While we are used to signs in road traffic, the signage on ski slopes can be confusing at first.
Especially when you are in a larger ski area for the first time, you will quickly be overwhelmed by the multitude of signs and colors.
What do the colors green, blue, red, yellow or black mean on ski slopes?
What criteria determine whether a slope is classified as blue, red or black?
In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about the slope markings in the ski resorts of the Alps and worldwide.
We also present suitable ski resorts for each piste category.
We had an amazing week in Kaprun - with some late snow. Booked some group ski lessons but as it was just the two of us they turned into private lessons. Our English instructor Alex was great! Fantastic knowledge of the mountain and local area as well as a brilliant instructor who got us skiing red runs in just three days! Would highly recommend him and the ski school, hiring was also easy right on the slope to maximimse time skiing and they responded to my email enquires very promptly, all in all a great week. Thanks to Alex and the team..we'll be back!
Best school and team ever! Booked private ski lessons for my kids (beginners, 4 and 6 years), their instructor Jeppe was so much fun, super patient and knowledgeable! 2 hours of laughter right through. We look forward to returning hopefully soon again! Thank you again Jeppe for making this experience a fun one! 😀
I had an amazing week learning to ski with my school, and our ski instructor Dennis was the most helpful kind person ever. He really helped us all improve in the week to do harder slopes than we thought we would be able to do. I would 100% come back and learn more from Dennis again - I've had so much fun.
Ons gezin heeft skiles gehad van Allart Frensel. Hij had voor ieder goede tips ondanks de verschillende niveaus in de groep. Zowel tijd voor technieklesjes als eens goed doorskiën; een zeer gemotiveerde skileraar, een echte aanrader. Wij hadden een supertijd tijdens de skiles. Dankjewel Allart!!
Wir hatten eine super Woche am Kitzsteinhorn. Lukas aus Dänemark ist ein super herzlicher Skilehrer. Unser Sohn hat nicht nur seine Skikunst sondern auch sein Englisch verbessert ;-). Immer wieder gerne!!!
This was our first time to visit Kitzsteinhorn and my daughter aged 12 (4th time skiing) was placed in a class with instructor Frederick. He was a great instructor for her - very patient and empathetic and she gained a lot of confidence from him and her skiing improved a lot. At the end of the week she fell and hurt her arm and Frederick got her off the piste and arranged emergency care for her and stayed with her until I arrived and then helped get her off the mountain. Thank you Frederick for all your help this week.
I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the excellent ski lessons I received from Shanna Vlot at Skischule Kaprun Oberschneider. As someone with a lack of talent and moderate mobility skills, skiing initially seemed like a daunting challenge. However, thanks to Shanna's extraordinary patience and expert guidance, I not only managed to navigate the slopes but also achieved a deep sense of accomplishment. Shanna's ability to understand my limitations and put me at ease truly made the difference. Her patience knew no bounds, and she always struck the right balance between encouragement and correction. I found her approach to be very pleasant, which motivated me to persevere even when facing obstacles. Her professional demeanor and passion for teaching shone through in every interaction we had. She took the time to understand my individual needs and adjusted her instructions accordingly, making me feel supported throughout the learning process. I can confidently say that Shanna is an incredible ski instructor, and I am grateful for the invaluable experience she provided me with. For anyone in search of a skilled and patient instructor, I wholeheartedly recommend Shanna Vlot. Her dedication to her craft and her ability to overcome even the most challenging hurdles truly make her a gem within the ski school.
Twee uurtjes les gehad van Shanna en was top! Geeft les op het juiste tempo, gaat niet te snel en vraagt vaak of alles duidelijk is. Dankjewel!
Fijne skilessen gehad van Britt vandaag en gisteren. Lekker rustig aan en heldere uitleg. Bedankt Britt!
Wir haben für unseren Sohn Robin, 3 Jahre, erstmals einen Skikurs gebucht und waren sehr sehr happy mit dem Angebot der Skischule Oberschneider, vor allem Dank der besonders herzlichen und äußerst professionellen wie auch verantwortungsvollen Betreuung durch Merle! Wir hatten absolutes Vertrauen und unser Sohn wurde super betreut. Robins erste Skierfahrung war dadurch äußerst positiv und er ist motiviert weiterzumachen. Der Skikindergarten mit Merle war die perfekte Mischung aus Schnee und Spaß!! Vielen herzlichen Dank, liebe Merle! Wir freuen uns schon aufs nächste Mal :-))
Met 4 volwassenen een prettige les gehad van Daan die geduldig iedereen aandachtspunten gaf.
