Jan 2023 – I’ve lived in Germany for a few years. I’ve been taking drives down into Bavaria for just as many years. The route we generally take is one I am extremely familiar with and I know nearly every turn, corner, and mountain feature along the way. There lies a small very inconspicuous lift and parking area right off of the Austrian Fernpassstrasse called the Almkopfbahn. As one drives through the Fernpass and you pass this lift, it doesn’t really look like anything you’d want to bother visiting especially if you’re on your third hour of your drive as we often are. It appears small, there are two small runs appearing out of the trees that end their path at the lift. It just appears…boring. I myself have passed it for the last 5 years many many times and never gave it a second thought. It just appears so plain, small, and unassuming.
This lift is part of a ski area called Berwang-Bichlbach, and it is AWESOME.
This was a spur-of-the-moment thing and my kids were not with me as a result…but I did take kid-friendly notes to bring back and throw up on this thing. I was taking a single overnight trip with some fellow Expats to try and chase the Dammkar Skiroute above Mittenwald…but on the way down we decided to detour off the Fernpassstrasse for a look in Berwang. So, let’s go ahead and have a quick read.
Berwang is a ski area that is part of the greater Tiroler Zugspitze Arena: the Austrian side of valleys, mountains, and rivers of the Zugspitze. It’s also a slope area that is part of the Top Snow Card program for the region (link a few sentences further below).
Even on a Saturday at noon, the parking lot at the Almkopfbahn was not full and the weather conditions over the last 48 hours throughout Bavaria had been superb. I really had no expectation of Berwang nor what awaited us on the other side of the Almkopfbahn.
For such an inconspicuous area, the lift tickets I felt were a bit expensive considering the fact that we arrived after 12:00. I believe they were just under €50 for a day. Keep in mind though, if you are going to be in the region for several days, the Top Snow Card is a better way to add more slope areas and reduce your per day cost!
I’d classify Berwang as a beginner friendly slope area for sure as the Pistes are neither super steep nor are they thin (in most of the area). We were lucky with relatively new fallen snow so the off-piste sections were pretty great, as well. There are even some tree runs as well to enjoy but they’re not extensive as far as I was able to explore.
Berwang, even on a Saturday, was simply not that busy. I’d probably attribute this to the fact that very popular Lermoos and Garmisch are just a short drive further away so Berwang has a more authentic and local feel to it.
Getting into some of the kid and skischool stuff…
The most common ski school bibs I saw at the mountain were from Skischule Berwang and Skischule Bichlbach. After doing a little reading, it seems as if both of the ski schools have their classes meet in their respective village centers which are not next to the Almkopfbahn…meaning if you’re using that lift as your starting point, you’ll need to take it up and over the mountain to get to Skischool Berwang’s meeting point, or drive a small distance back to the Almkopfbahn after dropping your child off at Skischool BIchlbach’s assembly point.
In my short amount of research, I think I would likely book my kids into Skischool Berwang for a few reasons. Firstly, they offer whole day lessons as opposed to only half-day. Second, their location is more central to the ski region so I can get my shred session started right from the same spot I would drop my kids off at as opposed to dropping them off, driving or bussing over to Almkopfbahn, etc etc. Third, the price of a half-day at Berwang is a bit more reasonable than Skischool Bichlbach’s half-day.
Your kids may not have the same skill-set or tolerance for weather as mine (or they might be more advanced), so it may be that a half-day drop-off is better for you. You also might not be comfortable yet, if yours are beginners, being a lengthy distance away from them. What fits for some might not be right for all.
I know I briefly described the slope/Piste quality, but I’ll do my best to go into a bit more detail. The mountain has a lot to offer for different skill levels as was evident by the fact that A SWEDE was perfectly happy on the mountain. Much of the piste area is quite wide and I never felt cramped or forced into taking certain paths due to overcrowding or bottle-necking. There are some really great and open off-piste areas you can ride or ski and there are even a few areas of tree runs you can forge your way through.
There are a few areas that bottom out a bit for snowboarders on the side facing the Almkopfbahn…so if you decide to visit, make sure you’re looking well ahead of where you’re riding since you’ll need to know not to apply any brakes. Also, from what I recall seeing, there were snowguns and other snowmaking equipment posted throughout the ski area…so even if there is no new natural snow, snow quality and depth shouldn’t be a huge problem at Berwang. The lift system is also very very modern and allows for comfort all over the mountain.
Something else to take note of with regard to the slopes here is the fact that Berwang is smaller than the Garmisch-Classic only by a couple of kilometers’ worth of Pistes…and since the crowds at Berwang don’t even come close to those from GaPa…I would naturally lean towards visiting Berwang, instead. Additionally, in general regarding snowfall and quality, I’ve always thought the Tirol side of the Zugspitze consistently had it better than the German side, but I understand…we’re all told to go to Garmisch at least once!
If there is a drawback to the area I could easily identify, it would be restaurant/bar selection actually on the slopes. We only came across a single place to stop without having to go into the village of Berwang: Heiterwanger Hochalm has a pretty solid selection of food (including Raclette!) but, it being the only on-slope restaurant, it may be tough to find a spot to sit depending on which time you decide to stop. Otherwise, you’ve got to go to the bottom of Berwang’s slope area and walk a few streets into the village. As free as I always feel on a mountain, a good time is nearly always had by planning properly around peak times for everything.
Berwang is a wonderfully situated place that sits in the shadow, attention-wise, of its closer Austrian neighbor of Lermoos and its other German neighbor of the Garmisch Classic…but the crowds at Berwang don’t even come close to what its neighbors enjoy. I call this a blessing.
I love finding off-the-beaten path kinds of places and Berwang is easily one of those. If you are ever driving south to Bavaria or Tirol and you know you’re going to be on the Fernpassstrasse, I honestly think it’s worth planning your journey to allow at least a half-day’s visit to this lovely little corner of Tirol. The slope quality and design coupled with the small crowds really do make this place a great spot to visit.
Since it’s Tirol, one may find it a bit expensive considering the total size of the ski area…but the fact that this can be offset a bit by the Top Snow Card makes up for the initial cost, in my mind. Give Berwang a try. Chances are you won’t regret it.
Bis zum näschtes Mal!
the snowboard dad in europe
The Snowboard Dad in Europe 