Alpin Arena Schnals Winter Opening

The Alpin Arena Schnals Winter Opening

Every year in late November, Alpin Arena Schnals officially kicks off the winter season with the Winter Opening, the inaugural event for the Val Senales glacier ski area. We are in Maso Corto/Kurzras, a village in the municipality of Senales/Schnals, in the province of Bolzano, at the end of one of South Tyrol's most picturesque valleys. Thanks to the glacier, which stretches between 3,000 and 3,200 meters, skiing is possible here as early as autumn, and the Winter Opening celebrates the start of the grand season on the valley slopes.

Skiing, ski tests, and high altitudes

The heart of the event is, naturally, skiing. For several days, enthusiasts can try out the latest equipment for free: brands like Rossignol and Head set up a free ski and snowboard test at the Grawand mountain station, reachable in just a few minutes by cable car from the Maso Corto valley station. It is the perfect opportunity to break in the season with new gear in a high-mountain setting that offers spectacular views of the peaks of the Ötztal Alps.

Music, DJs, and parties on the snow

The Winter Opening is not just about sports: the event brings Maso Corto to life with live concerts, DJ sets, and parties that last from the afternoon into the evening. The program includes music at the Platz'l in Senales, band performances, and the classic Sundowner-Party at sunset at the Alte Bar of the Glacier Hotel Grawand, suspended between the sky and the glacier. Local venues—from Leo's Pub to the Aparthotel Maso Corto pizzeria and the valley station restaurant—remain open to welcome skiers and visitors.

An event between tradition and international tourism

Organized by the Val Senales Glacier Cable Cars in collaboration with the local tourist board, the Winter Opening attracts ski enthusiasts from across the Alps and beyond, with a strong international presence. The event has become a ritual marking the transition from autumn glacier skiing to the full winter season, and it stands as one of the most anticipated dates on the Alpin Arena Schnals calendar, in this corner of South Tyrol where you can ski from September until spring.

Where it takes place

All activities are concentrated in Maso Corto/Kurzras, the last village in the Val Senales at about 2,000 meters, and at altitude along the Alpin Arena Schnals ski lifts. The area is easily accessible by car driving up the valley from Naturno, with ample parking at the cable car valley station.