Deze week 3 dagen les gehad van Pip en Greta. Twee superleuke meiden die weten waar ze het over hebben en dit ook heel goed kunnen overbrengen! Heel erg tevreden over de lessen 👍
Onze zonen van 7 en 11 jaar hebben de afgelopen week les gehad van Floor en Nynke. Fijne skischool met niet te grote klasjes. Erg fijn dat ze allebei een NL skilerares hadden. De jongens hebben het enorm naar hun zin gehad en weer veel geleerd afgelopen week. De communicatie verliep erg prettig, hierdoor wist je als ouders waar je aan toe was. Bedankt voor de fijne lessen Floor en Nynke.
Onze zoon Dani heeft zes dagen in de skiklas van Dennis gezeten. Dennis maakte meteen een groepsapp aan en dat was voor ons als ouders ontzettend fijn. Hij hield ons van belangrijke zaken op de hoogte. De kinderen voelden zich bij Dennis echt gezien en ze hebben veel geleerd. Dennis geeft de kinderen een veilig gevoel en dat is heel fijn. Dennis je bent een topper!
Skischule Kaprun Oberschneider is the best! We’ve been booking our gear and lessons with them for years. Their service, the friendly faces and the speed with which they work always makes our holiday extra special. My daughter and her friends had the best week with their instructor Lucas from Sweden (thank you Lucas. Very impressed how you handled this group of girls!). Made our ski-break even more fun and relaxing! Hope to see you next year.
Onze zoon had 3 dagen les van Floor van Heteren; een geweldige docente die oog heeft voor behoeften van ieder kind in haar groep. Ze is bovendien geduldig, deskundig, altijd vrolijk en behulpzaam, ook naar de ouders. Julius gaat vol vertrouwen alle pistes af. Top! Onze andere zoon had les van Sieb: wat een feestje was dat! Gezellige lessen, veel humor en in 3 dagen zoveel geleerd! Hij kan nu met ons de berg af, wat geweldig. Dé beste skischool in Kaprun met geweldige service van alle medewerkers. Bedankt en tot de volgende keer!
Our children had a two hour private lesson from Allegra yesterday and she was great! Very patient and enthusiastic and the kids learned a lot from her.
Our child's ski lessons with Will were great. His kindness and encouragement boosted our child's confidence on the slopes.
Top skischool in Kaprun! Alles was top geregeld (ondanks de grote drukte tijdens de schoolvakantie) en meester Dennis maakte er één groot feest van. Communicatie was perfect, lessen waren goed en onze zoon wilde nooit meer naar huis. Skishule Kaprun en Meester Dennis bedankt voor de geweldige week!
Mijn 2 dochters (9) en (7), hebben de afgelopen 3 dagen skiles gekregen van skileraar Dennis. Ze vonden de lesdagen super. Ze voelden zich op hun gemak, de lesdagen waren afwisselend en ze hebben weer echt wat bijgeleerd. Ook het contact met de ouders vanuit Dennis vond ik heel prettig: betrouwbaar, duidelijke communicatie en tegelijk flexibel waar mogelijk. Super bedankt Dennis, vanuit beide meiden en vanuit mij. Top gedaan!
Drie halve dagen les gekregen van Libbe. Ondanks de enorme drukte op de piste, lukte het toch om rustige plekken te vinden om oefeningen te doen. Veel geleerd. Aansluitend een ochtend privé les van Dennis gekregen. Best spannend, alleen les, maar het was super! Het was het geld dubbel en dwars waard. Echt een sprong vooruit gemaakt, vertrouwen gekregen en het was ook nog heel gezellig. Libbe en Dennis, dank je wel!
Was super goed geregeld wat betreft communicatie op voorhand. Fijn om een Nederlandse leraar te hebben, die ook nog eens fanatiek en gedreven is! Veel geleerd wat betreft techniek en leuke oefeningen voor mijn dochter van 9! Thumbs up Dennis Mühlbacher!
Min datter og jeg har i dag haft fornøjelsen af to timers privatundervisning af Jeppe Sivertsen, det var en fornøjelse! To helt ny begyndere der trygt og godt kom godt i gang på ski. Jeppe var rigtig dygtig og rar, super god til min 6-årige, helt fremragende undervisning, og absolut alle pengene værd!
