Looking for a shorts ski without driving a full day to the Alps? Then Skiliftkarussell Winterberg is your place to be. Winterberg is a small town in Sauerland, Germany. It’s not a real ‘mountain’, but enough to enjoy some fun ski days. We visited 4 times, just recently over the Christmas holidays. Up for some WinterGlück in Winterberg. Find out more in this blog.
Winterberg, from green to white overnight …
Winterberg, situated in Sauerland, is about 350 km from Brussels.
Always a bit tricky. Will there be snow? Or not? Skikarussell Winterberg mostly guarantees snow …
This ski carousel has one of the largest and most modern snowmaking systems. It ensures winter sports fun from December to March. And in the most ecologic friendly way!
If the conditions are right, up to 360 snow guns purr during the night. In the morning, you can look forward to a perfectly groomed slope. 29 runs, including 26 ski slopes and 3 toboggan runs are covered with snow. 45 kilometers piste, 46 lifts.
And if, on top, there is some real snow falling, the conditions are excellent.
Two times, we arrived in a white winterland.
The third time, in February just before Corona, there was hardly any snow. Only a few slopes were open and it was warm. All the snow was melting … Apart from 4 neatly maintained ski slopes, there was no snow to be seen. A passer-by remarked: ‘You can also walk’. Yes, but that is not the intention, is it? But look. In the evening, the snow fell in buckets. And by the next morning, everything turned white.
And just recently, during the Christmas holidays in 2025, it was freezing cold with no natural snow. But the snow making did its magic. The tracks were well-maintained with 60 cm of freshly produced snow of very good quality.
Bremberg. Poppenberg. Sürenberg. Kappe. Schneewittchen.
Bremberg. Poppenberg. Sürenberg. Kappe. Even a charming little run called Schneewittchen (Snow White). The names alone make you smile.
Together, these hills form the heart of the Skiliftkarussell Winterberg. A compact but wonderfully connected ski area offering 46 km of pistes in blue, red, and black, served by 46 modern lifts.
Calling them ‘mountains’ might be generous, but they each have their own character and charm.
The highest point, Bremberg, reaches around 810 metres, followed closely by Sürenberg (790 m), Kappe (776 m), and Poppenberg (746 m).
And while these heights may not rival the Alps, the views from the top are genuinely beautiful. You can enjoy pleasant panoramas over Winterberg town and the surrounding countryside. With natural snow stretching out in every direction, the scene feels all the more magical.
At ‘mountain’ station Poppenberg, close to our lodging, you can take lift number 10 up the Bremberg.
his side of the resort is mostly blue terrain. So we find rather wide, smooth, and surprisingly ‘long’ in feel. At the top, a short red run named the Panorama Piste provides a lovely contrast before linking toward Kappe.
Kappe is a favourite too. It offers forest-lined trails in all difficulty levels. So I enjoy a relaxed blue run. I leave the playful reds and even a satisfying black, winding beautifully through the trees to others.
From Bremberg, red piste no. 8 connects back via Poppenberg, leading into a network of red runs on the opposite side, stretching toward Sürenberg. Short and longer runs interlace effortlessly, making every ski day feel varied and wonderfully fluid.
Depending on the weather and the snow, all or just a part of the slopes are open. The level of snow also affects which connecting lifts are operational. When visiting in 2020, on the first day, barely 5 lifts were open, causing long queues. The next days, it went a lot smoother. Fresh snow allowed all slopes and lifts to open up.
On various slopes are even some trendy ski huts to enjoy a quick snack. Or just sit outside in the sun.
Info Skikarussell
One of the things that impressed me most about Winterberg was its organisation.
The Skiliftkarussell has an excellent website. It’s packed with real-time lifts and slope updates, a panoramic trail map, ski pass pricing, and up-to-the-minute weather forecasts. the latter is invaluable in a region where conditions can shift fast.
Winterberg also offers floodlight ski in the evenings. Between 6.30 pm and 10 pm you can ski in artificial light on certain slopes – for an additional fee. An ideal moment to ski, in particular when there is fresh snow.
Our favourite slopes
Our favourites with moderate to good skiers:
- lifts 10 + 25 + 15 + 14 (Brembergkopf I, Panoramabaan, Kappe, Schneewittchen): blue slopes in a beautiful landscape complemented by short and wide red. Take lift no. 10 up the Bremberg and then blue ‘Schneewittchen’ down. Just before the lift to the top, take the panorama lift no. 15 and ski down to Kappe, either via a forest path or a wider alternative. At the top of Kappe you then take the wide ‘red’ panorama lane. Ideal to start in the morning. Until 10 o’clock there are usually not many people at the lifts 15 and 14.
- Lift no. 8 (Büre Bremberg X-Press): from the Bremberg via a long blue (or red) piste down. Ideal with fresh snow. Just a pity that there are often a lot of people queuing.
