Winter sports enthusiasts need patience - When do the slopes open?

A year ago, skiers in the Ore Mountains were able to indulge in winter sports in many places, but this year they will have to be patient. According to the German Weather Service, temperatures will drop over the next few days. However, they will only be below zero degrees above 600 to 800 meters. It could snow a little in the mountains at the beginning of the week, but large amounts of precipitation are not expected. After all, the Fichtelberg is already white, with meteorologists reporting 15 to 20 centimetres of snow there.

On the Czech side, the first slopes are already open. The winter season opened on Keilberg on Friday. However, only one of 32 slopes, the Dámská run, was initially open there too. More could be added soon, the operator announced on Facebook.

Oberwiesenthal celebrates "winter opening"

The town of Oberwiesenthal wants to ring in the winter season next weekend. An après-ski party including fireworks is on the program on Saturday (14.12.). But will winter sports fans be able to strap on their skis on the Fichtelberg?

The head of the Fichtelberg cable car, René Lötzsch, doesn't want to commit just yet. "We have already made snow, but had to interrupt it again," he explains. Whether skiing will be possible on Saxony's highest mountain around the third Advent depends on the temperatures over the next few days and how much natural snow there is. If everything goes well, at least part of the ski area could open. More details can only be given in the middle of the week.

Last year, the ski resort on the Fichtelberg opened on December 6. With 10 slopes over a length of 15.5 kilometers, the area is Saxony's largest alpine ski resort. A cable car, a four-seater chairlift and four drag lifts take skiers up the mountain. There is also a toboggan run, an artificial ice rink and numerous cross-country ski trails and hiking trails.

When will Altenberg open?

A popular destination for winter sports enthusiasts is also Altenberg in the Osterzgebirge. But even there, the operator cannot yet give a start date for the skiing fun. "The weather is making the plans," said operations manager Manuel Püschel. Temperatures of around minus 5 degrees are needed for proper snowmaking. The wind also plays a role. "If the conditions are good next week, we might be able to start the first ski lift soon."