
Disentis
60km of piste, 1,606m vertical, Epic Pass included. Uncrowded Swiss skiing in Graubünden's Surselva valley.
Disentis operates across 1,606 metres of vertical drop from 1,227 to 2,833 metres elevation, with 60 kilometres of piste served by 12 lifts accessing terrain that spans two alpine valleys and a ridge descent to the base. The resort forms part of the Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis network covering 180 kilometres across central Switzerland. Epic Pass holders ski free with unlimited access, whilst 3-day passes or longer unlock the broader ASD system via the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn train connection included in lift tickets.
Terrain splits 33 per cent beginner, 50 per cent intermediate and 17 per cent advanced across 13 marked runs, with intermediates particularly well served by long cruising pistes stretching over 8 kilometres from summit to base. The black-graded valley descent from Caischavedra to S.Catrina drops 636 metres over 5 kilometres and remains the resort's most technically demanding on-piste option. Advanced riders gravitate toward the Parlets triple chair for tree skiing and couloirs around Péz Ault, where surface lifts access the highest terrain at 2,833 metres.
Disentis maintains a quiet mid-week atmosphere with minimal lift queues and uncrowded slopes that contrast sharply with busier Swiss destinations. Three mountain restaurants including the panorama facility at Caischavedra provide on-mountain dining, whilst the separate base villages of S.Catrina and Disentis township sit 1.5 kilometres apart. Southeast-facing terrain captures morning sun but can soften quickly in spring, and the predominantly Romansh-speaking community adds cultural distinction to the alpine setting.
The 2025-26 season runs 20 December to 5 April with Epic Pass inclusion representing exceptional value for North American passholders seeking European terrain. Multi-day regional passes grant Sedrun access and train travel between all ASD sectors, making Disentis an ideal base for intermediates, families seeking space and freeriders chasing backcountry accessed from the upper lifts. Adult day tickets range 58-72 Swiss francs depending on period, with a 69-franc half-price season pass offering 50 per cent discounts year-round.
Disentis has 13 marked runs and 60 kilometres of piste over a 1,606-metre vertical, from the 2,833-metre high point to the valley base at 1,227 metres. Intermediate runs cover 50% of the area, backed by 33% beginner, 15% advanced and 2% expert, which makes the mountain friendlier than the vertical suggests. The uphill network is two aerial trams, two quad chairs, a triple chair, five T-bars and two surface lifts, and 8 metres of annual snowfall keeps the upper bowls well covered through winter. The mountain also forms part of the wider Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis network.
The route to the top runs from S. Catrina on the Caischavedra cable car, then the Gendusas and Lai Alv chairs and the Péz Ault drag lift. Skiers chase the long descent of more than 1,600 vertical metres from the Lai Alv top T-bar back to the valley station. Freeriders exit right from the top drag lift into the side valleys of Val Gronda, Val Pintga, Val Acletta and Val Strem, where avalanche gear and local knowledge matter. It suits intermediates who like length and freeriders chasing space.
The 2025-26 winter season operates 20 December 2025 through 5 April 2026, delivering a 107-day operating window typical of Swiss resorts at this elevation band. Disentis historically opens in mid-December with reliable early-season coverage, occasionally running pre-season weekend packages in late November when conditions allow. The resort targets an April closure aligned with Easter holidays and spring snowpack depletion at lower elevations.
Snowfall averages 8 metres annually at upper elevations, with the Surselva's position near the Rhine headwaters and exposure to northern storm tracks delivering consistent accumulation from December through March. January and February represent peak powder months averaging 96cm and 58cm respectively, whilst December contributes 60cm and March adds 71cm according to long-term data. Summit elevations above 2,500 metres maintain coverage well into April, though southeast aspects can deteriorate rapidly during sunny periods.
Optimal visits target January through early March for cold temperatures and frequent snowfall, with powder accessible days after storms given light crowds and extensive off-piste terrain. March offers longer daylight and spring conditions suited to intermediates preferring softer snow, whilst the resort's quietest periods fall mid-January and early February outside school holidays. The black valley descent requires adequate base depth and typically opens after Christmas once lower-elevation snowpack builds sufficiently.
Snownight Sedrun operates Thursday evenings on illuminated pistes between Dieni and Milez when conditions permit. Pre-season Catrina ski weekends ran 29-30 November, 6-8 December and 13-14 December 2025 offering discounted packages. New Year's Eve celebrations occur on-mountain at Caischavedra mid-station, whilst the resort's modest scale means programming centres on skiing rather than extensive events calendars.
Disentis sits at 1,130 metres elevation in the Surselva district of Graubünden canton, high in the upper Anterior Rhine valley where the Oberalp Pass route from Uri and the Lukmanier Pass from Ticino converge. The predominantly Romansh-speaking municipality of Disentis/Mustér spreads across the valley floor with the ski base at S.Catrina positioned 1.5 kilometres from the historic town centre and its 8th-century Benedictine abbey. Snow-covered peaks encircle the valley, which marks one of the headwater regions of Europe's Rhine River.
Chur, the Graubünden cantonal capital, lies 60 kilometres east down the Rhine valley with regular Rhaetian Railway connections taking 76 minutes. Andermatt in Uri canton sits 25 kilometres west across the Oberalp Pass, though the pass road closes in winter making the Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn the primary link between resorts. Sedrun village with its own ski area access sits just 5 minutes west by rail or 9 kilometres by road, whilst the Glacier Express panoramic train threads through Disentis connecting Zermatt to St Moritz.
Road access from the north follows the A13 autobahn from Zurich via Chur, exiting at Reichenau/Disentis for the valley road through Ilanz to Disentis - total driving distance approximately 185 kilometres. From the south, the Lukmanier Pass provides summer access from Ticino and remains sporadically open in winter unlike the Oberalp. Milan lies 2.5 hours south when the pass is clear, though the route suits summer more than winter access. Free parking at S.Catrina base accommodates day visitors arriving by car.
Zurich Airport serves as the primary international gateway 185 kilometres northeast, with driving transfers taking 2 hours 25 minutes via Chur. Train connections require changing at Zurich Hauptbahnhof to Chur, then onwards to Disentis/Mustér station for a total journey under 4 hours. Lugano Airport in Ticino sits closer at 102 kilometres but requires crossing the Lukmanier Pass. Smaller regional airports at St Gallen-Altenrhein and Bern lie within 2-3 hours driving distance. The Rhaetian Railway from Chur and Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn from Andermatt meet at Disentis station with hourly services, with local buses shuttling between station and slopes.
Hotels and lodges near Disentis, powered by Stay22.

