
Hoch-Ybrig
50km of slopes, 791m vertical, 12 lifts. 50 minutes from Zürich in Canton Schwyz. Beginner-friendly with NBC Snowpark.
Hoch-Ybrig operates between 1,040 and 1,831 metres across 50 kilometres of piste and 17 marked runs in the Canton of Schwyz. The resort delivers 791 metres of vertical drop across mostly treeless slopes, with terrain split 30 per cent beginner, 60 per cent intermediate and 10 per cent advanced. An aerial tram connects the Weglosen base to Seebli at 1,462 metres, where four quad chairlifts and one six-seat chair serve the upper mountain. February typically sees the deepest snowpack, averaging 109 centimetres at summit.
The ski area stretches between the villages of Unteriberg and Oberiberg, with slopes flowing across open alpine terrain that offers visibility from base to summit. Intermediate cruisers dominate the mountain, with the longest run extending 5.3 kilometres. The Sternen chairlift reaches the highest point at 1,856 metres, whilst the Hesisbol six-seater accesses mid-mountain terrain at 1,820 metres. Two base stations at Weglosen and Laucheren provide separate entry points into the ski area.
The NBC Snowpark at Hesisbol runs 1.6 kilometres alongside the six-seat chairlift, featuring over 20 obstacles maintained by a dedicated shaping team. An Audi Skicross Park beside the Sternen lift adds race-format terrain. Mountain restaurants including Bergrestaurant Sternen at 1,856 metres and Füederegg at mid-mountain serve traditional fare. Weekend queues form at Seebli during peak periods, though the spread across two base stations helps disperse crowds.
The Schneepass Zentralschweiz season pass grants access to 15 Central Swiss resorts for CHF 695. Day tickets cost CHF 57 for adults, with half-day and multi-day options available. The 2025-26 season runs 29 November through 6 April. The resort sits 50 minutes from Zürich and caters primarily to intermediate skiers, families and Zürich day-trippers seeking accessible alpine terrain.
Hoch-Ybrig has 17 runs and 50 kilometres of piste in the Schwyz Alps, dropping 791 metres from 1,831 metres down to 1,040 metres. The vertical is modest, but the mix is practical: 60% intermediate, 30% beginner and 10% advanced, with no expert terrain. The system is compact, built around one aerial tram, a six-seat chair, four quad chairs, three T-bars and three surface lifts, and roughly 4 metres of annual snowfall supports a mostly treeless area that is easy to read from base to summit.
The tram from Weglosen reaches Seebli, where chairs fan out to Sternen, Hesisbol and Spirstock, and a separate entry from Laucheren in Oberiberg reaches Laucherenstöckli. The Sternen chair tops out at 1,856 metres. The NBC Snowpark runs alongside the Hesisbol six-seat chair with over 20 obstacles, and a skicross course sits beside the Sternen quad. From Spirstock, Lake Lucerne is visible on a clear day. Saturday mornings at Seebli are the busy point. It suits Zurich day-trippers, families and intermediates looking for varied, uncomplicated skiing close to the city.
The 2025-26 season opens 29 November and closes 6 April, spanning 19 weeks. Hoch-Ybrig typically operates mid-season length compared to higher Swiss resorts, with snow reliability dependent on natural accumulation rather than glacier terrain. The resort averages 404 centimetres of annual snowfall, with the snowiest week historically falling in the second week of January when 47 centimetres typically accumulates. Operations run daily between 7:00 and 17:30 during official season dates.
Snow depth at the 1,831-metre summit averages 38 inches mid-season, with base depth at 1,040 metres reaching 22 inches. February delivers optimal conditions when snowpack peaks at 43 inches summit and 25 inches base. The resort records an average of 66 sunny days per season, with March the sunniest month averaging 17 clear days. North-facing aspects preserve powder longer than south-facing terrain, particularly following January storms.
January and February offer peak snow conditions, whilst March balances deeper base with longer daylight and warmer temperatures. April skiing proves variable as the 1,040-metre base elevation limits late-season reliability. The resort benefits from a microclimate that occasionally delivers snow when lower-elevation areas receive rain. December conditions depend heavily on early-season storms, with full terrain opening typically by mid-month if snowfall cooperates.
No night skiing operates at Hoch-Ybrig. The resort hosts family ski days through partnerships with Migros, offering subsidised packages including lift tickets, lunch and racing for CHF 85 per family. Winter hiking trails total 10 kilometres when marked, with routes circling the frozen Seebli lake. The NBC Snowpark hosts freestyle events throughout winter, though the resort maintains a lower profile than major competition venues in the Swiss calendar.
Daily snow reports at Hoch-Ybrig go back to 2017, 10 winters on the books. Open the record to compare winters, lifts and piste.
Hoch-Ybrig sits in the Waag valley between Unteriberg and Oberiberg in Canton Schwyz, Central Switzerland. The Weglosen base station stands at 1,035 metres, surrounded by the Drusberg, Forstberg and Twäriberg peaks of the Schwyzer Alps, which separate the area from Muotathal valley to the south and Canton Glarus to the east. The Ibergeregg mountain pass at 1,406 metres links the Ybrig region to Schwyz, the cantonal capital. Canton Schwyz ranks among Switzerland's three founding cantons.
Einsiedeln, a pilgrimage town known for its Benedictine abbey, lies 18 kilometres northwest and serves as the nearest major settlement. The villages of Unteriberg at 925 metres and Oberiberg at similar elevation provide accommodation and services within five kilometres of the lifts. Schwyz sits 25 kilometres north via the Ibergeregg pass. The resort operates in a traditional farming region where the Ybrig dialect persists among locals.
From Zürich, drivers follow the A3 motorway south through Wädenswil, exiting at Pfäffikon before continuing via Einsiedeln to reach Weglosen in approximately 70 minutes covering 59 kilometres. The route bypasses Einsiedeln's centre, following signage toward Ybrig. From Schwyz, the Ibergeregg pass road provides direct access in 30 minutes, though this route closes in heavy snow. Free parking at both Weglosen and Laucheren base stations accommodates day visitors.
Zürich Airport lies 82 minutes by car covering approximately 80 kilometres. Train passengers travel to Einsiedeln station via Wädenswil or Rapperswil, then transfer to PostAuto bus line 556, which reaches Weglosen in 31 minutes with five daily departures. Bus line 555 serves Laucheren from Einsiedeln. Basel Airport sits 143 kilometres distant requiring 2 hours driving. The resort's proximity to Zürich makes it popular for spontaneous day trips when fresh snow falls.
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Halloween weekend brings a wet, windy storm to the Sierra Nevada. Our five-day forecast has Dodge Ridge on top with 19 in, followed by Bear Valley at 15 in and Mammoth Mountain at 12 in, with most of it landing on Saturday. A winter weather advisory covers the Tahoe Basin and Mono County until 7 AM Sunday, gusts could reach 47 mph and the freezing level swings between 4,900 and 8,700 ft, so some bases will see rain. A dry spell follows from Monday.

The Rockies get their first lift-served turns of the season early. Lake Louise opens Sunday 1 November, five days ahead of schedule, after a cold October and round-the-clock work from the snowmaking and mountain crews. Terrain is limited to Juniper Express Chair and Easy Street, with two small terrain parks and the beginner area for lessons. Opening-day tickets are over 60% off, with prices rising as more lifts open. First chair is at 9:30 am under the resort’s new lift hours.

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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.
7 live angles across the mountain. Tap any camera to go full-screen.
More Hoch-Ybrig intelligence: snow report, lift tickets, trail map, resort overview.