I had ski lessons (adults group training) for 3 days with Dennis. Great skii instructor, proffesional, well organized and dedicated to his work. Very effective time and worth money spent. I recommend taking lessons with Dennis and I recommend the ski school.
Just finished 2 x 3 hour family lessons with Jeppe S. Jeppe is a brilliant teacher and we all made good progressive. My son already asking to have another lesson with Jeppe!
Instruktorka Felice bardzo miła i kompetentna. Niesamowicie dobrze się z nią pracowało. Serdecznie polecamy.
Sehr gute Kommunikation! Thomas war unser Skilehrer, der Beste bisher! Wir hatten Familienstunden und er hat uns sehr viel gleichermaßen beigebracht. Geduld, Erfahrung und Empathievermögen waren der Schlüssel zum Erfolg! Danke!
Dennis heeft onze groep beginnende skiërs in 2 korte lessen een goede basis aangeleerd waarna we allemaal de blauwe pistes af konden! Heldere uitleg, veel verschillende oefeningen om de techniek aan te leren en ook aangepast aan ieders niveau. Deze super gezellige lessen van Dennis zijn zeker een aanrader!
Schnell Termin bekommen und damit die ganze Familie glücklich gemacht ! 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Danke Pip
Privé les gehad van Pip. Ze is professioneel en super lief!! Ik heb veel geleerd, grazie 😊
I was very happy with the private lessons I booked. My ski instructor Lukas Heinemaan was great. As a beginner, I learnt a lot and was able to make a lot of progress. Lukas is patient, knowledgeable and has excellent tips !! Thanks to Lukas , I feel more confident on the slopes. I would highly recommend him as an instructor.
Need a really good dutch teacher? Ask for Clay. Very nice guy and explains very well to children and adults!
I just spent 3 days with Lucas from the school in 3x5 hour sessions and it's the best money I have ever spent! Lucas was a great teacher, very patient with me and pushed me forward in the right moments. Felt comfortable and safe the entire time on the mountain with him. My skiing went from advanced beginner to solid intermediate, starting in the kids slope and advancing to feeling comfortable on moderate red runs. Highly recommended and would book again when I am in area
Second time taking lessons here. Last year we had a great time and massive technique improvement with Jay (we are a beginner/intermediate couple). This year we had an early bird lesson with Dennis to help us get back on track in the first skiing day this year. And again only positive experience. During this short lesson Dennis helped us a lot in terms of of highlighting typical mistakes we were making and demonstrated the drills to overcome them and improve our technique which we were practicing the remaining day. We could definitely see the progress at the end of the day already. Big thanks to the great instructors!
Wir haben ein verlängertes Wochenende in Kaprun, Kirzsteinhorn verbracht. Wir hatten zu fünft einen Familienkurs gebucht. Wir waren alle Anfänger trotzdem hat unser Skilehrer Dennis mit sehr viel Geduld alle Fragen beantwortet und uns die Technik anhand von verschiedenen Übungen gezeigt. Die Zeit ist wie im Flug vergangen und wir bedanken uns sehr für den tollen Tag!
Michelle Mathot was de lerares van onze skiklas van collega’s in Kaprun. Nog niet eerder op wintersport zo’n fijne en leerzame les gehad. Dank daarvoor!
My father and I had a wonderful lesson with Dennis from Skischule Kuprun this morning. In our short time together he taught us a lot and made sure we had a great time too. Would definitely recommend to anyone wanting to improve their ski technique.
Ganz toller Tag mit der Skischule Kaprun Oberschneider. Der Skilehrer (Dennis Mühlenbacher) hat ein tollen Job gemacht. Kann das gelernte gut für weitere Urlaube verwenden.
Voor Jeppe geef ik 5 sterren bedankt voor de fijne prive skilessen. Verder veel onduidelijkheid over waar de spullen op te halen ski dome 1 vs 2 en ook bij het inleveren weinig klantvriendelijkheid en behulpzaamheid van de medewerkers.
Snowboard privéles gehad van Stein, echt een topper! Ziet precies aan je wat de aandachtspunten zijn en neemt je in het begin mee naar pistes van het juiste niveau om te werken aan deze punten. Daarna pistes op gegaan die wat meer uitdagend zijn maar nog wel comfortabel, mega leerzaam! Verder fijn en gezellig als persoon, de les is zelfs nog wat langer door gegaan. Dikke aanrader!
