Been going to Rosswald for years. It's the polar opposite of a big "factory" resort with only cutesy chalets and stunning views: The Valaisan Alps on one side (Mt Rosa, Matterhorn etc) and the south side of the Bernese Oberland on the other.
It's main appeal is to families with small children as most of the accomodation is ski in & out. It's USP here is that it has 2 good slopes for learners (blue & easy red respectively) but then all 3 slopes above the top cafe being groomed blacks. This means that parents can get in some real leg burning runs between dropping off & picking up at the ski school.
As well as Belalp & the Aletch Arena, a great day trip is to tiny Rothwald just 15mins drive further up the Simplon road from the bottom of the telecabine. Rothwald has only 2 T bar lifts rising from 1750 to 2210m but has some fabulous but safe off piste between the Larch trees.
See our video here

Rosswald is a fun and über traditional ski resort a short bus ride from Brig and perched high above the Rhone valley. The views are amazing on a clear day down the valley and up to Simplon Pass, one of the snowier spots in the entire Alps!

From Brig train station the 632 bus drops one off directly at the talstation (valley station) for the Rosswald gondola. The gondola and car park are above the small town of Ried bei Brig, a tad over 1000m elevation. The gondola transports one to the ski resort at 1819m and into another world. A short walk up between restaurants gets you to the main lower ski slope. The cutesy village spreads around the base of the ski slope with glorious views in all directions.

A line of 3 successive surface lifts provide the uphill motion. A heavy blizzard and rain down low meant the top 2 lifts were very slow to open during our visit. When they finally did, visibility at the top was non-existent, but you could still get a sense of the potential of the freeride terrain from the nearly 500m vertical on the top lift below the Fullohorn peak. The lower beginner and intermediate piste are extremely busy on a weekend, but the higher lifts, advanced trails and off-piste were all but deserted. On a real powder day, the off piste would be amazing.

Paying CHF40 for the limited terrain that was open for much of the day was a bit steep, but again, on the right day, in the right conditions, Rosswald would rock.

Accommodation is available on the hill in the perfectly located Hotel Klenenhorn and would be fun with a group. Numerous private chalets are also available but are probably not worth it given the limited on-piste trails. The village does include a decent sized market for self-caterers though. Brig makes a simpler place to stay, but each to their own. Who doesn’t like staying on the hill!

The 9km sled run from the village down to the gondola base wasn’t open due to a lack of snow down the bottom section, but if running, would make a cracking way to come down the hill instead of downloading on the gondola.

If passing through Brig and needing a leg warming day at a ski resort that hasn’t changed much since last century, Rosswald is for you. On a powder day with some good visibility – ditto. Whatever else happens, you wont be disappointed by the views.
See our video here