Lauchernalp – Lötschental lies in Valais and is a manageable ski area: 40 kilometres of piste served by 7 lifts.
The area runs from 1403 to 3100 metres above sea level, giving around 1,697 metres of vertical. That takes the terrain above the 3,000-metre mark, which markedly improves snow reliability on the upper slopes.
The season usually runs Dec – April.
An adult day pass costs CHF 70.
Of note: Freeride arena high above the Lötschental
Pistes by difficulty
- Leicht (blau)18.5 km46%
- Mittel (rot)13.5 km34%
- Schwer (schwarz)8 km20%
Distribution calculated from OpenStreetMap and applied to the 40 official kilometres of piste. An approximation, not a figure from the lift company.
Snow report
Not currentThis reading is 47 days old and is not being updated automatically at the moment. Current figures are available from the SLF and from the resort itself.
Source: SLF / WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research. A single measuring station, not the resort’s official piste report.
Piste map, map & webcams
Interactive piste map
Every piste and lift colour-coded by difficulty, zoomable, built on OpenStreetMap. Community-maintained data; where it differs, the official piste map next to it is authoritative.
Open on OpenSkiMap →Official piste map
The lift company’s drawn piste map, plus lift status and tickets.
lauchernalp.ch →Webcams
Live images from the mountain on the resort’s official site, usually several locations.
View webcams →Piste maps and webcam images belong to the lift companies and are protected by copyright. That is why we link directly to the original instead of copying it.
What sets this ski area apart
Lauchernalp lies above Wiler in the Lötschental, the largest northern side valley of the Rhone. The valley is about 27 kilometres long, ringed by more than twenty three-thousand-metre peaks, and forms part of the Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Lötschenpass to the north is documented as being crossed as early as the Bronze Age.
On 28 May 2025 a major rockslide came down in the upper part of the valley. It buried the valley floor together with the village of Blatten to a depth of up to 50 metres and transformed the landscape over two kilometres, on the valley bottom and on both flanks. Blatten lies up-valley from Lauchernalp; the ski area itself was not buried, but the valley has not been the same since.
Asked directly, the Lauchernalp lift company is unequivocal: access and ski operations are unaffected and never were. The approach road is fully open, and car parks, lifts, pistes, winter walking trails and the ski touring terrain are all available without restriction. The 2026/27 winter season runs from 12 December 2026 to 11 April 2027.
Sources: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lötschental, Auskunft der Lauchernalp Bergbahnen AG, August 2026
Snow’n’Rail at Lauchernalp – Lötschental: up to 10% off the ski pass
This resort takes part in Snow’n’Rail, the combined offer from SBB RailAway: book the journey and the ski pass together and the pass costs less.
Snow’n’Rail Lauchernalp at SBB →All resorts with Snow’n’Rail →
Getting there by public transport
Destination stop: Lauchernalp. Fastest connection on a Saturday morning in the currently published timetable, from the open Swiss timetable interface, retrieved 10 August 2026. A guide value, not a timetable: the real journey time depends on when you leave and what you connect to, and winter-only bus services are not yet included.
Worth knowing: this resort is in the Snow’n’Rail scheme, so the lift pass is up to 10 per cent cheaper if you arrive this way. From Bern that is 1 h 41 on the train instead of behind the wheel.
Frequently asked about Lauchernalp – Lötschental
How high is Lauchernalp – Lötschental?
The ski area runs from 1,403 to 3,100 metres above sea level, a vertical range of 1,697 metres. For snow reliability the lower figure matters more: that is where the snow disappears first, and where a mild December is felt before it is felt at the top.
How many kilometres of piste does Lauchernalp – Lötschental have?
40 kilometres on 7 lifts, according to the operator. There is no binding standard for measuring piste kilometres, so the figure is comparable between resorts only to a point. The lift count says at least as much about how big a place feels.
What does a day pass at Lauchernalp – Lötschental cost?
CHF 70 for an adult day pass at the standard rate, as of summer 2026. Booked early it is often less; on a peak Saturday it is not. Arriving by public transport takes up to 10 per cent off through the Snow’n’Rail scheme.
When does Lauchernalp – Lötschental open?
The usual season window is Dec – April. For winter 2026/27 the resort has announced 12 December 2026 as its starting date (Winterbetrieb). Every announced date depends on enough snow and cold.
How do I get to Lauchernalp – Lötschental by train?
The destination stop is Lauchernalp. From Zürich HB the fastest connection on a Saturday morning takes 2 h 48, changing 3 times; from Bern 1 h 41. A guide value, not a timetable.
Is there Snow’n’Rail at Lauchernalp – Lötschental?
Yes. Lauchernalp – Lötschental is one of the destinations in SBB RailAway's combined offer: book the journey and the ski pass together and the pass costs up to 10 per cent less. At SBB the destination is listed as Lauchernalp. That percentage is the maximum SBB advertises; what actually comes off depends on the ticket type and the date, and only SBB can tell you bindingly.
Lauchernalp – Lötschental in the magazine
Mont Blanc shut, Matterhorn cancelled, Oeschinensee closed: where the Alps stand
Both huts on the normal route up Mont Blanc are closed indefinitely, the Zermatt guides have stopped every Matterhorn ascent, and around 1500 cubic metres of rock fell at Oeschinensee on 8 August. What is closed, what is merely advised against, and why the difference matters.
Is the Magic Pass worth it? The maths with real numbers
The Magic Pass currently costs CHF 482 and covers 95 stations. We worked out how many ski days it takes to break even: ten. And checked which resorts are actually included. Of Switzerland's fifteen largest ski areas, two are.
Why Alpine rock is falling apart: permafrost, explained
In winter 2024 the active layer at Schilthorn failed to refreeze for the first time at any Swiss monitoring site. At ten metres depth, permafrost has warmed by more than 0.8 °C since 2014. What that has to do with the closures on Mont Blanc, the Matterhorn and at Oeschinensee, and what it does not.
Where this resort stands
In our rankings of all Swiss ski areas:
Lauchernalp – Lötschental is one of 24 ski areas in the canton of Valais, and it is quickest reached from Bern by train, in 1 h 41.
Nearby ski areas
Distances are straight-line, not driving time. In the Alps a ridge between two valleys can turn 12 km into a two-hour drive.
Key figures
- Region
- Valais
- Season
- Dec – April
- Kilometres of piste
- 40 km
- Elevation
- 1403 to 3100 m (1,697 m of vertical)
- Lifts
- 7
- Adult day pass
- around CHF 70 (guide value)
- Summer skiing
- no
- Glacier
- no
- Snow park
- rated 3/10
- Coordinates
- 46.417, 7.755
- Official website
- lauchernalp.ch
All values are guide figures still being verified. For day-to-day information, use the resort’s official website.