Get out and ski the Pfalz!

by Petra Lessoing86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs


The Pfalz area is not known for having many ski resorts, but there are still a few areas that offer winter sports activities. The closest is  in Queidersbach, where fun on skis and sleds is offered.

An alpine ski lift with a flood light is set up along the slope on Katzenhalde. When enough snow is available, the ski lift opens from 4 to 10 p.m. In the nearby Rosental and Reichstal valleys, cross country ski slopes of up to 20 kilometers will be prepared. Visit the Queidersbach Ski Club’s Web site at www.srcq.de for more information.

Another cross country ski area is Donnersberg hill, near Dannenfels. Two runs start just before the big parking lot on Donnersberg, on the right side. Look for the signs (behind the Waldhaus/Keltenhütte; GPS address: Am Donnersberg 1 in 67814 Dannenfels). To find out if the runs are available, visit www.skiclub-donnersberg.de or www.waldhaus-donnersberg.de.

More cross country ski slopes and tobaggo runs can be found in Hermersbergerhof and Hofstätten, which both belong to the community of Wilgartswiesen in the Southwest Pfalz.

Very well known for winter fun is the highest hill in Rheinland-Pfalz, the Erbeskopf in the Thalfang ski area (west of Idar-Oberstein). It is 818 meters high and has ski lifts that are open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursdays, 11 a.m. to midnight Fridays, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, if weather permits. There are three ski slopes, a tobaggo run, flood lights and two cross country ski slopes – 6.4 and 8 kilometers long. Ski and snowboard rentals are available as well.

For more information, call the local snow phone at 06504-716 or visit www.hunsrueckhaus.de.

South of Erbeskopf is the community of Hermeskeil with three winter sports areas. For details, visit www.hermeskeil.de and click on “Tourismus-Freizeit-Wintersport.”

The Zweibrücken Ski Club is running a skiing area called Christel Alm. There is a ski lift, flood lights and five slopes. Hours are from 5 to 7 p.m. weekdays and 2 to 7 p.m. weekends. For more information and directions, visit www.skiclub-zweibruecken.de.