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Resort Spotlight: Arber - Bavaria's Highest Resort Without the Alpine Crowds
Arber bills itself as the Bavarian Forest's premier ski destination, which sounds optimistic until you realise it's also the only proper resort in the region. At 406 vertical metres and 11.5km of trails, this is weekend skiing territory - but that doesn't mean it isn't worth considering.
Resort Spotlight: Hindelang Oberjoch - Germany's Highest Village Offers Reliable Intermediate Terrain
At 1,200 metres, Oberjoch claims the title of Germany's highest mountain village, which matters more for marketing than actual skiing. What does matter: 32 kilometres of well-maintained intermediate terrain, substantial snowmaking, and a notably lower-key atmosphere than the Bavarian circus further east.
Resort Spotlight: Kreuzberg - Bavaria's Low-Key Alternative to the Alpine Circus
Kreuzberg delivers something increasingly rare in German skiing - uncrowded slopes at sensible prices. This Rhön Mountains resort offers 318 metres of vertical across 13 kilometres of trails, targeting families and intermediates who've had enough of Alpine weekend queues.
Resort Spotlight: Todtnauberg - Black Forest Skiing Without the Crowd
Todtnauberg delivers 400 vertical metres of intermediate skiing in the Black Forest, backed by cross-country trails and woodland hiking. The terrain is modest, but the location works for families avoiding the Alps pricing.
Resort Spotlight: Wendelstein - Bavaria's Cogwheel Railway Ski Area
Wendelstein runs six trails accessed by a cogwheel railway built in 1912. The 932-metre vertical drop and north-facing aspect make this 11km Bavarian ski area worth considering for anyone within day-trip range of Munich.
Resort Spotlight: Hörnle – Bad Kohlgrub - Bavaria's Family-Scale Alternative to the Garmisch Crowds
This small Bavarian resort delivers exactly what its stats suggest: straightforward skiing on nine kilometres of primarily beginner terrain, served by two lifts. An honest look at who Hörnle works for and who should look elsewhere.
Resort Spotlight: Willingen - Germany's Sauerland Workhorse Delivers More Than Expected
Willingen punches above its weight for a central German resort. With 260 vertical metres, extensive night skiing, and snowmaking across nearly every run, it's built for consistency rather than bragging rights.
Resort Spotlight: Arnsberg - Where the Ruhr Valley Goes Skiing
An hour from Dortmund, Arnsberg offers something increasingly rare in European skiing - genuinely modest ambitions. With 9.5 kilometres of predominantly beginner terrain and €21 day tickets, this is skiing stripped back to essentials.
Resort Spotlight: Neuastenberg Postwiesen - Low-Altitude Skiing That Actually Works
At 730 metres summit elevation, Neuastenberg Postwiesen shouldn't work as a ski resort. Yet this Sauerland area 150km from Cologne has cracked the low-altitude code through aggressive snowmaking and realistic expectations about what it offers.
Resort Spotlight: Nesselwang Alpspitzbahn - Bavaria's Perfectly Scaled Family Resort
With just six runs spread across 563 vertical metres, Nesselwang Alpspitzbahn isn't trying to compete with Bavaria's larger operations. Instead, it delivers exactly what learning families need: uncrowded slopes, reasonable pricing, and terrain that builds confidence without intimidation.
Germany's Zugspitze Ski Lift Demolished as Glacier Disappears Beneath It
A ski lift that operated on the Schneeferner glacier atop the Zugspitze for more than 50 years has been demolished after the glacier it ran on melted away. New data shows Bavaria's glaciers shrank by more than a quarter between 2023 and 2025 alone - and scientists say there is no chance of saving what remains.
Swiss Men Lock Out Garmisch-Partenkirchen Downhill Podium as Odermatt Extends Dominant Season
Switzerland claimed all three podium spots at Saturday's World Cup downhill in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, with Marco Odermatt taking victory ahead of Alexis Monney by just 0.04 seconds. The result extends Odermatt's commanding lead in the overall standings to nearly double his nearest competitor with three races remaining.
Garmisch Classic Ski Resort Review: Olympic History and Bavarian Skiing at Its Best
Garmisch Classic combines Olympic heritage, varied terrain across 40km of trails, and authentic Bavarian culture at prices significantly lower than other European destinations. With a massive 1,350m vertical drop and terrain for all abilities, this German resort offers exceptional value for Australians seeking European skiing without Swiss or French price tags.
Climber's Narrow Escape from Zugspitze Crevasse Highlights Glacier Risks
A solo mountaineer's fall into a Zugspitze glacier crevasse sparked a precarious rescue operation, underscoring the increasing dangers of alpine climbing amid climate change impacts.
Möserbahn Cable Car Upgrade at Oberstdorf Kleinwalsertal
The Möserbahn cable car in Oberstdorf Kleinwalsertal is set for a major renovation in summer 2025, including improved safety features and technical upgrades.
Garmisch Classic's Kreuzwankl Ski Express Upgrade: Boosting Capacity and Comfort
The Kreuzwankl Ski Express at Garmisch Classic is set for a major upgrade, transforming from a 6-seater to an 8-seater chairlift. This renovation aims to increase capacity, reduce wait times, and enhance the overall skiing experience.
A Day at Garmisch Classic: Germany’s Best Ski Resort
Follow along on a personal journey through Germany's renowned Garmisch Classic ski resort, from morning coffee in the parking lot to conquering the legendary 1,350-meter descent. Experience the challenges and triumphs of skiing European slopes through the eyes of an Australian skier discovering the unique character of Bavarian Alps.
Zugspitze Ski Resort Review: Germany's Only Glacier Skiing Experience
Experience Germany's last remaining glacier ski resort at Zugspitze, where world-record-breaking cable cars transport you to 3,000m of Alpine splendour. This intimate ski area offers perfect terrain for beginners and intermediates, complemented by panoramic views of four countries and the stunning Bavarian Alps.
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More 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.