical winter
    average of complete seasons
    Explore historical snowfall →
    Winter totals
    cm
    Past wintersThis winter
    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

    View all news →
    Wolf Creek Opens on Halloween Weekend as Colorado’s Early Season Gathers Pace

    Wolf Creek Opens on Halloween Weekend as Colorado’s Early Season Gathers Pace

    Colorado’s early-season dominoes keep falling. Arapahoe Basin opened on Wednesday, Keystone follows on Friday, and now Wolf Creek is joining in on Saturday 31 October, just in time for Halloween. A storm on 23 and 24 October left 20 inches of natural snow in the San Juans, and three lifts will turn from 9:00 am, covering about 30% of the mountain. Expect rocks, unmarked obstacles and open water, but also Local Appreciation lift tickets at $73 for adults.

    30 Oct 2026
    Keystone Resort Opens for 2026/27 With More Than Two Miles of Skiing

    Keystone Resort Opens for 2026/27 With More Than Two Miles of Skiing

    Keystone is next. After Arapahoe Basin claimed the first chairlift skiing of the season on Wednesday, Keystone opens on Friday 30 October at 9:00 am with more than two miles of snowmaking-built terrain on Schoolmarm and Silver Spoon, plus free donuts, coffee and a live DJ. Last year the order was reversed, when Keystone squeezed in a three-hour afternoon session to beat A-Basin by a day. Snowmaking has been running since 15 October.

    29 Oct 2026
    Beaver Creek Installs 16 Automated Snow Guns on Birds of Prey Ahead of Record World Cup

    Beaver Creek Installs 16 Automated Snow Guns on Birds of Prey Ahead of Record World Cup

    Beaver Creek is getting ready for the biggest Birds of Prey ever, and this time it is not leaving the snow to chance. Crews started making snow on 27 October with 16 newly installed automated guns on the lower third of the course, after last December’s warm spell forced a downhill off the schedule. Seven races across two weekends run from 3 to 13 December, the most the course has hosted since its 1997 debut, and the guns start themselves whenever the weather allows.

    29 Oct 2026
    Arapahoe Basin Opens First for North America’s 2026/27 Ski Season

    Arapahoe Basin Opens First for North America’s 2026/27 Ski Season

    Winter has officially started in North America, and it is one blue run long. On Wednesday 28 October, Arapahoe Basin fired up the Black Mountain Express at around 10:30 am after a surprise announcement just hours earlier, becoming the first major North American resort open for 2026/27. Cold nights, a dusting of natural snow and a lot of snowmaking made it happen in the resort’s 80th winter. More terrain is promised as the snow guns keep running.

    28 Oct 2026
    Sulden am Ortler Pushes Its Season Start Back a Week to 7 November

    Sulden am Ortler Pushes Its Season Start Back a Week to 7 November

    Sulden am Ortler has called off its 31 October opening. The South Tyrol ski area has pushed its 2026/27 start back to Saturday 7 November, citing current weather and snow conditions and saying it will use the extra week to get the slopes in the best possible shape. The season is still scheduled to run through 2 May 2027. Elsewhere in Europe, around a dozen areas are already open, led by Sölden’s 30 kilometres of groomed runs.

    28 Oct 2026
    Pinheiro Braathen Wins Sölden Giant Slalom Opener by 0.48 Seconds

    Pinheiro Braathen Wins Sölden Giant Slalom Opener by 0.48 Seconds

    Two days at Sölden, two races decided by a hundredth somewhere on the podium, and one very quick Brazilian. Lucas Pinheiro Braathen led from the first run to win the men’s World Cup opener by 0.48 seconds, with Loïc Meillard second and Marco Odermatt third. River Radamus charged from 15th to fourth on a rutted course, and Britain’s Freddy Carrick-Smith banked his first World Cup points. Braathen still hasn’t lost a giant slalom since Olympic gold.

    25 Oct 2026
    Alps Snow Forecast: Up to 64 cm Headed for the High Glaciers as the Snow Line Drops

    Alps Snow Forecast: Up to 64 cm Headed for the High Glaciers as the Snow Line Drops

    The Alps are about to swap mild, sunny October weather for something far more wintry. A cold front arrives Tuesday, and SnowStash forecasts have Monterosa Ski out in front with 64 cm over 14 days, ahead of Blatten Belalp (55 cm) and Verbier (43 cm). The snow line should fall below 2000 metres by Wednesday night, and glaciers across Switzerland, Italy and Austria are in line for the best of it. The wind will have a say too.

    20 Oct 2026
    Four Dead After Avalanche Near Ski Portillo in Chile

    Four Dead After Avalanche Near Ski Portillo in Chile

    A large avalanche struck near Laguna del Inca adjacent to Ski Portillo on Saturday afternoon, killing four people and injuring four others. The group were day visitors mountaineering in the backcountry after reportedly being warned about elevated avalanche risk by resort staff.

    18 Oct 2026

    Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) Trail Map

    Downloadable Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) trail map

    Open in the app

    Live Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) conditions, webcams & maps. Opens straight here.

    Download on the App Store

    Open in the app

    Live Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) conditions, webcams & maps. Opens straight here.

    Download on the App Store
    Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) trail map↓ Download PDF
    Advertisement
    Terrain split
    10
    runs
    Beginner30%
    Intermediate65%
    Advanced5%
    Expert0%
    20 km of piste
    Advertisement
    Resort Stats
    Elevation
    Base960m
    Summit2120m
    Annual snowfall
    0.8m
    Season
    2025 - 2026
    6 Dec 2026 - 29 Mar 2027
    Trail coverage
    10 runs
    20 km
    Advertisement

    About Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo)'s trail map

    Explore Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo)'s full trail map with 10 runs across the mountain, colour-coded by difficulty and shown alongside the terrain split. Use it to plan a day that matches your ability, find lift-served pockets of your favourite grade, and see how the resort links together. Download the piste map (PDF) ↗

    More Rosskopf (Monte Cavallo) intelligence: snow report, lift system, webcams, resort overview.