Stoos Ski Resort

Stoos ski resort Switzerland with world's steepest funicular. 35km slopes, FIS racing piste, Lake Lucerne views.

Season 2026 - 2027

Opens

21 Nov 2026

Closes

4 Apr 2027

Days open

134

Annual snow

The Overview

Michael Fulton

Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.

Stoos ski resort Switzerland delivers an extraordinary alpine experience high above Lake Lucerne, accessed by the world record-holding Stoosbahn funicular railway. This car-free mountain village at 1,300 metres offers 35 kilometres of varied terrain spread across the spectacular Fronalpstock and Klingenstock peaks, reaching elevations up to 1,935 metres. The resort combines family-friendly slopes with challenging black runs, including the renowned Franz Heinzer FIS-approved racing piste. Stoos skiing provides breathtaking panoramic views over 11 Swiss lakes and countless Alpine peaks, making it a truly unique destination where the journey aboard the world's steepest funicular railway is as memorable as the skiing itself.

635m

Vertical

Runs

35 km

Piste

Annual snow

The Terrain

9 runs across 35 km of piste

Stoos Ski Resort spreads 9 runs across 35 km of piste of terrain. It leans intermediate at 60%, with 1 beginner run to find your feet and 3 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.

Terrain split

runs

9 runs across 4 grades

Beginner1 run · 11%

Intermediate5 runs · 60%

Advanced3 runs · 29%

Expert0 runs · 0%

Time it right

When to visit Stoos Ski Resort

Stoos ski resort Switzerland typically operates from December through April, with peak conditions occurring during January, February, and March. The resort benefits from its elevated position above Lake Lucerne in Central Switzerland, receiving substantial natural snowfall enhanced by snowmaking systems covering 40% of the slopes. The high-altitude terrain between 1,300 and 1,935 metres ensures reliable snow conditions throughout the winter season, with predominantly north-facing slopes on Klingenstock maintaining excellent powder quality. March offers the perfect combination of reliable snow coverage and extended daylight hours, providing optimal conditions for skiing whilst enjoying the spectacular panoramic views that make Stoos Switzerland a standout destination in the Central Swiss Alps.

Season 2026 - 2027

21 Nov 2026

Opens

4 Apr 2027

Closes

134

Days open

4 m

Annual snow

Getting there

Getting to Stoos Ski Resort, and where to stay

Located in Central Switzerland's Canton Schwyz, Stoos ski resort sits majestically above Lake Lucerne, approximately 40 kilometres southeast of Lucerne city and 50 kilometres from Zurich. The resort occupies a unique position on a sunny high plateau accessible only by the world's steepest funicular railway from Schwyz or via cable car from Morschach. This car-free mountain village provides easy access to Switzerland's most famous peaks including views of the Grosser and Kleiner Mythen, Rigi, and Pilatus mountains. The strategic location offers guests opportunities to explore the historic town of Schwyz, visit the renowned Hölloch caves in the nearby Muotatal valley, or enjoy excursions to Lake Lucerne. The resort's position in the heart of Switzerland makes it easily accessible by public transport, with regular bus connections from Schwyz train station to the Stoosbahn funicular base station.

Where to stay

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From the SnowStash desk

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FIS Weighs Holding World Championships in Almost Every Winter, Starting 2032

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation is looking at a major shake-up to its title events calendar. From 2032, World Championships could run not just in odd-numbered years but in every non-Olympic winter too, effectively putting a global title event on the calendar almost every season. The FIS Council has approved the concept following a feasibility study, though an accelerated rollout as early as 2028 is also under consideration.

4 Sept 2026

Mount Buller Becomes Latest Australian Resort to Call Time Early on 2026

Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.

4 Sept 2026

Tremblant to Add New Timber Summit Ski Sector for 2027/28 Season

Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.

2 Sept 2026

Mount Hotham to Close for the 2026 Season on Sunday, September 6

We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.

1 Sept 2026

Thredbo to Replace Ageing Gunbarrel Quad With New Six-Seat Chairlift for 2028

Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.

31 Aug 2026

Aerial Tram Collides With Crane at Alpe d'Huez: 23 Injured

An aerial tram carrying around fifty passengers struck the boom of a construction crane on the route to Pic Blanc at Alpe d'Huez on Wednesday morning, injuring 23 people, three seriously. The cabin tipped on impact before the operator reversed it to right the car. Most of the injured were treated on site, with five taken to hospital in Grenoble, including a pregnant woman assessed as a precaution.

28 Aug 2026

Why Glaciers Are Collapsing - And What Happens When They Do

A deadly flood on the Nepal-China border, a decade-old tragedy on Italy's Marmolada, and an unstable glacier right now above a village near Zermatt - three very different mountain ranges, the same underlying story. Warming ice is destabilising terrain that was considered settled for generations, and the results range from catastrophic floods to slow-motion monitoring situations that could go either way.

27 Aug 2026

Pitztal Glacier Set to Reopen for the 2026/27 Ski Season on 26 September

Tyrol's highest ski area is gearing up to open a full month ahead of most of the Alps. The Pitztal Glacier is scheduled to start its 2026/27 season on Saturday 26 September, running through to 2 May 2027, with the lower-altitude Rifflsee area following in December. High-altitude terrain up to 3,440 metres gives the glacier a head start on snow, though as always, the actual opening extent will depend on how September's weather plays out. Early online ski pass bookings can save up to 30%.

26 Aug 2026

Stoos Ski Resort Lift Tickets