Skiing and tobogganing at the turn of the year

Around 10 lifts are running during the holidays and at the turn of the year

After the stormy Christmas period, the weather has calmed down. It's not just winter sports enthusiasts who are longing for snow experiences during the Christmas vacations. In the Sauerland winter sports arena, the lift operators keep a small basic offer of around 10 ski and toboggan lifts active.

Alpine skiing

The stormy and rainy weather over the Christmas period has taken its toll on the snow cover. Nevertheless, the lift operators managed to keep some slopes open with good slope grooming and a lot of know-how. With drier weather and slight cooling, the offer is now largely stable. Depending on the snow substance, the conditions are "still good" or "good".

- Winterberg ski lift carousel: 9 lifts over the turn of the year. The lift operators will try to maintain this offer as far as possible

- Willingen ski area: currently 4 ski lifts. The operators will decide on a daily basis which areas they can continue to open.

- Floodlit skiing is currently not possible

It is advisable to check the daily updated information online: www.wintersport-arena.de/alpin.

Tobogganing

There are snow-covered toboggan runs with toboggan lifts in the open ski areas, some of which are open. Three toboggan lifts are expected to be open in the next few days:

- Willingen Dorfwiese ski area

- Neuastenberg ski village, natural toboggan run

- Tobogganing paradise Ruhrquelle

The lift operators assess the situation daily and decide on a daily basis which areas they can open. Up-to-date information on active toboggan lifts can be found at www.wintersport-arena.de/rodeln/rodellifte.

Tobogganing in the countryside is not possible due to a lack of natural snow. As an alternative, the summer toboggan runs are open in some places.

- Winterberg: SchanzenWirbel at the St. Georg ski jump, HerrlohBlitz on Astenstraße, Kappe summer toboggan run at the bobsleigh run.

- Willingen: Summer toboggan run at Ritzhagen

- Olsberg: Sternrodt summer toboggan run is open depending on weather conditions

The ice rink in Willingen is also open.

Winter hiking and cross-country skiing

Get out of the house and get a breath of fresh air: This is what many people want after the festive season. Now that the storm has subsided, hiking trails are still closed in some regions due to fallen trees. This varies from place to place. Hikers should enquire at the tourist information offices whether hiking is recommended in the respective region.

- The Ettelsberg cable car is active and transports hikers up to the Hochheide.

Cross-country skiing is not possible due to a lack of natural snow.

Weather

Cooler and calmer weather characterizes the days "between the years", but it remains changeable. After a friendly Thursday, precipitation will move in on Friday. Saturday and Sunday are expected to alternate between sunshine and light precipitation.

Outlook

The typical "Christmas thaw" often sets in before the holidays and often ushers in a change to more wintry weather at the turn of the year. Lift operators are currently hoping for this. In the first few days of the new year, there are signs of a slight cooling off for the time being. Whether the wintry air will then make it to the region is still uncertain. However, the winter sports on offer until the turn of the year will be stable.

Christmas in retrospect

When it's stormy outside, it's all the more cozy in the warm living room. That's why the Christmas period was turbulent in terms of weather, but rather quiet in terms of visitor numbers. Demand for snow experiences and activities picked up noticeably on Boxing Day. The resorts were well frequented but not too full. With careful slope grooming and a great deal of expertise, the lift operators managed to maintain a small basic offering of 12 ski and toboggan lifts over the holidays and beyond - a considerable challenge given the large amounts of precipitation and strong winds. The guests largely rewarded this achievement with recognition and a good atmosphere.

Event calendar

December 30 Torchlight hike in the Willingen ski area (Ettelsberg cable car)

January 6 and 7 EBERSPÄCHER Luge World Cup with Team Relay presented by BMW in Winterberg

January 10-14 Upländer Winter Hiking Day in Willingen

January 12 and 13 Junior Luge World Cup in Winterberg

January 20 Intersport Voswinkel floodlight evening in Neuastenberg

January 24 Youth trains for the Olympics, cross-country skiing center Westfeld

January 26 Company floodlit skiing at K1 in the Willingen ski resort

January 27-28 Continental Cup Ski Jumping in Willingen

January 27-28 Postwiesen Snowboard Freestyle Festival

February 2-4 FIS Ski Jumping World Cup in Willingen

February 3 Bataleon 20Y Anniversary, Postwiesen Park in Neuastenberg

February 10-11 The Takeover - Snowpark Event at the Winterberg ski lift carousel on the Kappe

February 19 to March 3 BMW IBSF World Championships Bobsleigh and Skeleton in Winterberg

March 9-10 Snowboard World Cup at Poppenberg in the Winterberg ski lift carousel