De skischool is echt een aanrader. Onze kinderen van 4 en 6 hadden les van Pip, een enorme leuke meid. Lief voor de kinderen en met veel leuke spelletjes leerden de kinderen met 3 dagen al goed skiën. Volgend jaar weer!
My son and I had two great lessons with Dennis. Lots of ski technique training to make sure we had the correct position for tackling any slope.
De skilessen van Sieb zijn een aanrader. Zijn duidelijke en beheerste aanpak maakte de lessen plezierig, en hij gaf persoonlijke tips aan iedereen!
Onze kinderen hebben 3 dagen privé les gehad van Patrick. Ze vonden het geweldig. Patrick heeft ze lekker op sleeptouw genomen en ze ondertussen flink bijgeschaafd op hun ski techniek. Aangezien ze 5 uur per dag les hadden at Patrick ook met ons mee. Bijna onderdeel van de familie zullen we maar zeggen ;-). Als je kinderen al "goed" kunnen skiën is dit een goed alternatief ten opzichte van een ski klasje. Ze hebben hier echt de aandacht terwijl het klasje toch echt vaak wachten is en ze daar minder aandacht kunnen krijgen.
Für mich ging es heute das erste mal so richtig auf die Piste 😊 Ich bin also „Ski-Neuling“ und habe mir deswegen 5 Stunden Privatunterricht gegönnt. Was soll ich sagen, es war super! Mein Skilehrer Kristof hat das so so super gemacht und mir wirklich viel Wissen vermittelt und was noch viel wichtiger ist mir die Angst genommen. Wir sind sogar zweimal eine rote Piste gefahren. Zu jeder Zeit habe ich mich wohl gefühlt und auch als Neuling (der sich teilweise vielleicht auch echt doof angestellt hat) ernst genommen gefühlt. Ich kann es jedem wirklich nur empfehlen 😊 Froh bin ich auch darüber mich gegen einen Gruppenkurs entschieden zu haben. So konnten wir wirklich individuell auf meine Schwächen eingehen.
Super Gut ,ich hatte Kristof und Viola und und den anderen aus der Schule hat es auch gefallen.
Ich hatte einen tollen Tag am Kitzsteinhorn und dank Skilehrerin Viola, aus der Skischule Oberschneider, wieder richtig Spaß am Skifahren. Tausend Dank!
The most important facts summarized in advance
- Slope colors indicate the level of difficulty: Blue stands for easy, red for medium and black for difficult – these markings are based on the steepness of the slopes.
- Green slopes are ideal for beginners: with a gentle gradient of 6 to 25 percent, they are ideal for novice skiers, especially in France and North America.
- Blue slopes for beginners and families: These slopes have a gradient of up to 25 percent and offer beginners a safe way to learn skiing techniques.
- Red slopes for advanced skiers: With a gradient of less than 40 percent, they are suitable for more experienced skiers who want to refine their technique.
- Black slopes for professionals only: With a gradient of more than 40 percent, they are a challenge and should only be tackled by very experienced skiers.
- Ski routes for adventurers: Marked and secured, but not groomed – ideal for experienced skiers who want to ski on uneven terrain.
- Open terrain harbors risks: as soon as the markings stop, unsecured terrain begins with an increased risk of avalanches and falls.
A color orientation for ski slopes
When you enter a large ski area for the first time, you will be greeted by a multitude of signs.
The question of whether a slope is blue, red or black quickly arises.
But what do these colors mean when skiing?
How are the slopes classified?
To avoid any possible confusion, we would like to explain the different slope markings in the Alps and other regions in more detail.
We also present some of the best ski resorts for every level of difficulty.
What the colors on the ski slopes indicate
The color coding of the slopes provides information about the difficulty level of the respective descent.
It shows whether a run is suitable for beginners or whether it is better suited to advanced skiers due to its steepness.
The numbering of the slopes makes it easier to find your way around large ski areas and prevents anyone from straying from the path.
You can also get this and much more information from our Kaprun ski school.
In some cases, the numbers are supplemented by slope designations to make orientation easier.
In addition, the edges of the slopes are marked with poles that are either painted in bright colors to increase visibility or in the respective slope color.
