
940m vertical, 86km pistes, hosts FIS World Cup annually. Bernese Oberland, Switzerland. AlpsPass included.
The main Adelboden-Lenk sector spans 86 kilometres of piste across 940 metres of vertical drop, operating between 1,260 and 2,200 metres elevation in the Bernese Oberland. This shared ski area links the Engstligen and Simmen valleys via the Hahnenmoos pass, with 53 per cent beginner terrain, 40 per cent intermediate and 7 per cent advanced across its documented eight runs. The Chuenisbärgli slope hosts the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup each January, drawing crowds exceeding 30,000 to watch giant slalom and slalom races that have run without interruption since 1967. Average annual snowfall reaches 4.3 metres, with north-facing slopes holding coverage well whilst south-facing sectors deliver sunshine.
Terrain character favours progression, with long cruising runs dominating the Metschstand and Hahnenmoos sectors above Lenk. The Gran Masta Park at Hahnenmoos provides freestyle features for multiple skill levels, whilst Chuenisbärgli delivers technical challenge on its World Cup-certified gradient. Off-piste opportunities exist around Engstligenalp plateau at 2,000 metres and below Lavey at 2,200 metres, though steep black runs remain limited. Lift-served vertical approaches 940 metres on continuous descents from Sillerenbühl to valley stations.
Adelboden village sits at 1,350 metres with traditional chalet architecture and direct road access from Frutigen, whilst Lenk occupies the Simmental at 1,068 metres with a quieter family atmosphere. On-mountain infrastructure includes 18 restaurants across the main sector, with farm buildings converted to rustic huts serving traditional dishes. The separate Engstligenalp, Tschentenalp, Elsigen-Metsch and Betelberg sectors add breadth to the regional lift pass, though connections between areas require downloads or bus transfers.
The AlpsPass season ticket, priced at 949 Swiss francs for 2025-26, grants unlimited access across Adelboden-Lenk, Aletsch Arena, Engelberg-Titlis and Jungfrau Ski Region, plus three days each at five partner resorts including Davos Klosters and Verbier. Day tickets use dynamic pricing, with adult passes ranging from 75 to 120 francs depending on demand. Kids under six ski free, whilst Saturdays offer two children aged 6-15 free per adult pass purchased. The terrain suits intermediates and families, with novice-friendly sectors balancing World Cup legacy and accessible progression.
Adelboden/Lenk spreads 8 runs across 86 km of piste of terrain. It leans beginner at 53%, with 4 beginner runs to find your feet and 1 advanced or expert run when you want to push.
The 2025-26 winter season opened 12 December 2025 and closes 30 March 2026 in the main Adelboden-Lenk sector, with Engstligenalp extending operations until 3 May 2026. Weekend skiing begins 28 November 2026 for the following season, transitioning to daily operations from 5 December 2026 through 4 April 2027. Betelberg near Lenk operates from 19 December through early April. The core season spans mid-December to late March, with lift hours running 8:00 to 16:30 December through mid-January, extending to 17:00 from mid-January until closure.
Annual snowfall averages 4.3 metres across the ski area, with January's second week typically delivering peak accumulation of 46 centimetres. Summit elevations maintain base depths averaging 104 centimetres mid-season, whilst lower stations around 1,260 metres rely more heavily on snowmaking infrastructure. North-facing slopes above Hahnenmoos and sectors approaching Metschstand preserve coverage longest, benefiting from limited sun exposure. The region records 84 sunny days per season on average, seven days above the Swiss mean, with April delivering 21 clear days statistically.
January through March offers optimal conditions, with the World Cup weekend 10-11 January 2026 drawing crowds but guaranteeing exceptional piste preparation on Chuenisbärgli. February mid-weeks provide uncrowded skiing with established base depths, whilst March balances reliable snow against increasing temperatures at lower elevations. Late-season visitors target Engstligenalp's north-facing plateau, which holds spring snow quality into May. Early December remains variable pending natural accumulation, with comprehensive snowmaking compensating across key connectors.
The Audi FIS Ski World Cup on Chuenisbärgli represents the season's signature event, with 70th edition races scheduled 10-11 January 2026 featuring giant slalom and slalom. Adelboden ranks among only three resorts hosting World Cup races annually since the circuit's 1967 inception. The World Cup slope opens to recreational skiers the week following competition for experienced skiers seeking technical challenge. Night skiing operations are absent, though floodlit tobogganing runs operate in specific valleys. No major music festivals or closing-day celebrations dominate the calendar beyond standard World Cup festivities.
Adelboden occupies the head of the Engstligental valley in the western Bernese Oberland, 70 kilometres from Bern and 186 kilometres from Zurich. The village spreads across a south-facing terrace at 1,350 metres elevation, overlooking the 375-metre Engstligen Falls where multiple streams plunge toward the Kander River confluence at Frutigen. Lenk sits 2.1 kilometres distant by ski connection but 47 kilometres by road, positioned in the Simmental valley at 1,068 metres where the Simme River flows north toward Lake Thun. Both valleys terminate at high Alpine passes blocked to road traffic: Hahnenmoos linking the resorts at 1,957 metres and Bunderchrinde connecting east to Kandersteg.
Frutigen, 14 kilometres north of Adelboden at 780 metres elevation, serves as the regional transport hub with mainline rail connections on the Lötschberg route between Bern and Brig. The AFA bus route 230 runs 30 minutes from Frutigen station directly to Adelboden village centre, whilst Lenk receives RegioExpress Lötschberger trains via Zweisimmen junction with 90-minute connections from Bern. The Montreux-Oberland Bernois railway links Lenk to Lake Geneva via the GoldenPass panoramic route through Saanen and Gstaad. Both villages maintain year-round road access, though winter chains or four-wheel drive become necessary during snowfall.
From Bern, the A6 motorway reaches Spiez in 45 minutes, continuing to the Wimmis exit for Simmental access or the Kandersteg exit for the Frutigen-Adelboden valley. Route 11 follows the Simme through Zweisimmen before climbing to Lenk, whilst a single winding road ascends the Engstlige gorge from Frutigen to Adelboden's dead-end position. Zurich lies 180 kilometres and 2.5 hours northeast via the A1 and A6 motorways. Geneva sits 230 kilometres and three hours west via Lausanne and the A12, threading Lake Geneva's north shore before turning toward the Alps.
Bern-Belp Airport operates 62 kilometres and 58 minutes north, serving limited European destinations with hourly bus-train connections via Bern Hauptbahnhof. Zurich Airport, Switzerland's primary international gateway, lies 186 kilometres distant with two-hour rail journeys requiring changes at Bern or Spiez, then bus transfer from Frutigen. Geneva Airport sits 224 kilometres away with 3.5-hour train-bus combinations via Lausanne, Montreux and Zweisimmen to Lenk, or via Bern and Frutigen to Adelboden. Private transfer services operate from all three airports, with Zurich providing the most reliable public transport frequency. The Simmental Card grants free local bus travel to overnight guests paying tourist tax.
Hotels and lodges near Adelboden/Lenk, powered by Stay22.