- Lift no. 3 (Quick Jet): a pleasant red slope. Nice to do and usually few people..
What does it all cost?
A short-ski in Winterberg is relatively cheap compared to a ski adventure in the Alps. But it’s not for free, of course. The price mainly depends on the cost of your accommodation and the ski passes.
We paid about 1000 euro for a 2 day stay with 5 persons. This price included ski passes, rent, accommodation and meals in the peak season (Christmas holidays). I booked everything directly myself.
Ski rental & food
- Ski rentall Brinkmann (2 days): 205 € (50 € per adult, 32 € per child -14 years, 10 % reduction if you stay in the youth hostel or book online.
- Skipass (2 days): 450 € (95 € per adult, 53 € per child -14 years). Floodlight ski has an additional cost.
- 3 meals a day. A meal in one of the ski huts in the ski area (Bremberg Klause) is about 120 € (french fries 5 €, Schnitzel 17 €, soup 7 €))
- Accommodation (Hostel Erlebnisberg Kappe): 310 € (family room, half board incl. linen)
Accommodation
The first time, we rented a small apartment.
All the other times, we stayed in the youth hostel Hostel Erlebnisberg Kappe in Winterberg.
Although very basic and not our usual type of accommodation, this hostel has many advantages for a short-ski in Winterberg. The most important one is its location combined with a ski rental next door. So, no driving around with a ski bus or your car.
- 250 meters away from the Poppenberg lift, your gateway to the entire ski area
- Ski rental ‘Brinkmann’ is next door and on top offers a 10 % discount. Online bookings are also possible.
- drying room and a separate room to store your boots and skis at night
- free parking
- different types of rooms, ranging from a double to family rooms with on suite bathrooms
- cheap (35 € per night/adult and 19,5 € per night/child (up to 15 years) in a family room
- hot showers (even for 6 people in one room)
- possibility to book linen (6 € per person)
- breakfast included. In the period it is mandatory to book half board (i.e. a hot meal in the evening – 18 € per adult). Breakfast is buffet style. It is a fixed menu, set daily. Don’t expect ‘haute cuisine’. We had fish with potatoes and spinach, a hamburger with peas, carrots and mashed potatoes. Or chicken with vegetables in sweet and sour sauce and rice. And some beef stew, carrots and pasta.
- free WIFI
- free water to refill your drinking bottles
- friendly welcome
- pleasant common area (TV corner, sitting area, …)
- possibility to free cancellation up to 14 days in advance … quite important in case there is really no winter weather coming
Our stay in Winterberg: conclusion
We find Winterberg ideal for a short ski (1-3 days) close to home. It’s suited for beginners and advanced skiers at an affordable price.
On the plus side?
- Ideal for beginners.
- Good for advanced and experiences skiers, for a few days. To enjoy a short ski, maintain your skills or as a ‘warm up’ for the Alps.
- Easy slopes: any blue and red slopes and even the black ones are feasible.
- Snow garanteed. Dozens of snow cannons to artificially snow the slopes. With fresh snow, the slopes are ideal and you can ski in a beautiful snow landscape.
- Very modern infrastructure: comfortable chair lifts for 4 to 8 people, covered or uncovered.
- Provides a real skiing atmosphere. Snow combined with a bite to eat in the cozy ski huts.
- Well-maintained slopes.
- A lot and various accommodation, you are spoiled for choice.
- Decent accommodation near the slopes.
- The ski pass offers access to two nearby ski areas.
- Cheap.
- Closeby.
On the down side?
- Short slopes.
- Long queues and overcrowded slopes, in particular in peak season (Christmas holidays) and when few slopes and lifts are open.
- Quite some ‘inexperienced’ skiers, so you always have to ‘look out’.
Our recommendations?
- Keep an eye on the weather forecast. To make artificial snow, it has to be very cold and freezing. The produced snow is of excellent quality, but fresh snow adds more to the skiing adventure. Just keep an eye on the official website, the information is very accurate.
- Avoid the peak season, in particular the holidays. Accommodation fills up quickly and there are a lot of people on the slopes. Keep this in mind when booking.
- As an experienced skier, visit in weekends or outside the ski holidays, then it might be less busy.
- Choose for a (free) cancellation of your booking. 14 days is realistic, afterwards you may pay costs.
- Check the location of your accommodation and the parking possibilities. A number of accommodations are far from the slopes or in the ski village, so you need a car. Children certainly do not like to always carry their ski equipment.
- Check the ski rental when booking and whether it is possible to store your skis and let them dry. There are many rental offices in Winterberg. Choose one near the slopes, with the option of booking online (with a discount).
- Don’t forget a ski box on your car should you take all the material along from home
Interested in some more winter adventures up in the north? Then read my blog ‘5 fantastic things to do in Levi, Lapland’.
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