Green ski slopes – easy runs for beginners
In the German-speaking regions, a green sign indicates very flat, easy slopes, which are often used as practice slopes.
This is where beginners learn to ski.
In France and North America, green slopes are more common.
These slopes have a gradient of 6 to 25 percent and are ideal for practising the correct fall or mastering the first turns.
Ski resorts such as Les Deux Alpes and Alpe d’Huez in France offer a variety of green slopes.
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Other countries, other colors
The colors blue, red and black are the most common and stand for easy, medium and difficult respectively.
This classification is based on the maximum gradient of the slope.
In some countries, such as Norway, France, the USA and Canada, there are also green slopes.
In Canada and the USA, there is also an additional classification for particularly difficult, deep black slopes.
The following explains when a slope is green, blue, red or black.
Blue slopes – ideal for beginners and families
A blue piste marker indicates a flat ski slope, which is often jokingly referred to as a ski highway.
With a gradient of up to 25 percent, these slopes are ideal for beginners, returners and families with children.
Various skiing techniques such as snowploughing, turning and carving can be practised on blue slopes.
Here, skiers can expect a leisurely descent without a big adrenaline rush.
In North America, on the other hand, a blue square means a steeper gradient of 25 to 40 percent.
Recommended ski resorts with many blue slopes are Winterberg in Germany, the Tiroler Zugspitz Arena in Austria and Alta Badia in Italy.
Red slopes – for advanced skiers
Red slopes in the Alps are of medium difficulty and have a gradient of less than 40 percent.
They are less suitable for beginners and are used by advanced skiers to improve their technique or prepare for steeper descents.
Experienced skiers can refine their carving technique on red slopes, while short turns are recommended for everyone else.
Ski resorts such as Saalbach in Austria, Oberstdorf in Germany and Val Gardena in Italy offer a variety of red slopes.
Clear slope markings are the silent signposts that guide skiers safely through the white labyrinth. Hermann Oberschneider
Black slopes – only for experienced skiers
Black runs are extremely steep and are reserved for experienced skiers.
A gradient of more than 40 percent poses a considerable risk for beginners.
You should only ski on these slopes if you have a good command of short turns.
When carving on black slopes, centrifugal force can quickly become a problem.
In America, the symbol of a black diamond indicates a difficult slope with a gradient of over 40 percent.
Two black diamonds indicate an extremely difficult descent with special challenges such as tight bends and unclear edges.
Ski resorts in Europe with many black slopes are Davos-Klosters and the Andermatt-Sedrun ski arena in Switzerland as well as Ski Arlberg in Austria.
Ski routes – For the adventurous
Ski routes marked in yellow or red dashed lines on the piste map are becoming increasingly common in the Alps.
These slopes are marked and secured, but not groomed.
Such runs are suitable for very experienced skiers and snowboarders, as the route is often uneven and you can also encounter deep snow.
Marked ski routes can be skied without a guide, as the alpine dangers are no greater than on other slopes.
Well-known ski resorts with many ski routes are Davos-Klosters in Switzerland, Fieberbrunn in Austria and Zermatt in Switzerland.
Further markings on groomed slopes
It is easy to lose your bearings in large ski areas, which is why groomed slopes are often marked to show the way.
If a ski area is to receive a slope quality seal, arrows are placed at the edges of the slopes.
In addition, poles and signs are set up along the slopes, either in fluorescent colors or in the respective slope color, to mark the direction of travel or the training area.
No markings in open terrain
If there are no more signs in sight, then you have left the secured ski area and are skiing in open terrain.
This area is neither marked, groomed nor secured.
Anyone leaving the marked pistes should be aware that they are doing so at their own risk.
When leaving the slopes, the danger of avalanches or falls is often indicated, for example by signs with an avalanche warning.
In many cases, an orange flashing light also indicates the current avalanche danger.
Conclusion
The slope markings in ski resorts are used for orientation and indicate the level of difficulty of the slopes. Green slopes are ideal for beginners with a gentle gradient of up to 25 percent, while blue slopes are also suitable for beginners and families, but are somewhat steeper.
Red slopes are aimed at advanced skiers with a gradient of less than 40 percent, and black slopes are only suitable for very experienced skiers as they have a gradient of over 40 percent.
Ski routes, which are often unprepared, offer adventurous skiers additional challenges.
The markings help you to find your way around the ski area safely and avoid dangers such as unsecured terrain.
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