How to read a piste map

A piste map is a perspective drawing, not a scale map. It shows pistes by difficulty colour, lifts by type, and the links between sectors — but it distorts distances and gradients to fit an entire mountain onto one readable image.

9 September 2026

Why a piste map is not a map

A piste map is a painted or modelled panorama: slopes are rotated so all of them face you, when in reality they face away from each other. Two pistes drawn side by side can be separated by an entire valley.

The practical consequence: the map answers "which pistes exist" well, and "how long to get over there" badly. Distances are not comparable from one side of the drawing to the other.

What do the ski lift symbols mean?

Lifts are drawn as a line topped with a pictogram. The type matters: it decides whether you keep your skis on, whether you have to take them off, and how long the ride takes.

The main lift types
Type	Usual symbol	What it means for you
Drag lift / button lift	Thin line with small ticks	Skis on, dragged across the snow — hard for beginners
Chairlift	Line with seats	Skis on, seated; safety bar to lower
Gondola	Line with cabins	Skis off, sheltered from the wind
Cable car	Line with one large cabin	Skis off, high capacity, departs at set intervals
Funicular	Solid line, often in tunnel	Skis off, unaffected by wind

How to read direction of travel and altitudes

On a piste map, the top of the drawing is the top of the mountain. Summits carry an altitude in metres, and so do base stations: the difference between the two gives the real vertical drop of the descent.

Arrows show the direction of travel where a piste serves as a link. Flat sections are often drawn narrower or flagged with a pictogram — those are where you stop without meaning to, skis flat.

Find your starting point first, then the summit you are aiming for
Check the altitude of both: it is the only reliable number on the map
Follow the piste top to bottom, not the other way round
Note the flat sections: they cost time and energy, especially on a snowboard

How do you know whether a piste is open?

The paper map does not tell you: it shows the ski area as designed, not as it is today. Live status appears on the display boards at lift stations, in the resort app, and on the barriers at the top of each run.

The most common misreadings

Assuming two pistes drawn close together are close on the ground
Choosing a route without checking there is a lift to get back
Confusing a graded piste with an ungroomed itinerary, often drawn as a dotted line
Forgetting the last lift time, which governs any return to another valley
Taking an end-of-day link with no margin — the area closes sector by sector

Frequently asked questions

Is a piste map to scale?

No. It is a perspective view, drawn so that every slope faces the viewer. Distances are deliberately distorted: two points that look close on paper can be separated by an entire valley.

How do you read altitudes on a piste map?

Summits and base stations carry their altitude in metres. The difference between the high and low point gives the real vertical drop of the descent — the most reliable information on the map.

What is the difference between a drag lift and a chairlift on a map?

A drag lift is drawn as a thin line with small ticks: you keep your skis on and are pulled across the snow. A chairlift is drawn with seats: you ride seated with skis on. The drag lift is considerably harder for a beginner.

Can I tell from the map whether a piste is open?

No. Opening status appears on the boards at lift stations, in the resort app, and on the barriers at the top of the run. A closed piste may be shut for avalanche risk or works, and must not be skied around.

Can I estimate journey time from a piste map?

Not reliably, because the map distorts distances and shows neither lift ride times nor queues. That is precisely what a computed route adds on top of the map.