Melchsee-Frutt lies in central Switzerland and is a small, family-run ski area: 32 kilometres of piste served by 12 lifts.
The area runs from 1080 to 2255 metres above sea level, giving around 1,175 metres of vertical. The lower slopes depend on snowmaking in mild winters.
The season usually runs Dec – April.
An adult day pass costs CHF 56.
Of note: Snow-sure high plateau, family oriented
Pistes by difficulty
- Leicht (blau)16 km50%
- Mittel (rot)10 km30%
- Schwer (schwarz)6 km20%
Distribution calculated from OpenStreetMap and applied to the 32 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.
melchsee-frutt.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
Melchsee-Frutt lies at 1920 metres on a high alp beside the Melchsee, ringed almost completely by mountain chains. It is reached by gondola from the Stöckalp; the single-lane road with alternating traffic is open only from roughly late May to early November.
Beneath the plateau lies a karst area of 15 square kilometres with an extensive cave system. The Bettenhöhle has been surveyed over more than 30 kilometres, the Schrattenhöhle over nearly 20. You are skiing above one of the largest known cave systems in Switzerland without noticing it.
The altitude is the real argument: the base sits at almost 2000 metres, and in a mild winter that is the difference between operating and standing still. Only around 165 people live here year-round, mostly staff of the tourism businesses.
Sources: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melchsee-Frutt
Snow’n’Rail at Melchsee-Frutt: up to 30% 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 Melchsee-Frutt at SBB →All resorts with Snow’n’Rail →
Getting there by public transport
Destination stop: Melchtal Stöckalp (Talstation). 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 30 per cent cheaper if you arrive this way. From Zürich HB that is 2 h 09 on the train instead of behind the wheel.
Frequently asked about Melchsee-Frutt
How high is Melchsee-Frutt?
The ski area runs from 1,080 to 2,255 metres above sea level, a vertical range of 1,175 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 Melchsee-Frutt have?
32 kilometres on 12 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 Melchsee-Frutt cost?
CHF 56 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 30 per cent off through the Snow’n’Rail scheme.
When does Melchsee-Frutt open?
The usual season window is Dec – April. No starting date has been announced for winter 2026/27 yet. Most resorts commit only in the autumn, because a postponed opening costs more goodwill than a late announcement.
How do I get to Melchsee-Frutt by train?
The destination stop is Melchtal Stöckalp (Talstation). From Zürich HB the fastest connection on a Saturday morning takes 2 h 09, changing 2 times; from Bern 2 h 19. A guide value, not a timetable.
Is there Snow’n’Rail at Melchsee-Frutt?
Yes. Melchsee-Frutt 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 30 per cent less. 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.
Melchsee-Frutt in the magazine
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.
Snow'n'Rail: every Swiss resort in the scheme, and what it actually saves
All 27 SBB Snow'n'Rail destinations with verified discounts, plus the arithmetic on when taking the train really pays. Between CHF 5 and CHF 28 a day, and that is not the whole difference.
Season passes 2026/27: where buying early really pays off
Magic Pass from CHF 419, dynamic pricing everywhere: an overview of Switzerland’s season pass landscape – and the three rules that make early buying work.
Where this resort stands
Melchsee-Frutt is one of 2 ski areas in the canton of Obwalden, and it is quickest reached from Zurich by train, in 2 h 09.
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
- Obwalden
- Season
- Dec – April
- Kilometres of piste
- 32 km
- Elevation
- 1080 to 2255 m (1,175 m of vertical)
- Lifts
- 12
- Adult day pass
- around CHF 56 (guide value)
- Summer skiing
- no
- Glacier
- no
- Snow park
- rated 4/10
- Coordinates
- 46.770, 8.275
- Official website
- melchsee-frutt.ch
All values are guide figures still being verified. For day-to-day information, use the resort’s official website.