Switzerland, Europe
Adelboden/Lenk
940m vertical, 86km pistes, hosts FIS World Cup annually. Bernese Oberland, Switzerland. AlpsPass included.
Season 2025 - 2026
Opens
12 Dec 2025
Closes
30 Mar 2026
Days open
108
Annual snow
4m
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
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.
940m
Vertical
8
Runs
86 km
Piste
4m
Annual snow
The Terrain
8 runs across 86 km of piste
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.
Terrain split
8
runs
8 runs across 4 grades
Beginner4 runs · 53%
Intermediate3 runs · 40%
Advanced1 run · 7%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit Adelboden/Lenk
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.
Season 2025 - 2026
12 Dec 2025
Opens
30 Mar 2026
Closes
108
Days open
4 m
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Adelboden/Lenk, and where to stay
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.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Adelboden/Lenk, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Spain Moves to Ban Smoking at Ski Resorts Under New Tobacco Law
Spain's government has approved a draft tobacco law that would ban smoking across a wide range of outdoor spaces, including sports venues - a category Spanish winter sports media expect to cover ski resorts, potentially extending to slopes and lifts themselves. The rules would also apply to e-cigarettes and vaping devices, even nicotine-free ones. The bill still has to clear the Spanish parliament before any ban, signage, or fines can take effect.
22 July 2026
South Tyrol Approves New 16-Person Ciampinoi Gondola in Val Gardena
South Tyrol has approved a full rebuild of the Ciampinoi cable car in Selva di Val Gardena, replacing the current 12-person gondola with a 16-person cabin and a new mountain-station restaurant. Capacity is capped at 3,200 people an hour rather than the 3,600 the operator wanted, and 250,000 euros must go toward compensatory measures. No construction or opening date has been set, though the upgrade is partly aimed at clearing bottlenecks before the 2031 Alpine Ski World Championships.
22 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Hoshino Tomamu - Corporate Japan's Mountain Playground Revisited
Hoshino Tomamu is the ski resort equivalent of a conference hotel that happens to have excellent powder. Built for corporate retreats and package tourists, it offers genuine Hokkaido snow on surprisingly limited terrain - 29 runs spread across 585 vertical metres.
21 July 2026
La Thuile's New Cable Car Replaces Two Ageing Chairlifts
La Thuile is spending 38.7 million US dollars on a new 10-person cable car linking Les Suches to Chaz Dura, replacing the La Combe and Chaz Dura chairlifts after nearly forty years of service. Built by Leitner, the new cable car runs 1,950 metres to a top station at 2,576 metres, carrying up to 3,000 people an hour with a six-minute ride. It also improves the connection to La Rosiere in France via the Petit-Saint-Bernard Pass, and is on track to open for the 2026/27 season.
21 July 2026
The Remarkables Adds Scarpa Bowl to Its Inbounds Terrain
The Remarkables is adding new inbounds terrain for winter, bringing the Scarpa Bowl - known locally as the Toilet Bowl - into its lift-accessed network after years as backcountry-only ground. The roughly 500 metre run is reached by bootpacking from the top of the Sugar Bowl chairlift, with a shuttle picking skiers up from the road at the bottom. It's a smaller, faster addition than the resort's planned Doolans expansion, though the new terrain hasn't opened yet due to a lack of snow this season.
21 July 2026
Ski Portillo Cut Off After Storm Dumps More Than 4.5 Metres of Snow
Ski Portillo remains isolated after an extended storm buried the Chilean resort under more than 4.5 metres of snow, with both ground and air access suspended since Tuesday while crews monitor avalanche hazards and worsening weather. Resort officials say further snowfall is expected in the coming days and haven't set a timeline for reopening the mountain road. Once access resumes, the scale of the snowpack could set up a strong season at one of the Southern Hemisphere's most historic ski resorts.
21 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Lotte Arai - Japan's Corporate Ski Anomaly With 22 Metres of Annual Snowfall
Lotte Arai receives 22 metres of annual snowfall - exceptional even by Japanese standards - but its corporate ownership model and limited terrain create an unusual cost-benefit equation. Here's what the numbers actually mean on the ground.
19 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Banff Sunshine Village - Nine Metres of Snow and a Season That Runs Until May
Banff Sunshine Village sits at 1,660m base and receives 9.27m of snow annually. Inside Banff National Park, it offers a six-month season and terrain split that skews heavily advanced - though the crowds and lift infrastructure tell their own story.
18 July 2026
Current conditions
Snow Report
Updated 14 Aug 2026
2200m
summit
+0cm
new snow · last 24 hours
Mainly Clear13°C / 22°C · SW 11km/h
Snowfall
24 hours
0cm
48 hours
0cm
7 days
0cm
Base depth
0cm
Season total
0cm
Total lifts16
Live open status isn’t available right now.
12 Dec 2025 - 30 Mar 2026
Hour by Hour
Next 46 hours· Updated Aug 15, 2026 at 6:02 AM
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
7-Day Outlook
2,200 mUpdated Aug 15, 2026 at 6:02 AMOpen-Meteo
Days 1–7
0.0cm
Days 8–14
0.0cm
Sat, Aug 15
Overcast
Temp22° / 13°°C
Snow0.0cm(60%)
Wind11 km/h SW
Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Understanding the Adelboden/Lenk snow report
Adelboden/Lenk snow conditions, updated regularly: current snowfall, snow depth, temperatures, and the outlook for this Switzerland resort.
Snow measurements
Our snow reports measure snowfall in centimeters over multiple time windows — last 24 hours, last 7 days, and the season total. Base depth reflects accumulation at the 1260m base area, while summit depth captures conditions 940m higher at 2200m, where snow typically stays colder and lingers longer. Imperial conversions are shown alongside for convenience.
Weather conditions
Current weather conditions affect snow quality. Cold temperatures with low wind typically preserve snow quality, while warm temperatures or rain can impact conditions negatively — something worth watching closely at Adelboden/Lenk's 1260m base elevation, where temperatures run milder than the summit.
Data sources
Snowfall and depth figures for Adelboden/Lenk come from official mountain sources; weather and outlook data comes from independent forecasting services. The mountain is served by 16 lifts, including 4 quad chairlifts and 5 6-person chairlifts.
When to check
Conditions can change overnight, so mornings and late afternoons are the best times to check back on Adelboden/Lenk.