Elsigen-Metsch

Beginners: with caveatsFamilies: with caveatsExperts: not really

About the area

Elsigenalp is a small area in the Bernese Oberland with 28 km of pistes, and the balance leans to intermediates: about 15 km are red, against 10 km of blue and only a quarter-kilometre of green. Beginners can make it work with caveats — 38% of the pistes are green or blue (11 km) and there are 7 short easy runs next to a lift base — but 9% of the terrain is black or freeride. Experts should look elsewhere: just 3 km is graded black, and the biggest vertical on a single run is 471 m. Families should note there is one cable car and no chairlift, which affects loading with small children.

The slopes run from 1322 m to 2282 m, so snow is more reliable higher up than at the base. Lift access is old-school: 11 lifts, of which 5 are T-bars, 2 platters and 3 rope tows, plus the cable car. The longest descent measures 3 km.

At a glance

Pistes
28 km
Lifts
11
Altitude
1322–2282 m
Vertical
960 m
Runs
37
Longest run
3.4 km
Biggest vertical on one run
471 m
Gondolas & cable cars
1
Bubble/heated lifts
1
Nursery runs at lift bases
7

Measured on OpenStreetMap data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via OpenSkiMap. Computed 2026-09-09. Official figures may differ.

Official site

Pistes by difficulty

  • Green0.3 km
  • Blue10.4 km
  • Red14.8 km
  • Black2.6 km

Lifts by type

  • 5T-bar
  • 3Rope tow
  • 2Button lift
  • 1Cable car

Who should come here

Who should come here

Computed from the terrain itself — not a house opinion.

Beginners

with caveats

  • · 38% of pistes are green/blue (11 km)
  • · 9% are black/expert/freeride
  • · 7 short easy runs next to a lift base

Families

with caveats

  • · 1 gondola/cable-car lift (no chairlift loading for small kids)
  • · a base right at the lifts

Experts

not really

  • · 3 km black/expert/freeride (9%)
  • · longest vertical on one run 471 m

Best forintermediates

Where to stay

Villages and towns with lifts to this area, and cheaper towns down the valley.