
Diavolezza
Diavolezza: 35km pistes, 2093-3006m, Switzerland's longest glacier descent. High-altitude powder paradise in Upper Engadine.
Diavolezza operates between 2093 and 3006 metres in the Val Bernina, delivering 913 metres of vertical drop across 35 kilometres of marked pistes and 10 additional kilometres of ski routes. The resort's two separate mountains, Diavolezza and Lagalb, offer 10 designated runs split 12% beginner, 65% intermediate and 23% advanced/expert terrain. The 10-kilometre Morteratsch glacier descent ranks as Switzerland's longest secured glacier run, whilst Lagalb's Minor slope holds an 86% gradient, making it Graubünden's steepest prepared piste. Sitting entirely above 2000 metres on north-facing terrain, the resort guarantees reliable snow conditions throughout its extended season.
Diavolezza caters primarily to intermediate and advanced skiers, with limited terrain for beginners beyond a small practice area at the base. The Diavolezza side features wide cruising runs and the signature glacier route past Piz Palü and Piz Bernina, whilst Lagalb delivers steeper, more technical terrain including the challenging La Rösa freeride descent into Val Poschiavo. Off-piste opportunities dominate the experience, with accessible sidecountry lines in Val Arlas and Val Minor drawing freeriders to this treeless, high-alpine environment. The resort's compact lift network means minimal crowds and quick access to untracked powder after storms.
Berghaus Diavolezza at 2978 metres provides on-mountain dining, overnight accommodation and an outdoor jacuzzi with direct glacier views. The summit station serves as base for full moon skiing events during Glüna Plaina and the Diavolezza Challenge ski touring route. Both mountains feature their own railway stations at the base, with Rhaetian Railway providing direct access via the UNESCO Bernina Line. The intimate scale and authentic mountain atmosphere contrast sharply with the busier St Moritz resorts just down the valley.
Diavolezza and Lagalb operate under local lift passes starting at CHF 38-70.50 per adult day ticket with dynamic pricing, or form part of the Upper Engadin regional pass covering Corvatsch, Corviglia and all St Moritz resorts across 350 kilometres of terrain plus free local trains and buses. The 2025-26 season runs from mid-October through early May, capitalising on the glacier's altitude advantage. This is expert-focused terrain for confident skiers seeking off-piste adventure, long cruising runs and some of Switzerland's most dramatic high-alpine scenery away from mainstream resort crowds.
Diavolezza sits entirely above 2,000 metres, with 10 runs and 35 kilometres of piste falling 913 metres from the 3,006-metre summit to a base at 2,093 metres. The split is 12% beginner, 65% intermediate, 20% advanced and 3% expert, so the mountain is pitched at confident skiers rather than first-timers. Two aerial trams, a quad chair, a T-bar and a surface lift handle the uphill work, and around 6 metres of annual snowfall settles on open, treeless slopes with little shelter from the weather. Snow reliability is the main selling point of the high-alpine setting.
The signature descent is the Morteratsch glacier route, an ungroomed run of roughly 10 kilometres that passes beneath Piz Palü and Piz Bernina before finishing at Morteratsch station. Treat it as a guided or well-informed outing. Across at Lagalb, the Minor slope is Graubünden's steepest prepared piste, while La Rösa gives firn-snow freeride towards Val Poschiavo. Learners find little here beyond a small practice area, so Diavolezza rewards advanced skiers and freeriders who want steep, open ground over lift-served variety. The Diavolezza side adds wide cruising runs, and sidecountry lines in Val Arlas reward those with avalanche training.
Diavolezza operates from 18 November 2025 through 3 May 2026 for the 2025-26 season, with Lagalb running a shorter schedule from late December to mid-April. Early-season skiing in October and November typically operates weekends only until continuous operations begin in late December. The extended calendar exploits the glacier's altitude advantage, with skiing possible into late spring when lower resorts have closed. Morteratsch glacier runs remain skiable well into May under most seasonal conditions, though coverage varies annually based on snowfall and temperatures.
