Ski season begins - thaw soon in the mountains too

A few days before the 2nd Advent, the alpine ski season has started on the Fichtelberg. Five out of six lifts have been in operation since Wednesday, and the descent on the Himmelsleiter should also be open to skiers at the weekend. A total of around 10 kilometers of slopes are initially in operation, the head of the Fichtelberg Schwebebahn, René Lötzsch, told the German Press Agency on Wednesday. "We have fantastic conditions here on the Fichtelberg for this time in early December." There is a mix of natural and artificial snow on the slopes - around 30 centimetres high in total.

At the start in the middle of the week, however, only a few winter sports enthusiasts took advantage of the freshly groomed slopes. Tourists, however, were full of praise. Although visibility on the summit was limited, the conditions on the slopes were very good, said a skier from southern Germany. One tourist enthused: "It's idyllic and beautiful here - just like in a fairy tale."

Cross-country skiing fans are also getting their money's worth in Oberwiesenthal at the moment: the trails are prepared and groomed, according to the tourist office. The winter hiking trails are also open.

Thaw soon in the mountains too

While it is already thawing again in lower-lying regions of Saxony, there will be permafrost in the mountains until Friday, said meteorologist Florian Engelmann from the German Weather Service. "After that, it looks bad for winter sports." From the weekend, warm air masses will prevail and cause a thaw in the mountains up to 1000 meters. "It still looks good for the Fichtelberg, but it's going to be tight." Last year, skiing started there in mid-December, but after a thaw and rain, the lifts were closed again before Christmas for a forced break of around a month.

The slopes can cope with a light thaw, Lötzsch emphasized. Saxony's largest alpine ski area has some new features in store for skiers. These include a 130-metre-long Wonder Carpet on the main slope and an extended slope crossing from the summit of the Fichtelberg to the main slope. Lötzsch is also hoping that the construction of a modern chairlift on the Himmelsleiter, which is to replace the T-bar lift there, will start soon. Approval has been granted, but funding is still needed.

The lifts on the neighboring Keilberg on the Czech side are also due to open at the weekend. The opening is planned for Friday.