Europe 2025/26

[ChrisC]

Yes I could navigate those on my own and we did on the day after being guided.

The Euros do not ski on cloudy, snowy days - sometimes to their detriment.

Tomorrow, Saturday with sun and new snow will be busy.

That has glacial features. You have to know the section to be skiing hard skier's right to avoid them. Not sure I would try that 7 years later.

It’s easier than one would think. Skiers right hugging the rock wall/cliff (we skied) or skier’s left on opposite side almost hugging opposite rock bands. There are some guidance tracks other skiers too.

Center Steinberg is heavily crevassed.

Ah, the unofficial guide explains Steinberg and why you're considering Galtiberg.

We are dependent on 20 + year old memories. Glaciers could move

Most brought harnesses.

 

[skiandgolfnut]

Chris, are those figures CM or IN? I assume IN.

Remains astonishing how difficult it is to get accurate snowfall information from these areas in the absence of live trip reports. Whiterisk reports 7 cm at the Titlis station for the past 3 days. Opensnow, which is normally highly suspect, actually shows an "estimated" 8 inches fell over the last 48 hours. Nothing on Engelberg's website. I dont recall a single forecast since I've begun tracking this over the last two weeks or so calling for anything like that.

Good for you, those photos look great! Engelberg will have to wait for a different year for me.

We elected to go with Serre Chevalier and arrive Monday. Looks like a storm Monday night/Tuesday so looking forward to some actual Alps treeskiing, a first for me.

 

[Tony Crocker]

looking forward to some actual Alps treeskiing

Those southern Alps larch forests are the only places it's any good. Liz and I scored some of it in Sauze d'Oulx. The snow was old by the time we got to Serre Chevalier but we could tell it would be promising, especially the far western sector below Bachas. We all liked Serre Chevalier in 2023, and skiandgolfnut will be skiing it in much fresher snow than we had.

 

[Tony Crocker]

It's still a month out but I'm keeping an eye on the various Innsbruck ski areas for our early March visit.

You're lucky there's way more snowmaking in Austria, because it's the Alps analogy this season to Colorado in the American West. James also has the option of some Austrian glacier resorts on Indy Pass, plus Kühtai has a base elevation of 2,000 meters.

 

[ChrisC]

Chris, are those figures CM or IN? I assume IN.

Yes. I mix metric and imperial - or break it out.

Base: 100 cm / 40 in
Snow Thurs: 5-20 cm / 2-8 in
Snow Friday after lift opening: 10-15 cm/ 4-6

The Swiss Gvt measurement station is only halfway up Engelberg. There is a 10-20cm band, and obviously, we were skiing where snow accumulates even more.

Remains astonishing how difficult it is to get accurate snowfall information from these areas in the absence of live trip reports. Whiterisk reports 7 cm at the Titlis station for the past 3 days. Opensnow, which is normally highly suspect, actually shows an "estimated" 8 inches fell over the last 48 hours. Nothing on Engelberg's website. I dont recall a single forecast since I've begun tracking this over the last two weeks or so calling for anything like that.

No. The forecast changed as the Northwest flow hit the Swiss Alps - its first Alpine mountain range. Villars, Gstaad, Glacier 3000 and Murren/Grindelwald received even more.

Good for you, those photos look great! Engelberg will have to wait for a different year for me.

Last year worked out the same. 20-40 cm / 8-16 in on Tue/Wednesday before Thursday arrival. Lots of orographic induced snowfall.

We elected to go with Serre Chevalier and arrive Monday. Looks like a storm Monday night/Tuesday so looking forward to some actual Alps treeskiing, a first for me.

Serre Chevalier would be my pick with the expected southern storm track/flow. They received 60cm on Thursday.

Weather to ski’s top 10 weather-proof ski resorts – Europe

Weather to ski’s guide to the best weather-proof resorts – resorts with a good snow record, but plenty of trees for bad weather days.

www.weathertoski.co.uk

Monterosa - one gets stranded in a valley with only a couple of low-altitude lifts available
Cervinia - lots of closures and severe winds
Vialattea - links close, stuck in one valley. Longer, mountainous travel by car to other ski areas
Serre Chavalier - 2/3 of the mountain is sheltered, and it's lower in general, so less wind to close links. Shuttle buses run to all 4 resort bases.

I am sure I will have down days at La Grave and will end up at Serre Chevalier on a storm day, Le Monêtier-les-Bains - trees and steeps - if the pass is open.

The southern Alps are approaching 200-300cm snow bases at the summit.


La Grave is 65cm new in the last week and 210cm base.

 

[jamesdeluxe]

it's the Alps analogy this season to Colorado in the American West. James also has the option of some Austrian glacier resorts on Indy Pass, plus Kühtai has a base elevation of 2,000 meters.

More Innsbruck photos have been posted on Alpinfans and it appears that the snow drought there is over. With only two Indy Pass days for all of the "city" ski areas, I'll have to go into worldskitraveller mode to see most of them or purchase a third day for 25% off, which comes to a reasonable €39. Yes, I plan to ski Pitztal and Kaunertal glaciers.

 

[ChrisC]

More Innsbruck photos have been posted on Alpinfans and it appears that the snow drought there is over. With only two Indy Pass days for all of the "city" ski areas, I'll have to go into worldskitraveller mode to see most of them or purchase a third day for 25% off, which comes to a reasonable €39. Yes, I plan to ski Pitztal and Kaunertal glaciers.

Yes, finally a North/Northwest storm track that Austria always benefits from.....and almost all the pistes are open!

Some of the Innsbruck ski areas look like they could be combined outside the big ones: Stubai, Kuhtai, etc.

 

[ChrisC]

Jan 31, 2026

Sunny and definitely busy, but lifts are relatively low capacity, and the freeride terrain is so extensive that it is still easy to find areas of untracked snow.

More Big 5: Laub, Steinberg, and Sulz. But with the sun now!

End-of-day run down Galtiberg, 6k vertical feet, and bus back into town for Apres-ski.

The Laub - Jackson’s Hobacks on steroids! 4-5k vert ft north-facing wall. Not sure when it gets daylight for the first time each winter - mid Feb?

More Titlus rotating tram and Steinberg