The resort's entirely above-2000-metre elevation and north-facing exposure deliver consistent snow quality throughout winter. Annual snowfall averages 6 metres at summit elevations, supplemented by 13.5 kilometres of snowmaking coverage across key runs. Cold temperatures preserve powder for days after storms, particularly on shaded aspects below Piz Palü and in the Val Minor bowl. Base depths at the lower stations typically hold 24-54 centimetres mid-season, whilst upper terrain maintains substantially deeper coverage. Glacier skiing ensures reliable spring conditions when valley resorts struggle with thin bases.
January through March offer peak powder potential, with February delivering the most stable weather windows for off-piste exploration. Early season October-November attracts ski touring enthusiasts and locals chasing first tracks, whilst April-May spring skiing benefits from longer days and softer snow. Midweek visits outside Swiss school holidays guarantee quieter slopes and shorter lift queues. Weather can turn fierce when storms funnel through the Bernina Pass, with wind and low visibility occasionally shutting operations.
Glüna Plaina full moon skiing events run select evenings throughout winter, with illuminated descents from Diavolezza accompanied by on-mountain dining at CHF 45 per ticket. The Diavolezza Challenge ski touring route operates as a timed training course for both beginners and experienced alpinists. No major competitions or festivals anchor the calendar, keeping the focus on pure skiing rather than spectacle. Summer operations remain limited to cable car sightseeing access and alpine hiking rather than glacier skiing.
Daily snow reports at Diavolezza go back to 1996, 30 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.
Diavolezza sits in the Val Bernina within Graubünden canton, 17 kilometres southeast of St Moritz in Switzerland's Upper Engadine valley. The base stations rest at 2093 metres on the Bernina Pass road connecting the Engadin with Italy's Valtellina, surrounded by the 4049-metre Piz Bernina and the Morteratsch and Pers glaciers. The resort operates within Pontresina municipality, though it sits isolated from valley settlements. The dramatic Bernina massif forms the backdrop, with Piz Palü's distinctive triple summit dominating the skyline. This is true high-alpine terrain, treeless and exposed to the elements.
Pontresina lies 10 kilometres northwest, Celerina 14 kilometres and St Moritz 17 kilometres by road, making all three viable accommodation bases. Samedan sits 15 kilometres away near the valley floor at 1700 metres elevation. The cosmopolitan resort of St Moritz offers luxury lodging and dining, whilst Pontresina provides a quieter, more traditional mountain village atmosphere. Zuoz, Bever and La Punt serve as alternative bases further down the Engadine valley. The region's Romansch cultural heritage persists in architecture and place names, though tourism has brought international influences.
Access from the northwest follows the Julier Pass (2284 metres) via Silvaplana, remaining open year-round as the primary route from Chur and Zurich. The Bernina Pass road (2328 metres) connects southward to Poschiavo and Tirano in Italy, though winter closures occasionally restrict access. From the east, the Flüela Pass typically closes November through May, forcing traffic through the Vereina rail tunnel or via the Lower Engadine. Drive times from Zurich reach approximately 3 hours covering 200 kilometres, whilst Milan sits 3.5 hours distant.
Zurich Airport lies 200 kilometres northwest with train connections via Chur requiring 3.5-4.5 hours and at least two changes. Milan Malpensa Airport sits 180 kilometres south, approximately 3 hours 40 minutes by car. Munich Airport reaches 4 hours northeast. The Bernina Diavolezza railway station sits directly at the lift base, served by Rhaetian Railway's Bernina Line linking St Moritz with Tirano on the UNESCO World Heritage Albula/Bernina route. Regular trains eliminate car dependency for day visitors from the Engadine valley.
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A Tyrolean summit lift that has been carrying guests up the Kitzbüheler Horn since 1955 is on borrowed time. Its licence runs to 2045, but a new inspection rule has made refurbishment uneconomic, so Bergbahn AG Kitzbühel will spend around €15 million on a replacement on the same line. It should hold roughly 100 people and keep running in winds that would stop today’s lift. Building starts in autumn 2027, which makes this winter and next summer the last chances to ride the old one.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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More Diavolezza intelligence: snow report, lift tickets, trail map, resort overview.