Mammoth Mountain is first up in California, targeting Friday 13 November after a dusting of September snow. Heavenly and Northstar follow on 20 November, Palisades Tahoe on Wednesday 25 November and Sugar Bowl on 27 November, with Kirkwood on 4 December and June Mountain on 19 December. Plenty of smaller areas have no date yet. A super El Niño favours the Sierra, but a warmer storm track is the catch.

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.

Dolomiti Superski is spending around €100 million across its 12 areas before winter. Kronplatz gets a new 10-passenger gondola with a middle station, 3 Zinnen gets Helmissimo, and Val di Fassa swaps a chairlift for a gondola above Col Valvacin. New water-storage basins and upgraded snowmaking follow, and construction has started on the San Martino to Passo Rolle link. A peak adult day pass is €89.

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.
Opening day for the winter 2026 - 2027 season is scheduled for Nov 28, 2026 (subject to change). Lift tickets at Disentis typically go on sale well before the start of the ski season.
Day passes start from CHF 25, with peak rates up to CHF 72.
Single or two-day access to Disentis ski area only with 60km of slopes up to 2833m. Perfect for shorter visits before connecting to full Andermatt-Sedrun system.
Buy passYouth daily ticket for Disentis ski area covering teens aged 13-17. Experience high-altitude skiing with family-friendly slopes and mountain railway connections.
Buy passChildren's lift ticket for Disentis covering ages 6-12. Family-friendly skiing with children's lifts and playgrounds in manageable mountain environment.
Buy pass20% family discount at Disentis for three paying persons minimum with at least one adult and one child/teenager from same household. Not cumulative with other discounts.
Buy passFree skiing for children 5 and under at Disentis when accompanied by adult. Kids enjoy complimentary access to manageable family-friendly ski area.
Buy passTrain connection between Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis included in annual pass during winter. Additional upgrade available for Epic Pass holders at exclusive pricing.
Buy passThree-day or longer access to full Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis region with 180km of slopes and 33 lifts. Largest ski area in the heart of Switzerland.
Buy passAnnual half-price pass for Disentis at CHF 69 providing 50% discount on all day tickets winter and summer. Excellent value for regular visitors.
Buy passEpic Pass holders receive unlimited access to Andermatt-Sedrun-Disentis. Perfect destination for divine winter landscapes and wide variety of winter sports.
Buy passMore Disentis intelligence: snow report, webcams, resort overview.