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.

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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.

Mammoth got its first snow of 2026-27 on Monday 28 September - and promptly lost it by Tuesday morning. Barely an inch fell at McCoy Station, but with opening day pencilled in for Friday 13 November, it's the first sign the Sierra is waking up. Last year's date slipped from 14 November to 20 November, so nobody's booking flights on a dusting just yet. Here's where California's early openers stand.
Adelboden/Lenk's 2026 - 2027 season typically runs from November 28 through April 11. That window is roughly 134 calendar days, though daily operations depend on snow cover, weather, and lift maintenance.
Resorts in Switzerland, Europe often announce firm dates closer to winter; check the live snow report before you travel if you are planning around opening weekend or spring closure.
Adelboden/Lenk lists about 86 km of piste of marked terrain spread across 8 named runs. That footprint is what most riders experience on a lift-served day. Side-country or hike-to terrain may sit outside these published numbers.
Use the trail map to see how the mountain is laid out and where the longest fall-line runs connect back to base.
Trail grading at Adelboden/Lenk breaks down roughly as 53% beginner, 40% intermediate, 7% advanced. With a strong beginner share, Adelboden/Lenk suits families and first-time visitors who want forgiving warm-up terrain before exploring further upslope.
Percentages describe the resort's published piste mix, not vertical metres. A mountain with modest "expert" stats can still feel demanding if the steep terrain is long or exposed. Read the trail map alongside these numbers when planning your route.
Adelboden/Lenk operates 16 lifts across 6 lift types. The fleet includes 5 6-person chairs, 4 quad chairs, 3 t-bars, 2 surface lifts, 1 gondola, and 1 double chair.
Lift mix affects how quickly you can lap your favourite zones. Gondolas and trams move big crowds to mid-mountain, while shorter chairs and surface lifts often serve learning areas or local pods. Check the live snow report on ski days for real-time open/closed status.
Base elevation at Adelboden/Lenk is about 1,260 m (4,134 ft), with the summit around 2,200 m (7,218 ft), giving roughly 940 m (3,084 ft) of vertical from base to top.
Higher start heights usually mean colder, drier snow holding longer into spring, but also thinner air and faster weather changes. Pack layers if you are riding from village level to summit lifts in one day.
Adelboden/Lenk averages about 430 cm (169 inches) of natural snowfall per season. That is a long-term climate figure. Any single winter can run well above or below it depending on storm track and temperature.
For trip planning, pair this baseline with the live snow report and webcams: fresh cycles show up in overnight totals and summit cameras long before season averages tell you much about today's surface.
Published single-day adult pricing on SnowStash currently spans CHF 45 to CHF 120, depending on date band and whether you are buying peak or regular windows. Multi-day products (multi-day passes, season passes) usually lower the per-day cost if you are staying several days. Tickets can be bought online through the resort's official checkout (linked from our lift tickets page) or at on-mountain ticket windows, subject to availability.
Buying ahead of peak holidays and weekends generally saves money and guarantees access on sold-out days. Before you commit, scan the snow report and webcams so you are paying for conditions that match your expectations.
SnowStash pulls together 2 live mountain webcams, a downloadable piste map, and the daily snow report for Adelboden/Lenk so you can plan from home. Webcams refresh on a short interval and are the fastest way to judge visibility, wind exposure, and whether storm snow is still falling.
The snow report adds structured totals, base depth where available, and lift/trail status when the resort publishes it. Use both together: cameras show what it looks like right now, and the report summarises numbers your group can compare day to day.
Yes. The downloadable PDF/image map is better for offline planning, marking meeting points, and understanding the full mountain layout at a glance.
Both versions are on the trail map page for Adelboden/Lenk. If you are navigating with kids or meeting friends across separate lifts, screenshot or print the static map and keep the live map open on your phone for operational updates.
Adelboden/Lenk sits in Switzerland, Europe. That regional context matters for travel planning: airport transfers, snow tyres, and typical storm patterns all follow geography as much as resort marketing.
Browse nearby accommodation from the resort page if you are comparing village-base vs valley-base stays; where you sleep changes your first lift of the day more than most trail stats do.