← Ski Snow centre · Baldones, Latvia

Riekstukalns

Riga's local winter snow hill

ogre11 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)

Riekstukalns is a small outdoor ski hill near Baldone, within easy reach of Riga, offering short pistes on low Latvian terrain.

  • 37 m Base
  • 82 m Top lift
  • 45 m Vertical
  • 19 Pistes mapped
  • 20 Lifts

Best known for

  • skiing near Riga
  • beginner runs
  • snow tubing

Après & vibe

A base cafe and warm-up facilities serve the slopes, with Riga's full range of dining a short drive away.

The snow centre

Riekstukalns is a genuine little outdoor ski area on gentle wooded high ground near Baldone, a short drive south of Riga. Latvia is flat and low, so this is a modest hill rather than a mountain, with a spread of short slopes and lifts backed by snowmaking to firm up the natural cover. It works as the capital's winter playground: families, beginners and after-work skiers come for a few runs, snow tubing and floodlit evening sessions. As a lowland area the season is short and cold-snap-dependent, kept going largely by the snow guns when temperatures allow. Approach it as a friendly, accessible day out rather than a destination resort.

The slope

Beginners

Well suited to first-timers, with gentle slopes and lessons the mainstay.

Intermediates

A few slightly steeper runs give improvers somewhere to progress.

Advanced

Limited vertical means keen skiers will find it brief.

Experts & off-piste

Not a venue for experts; the terrain is small and low.

Floodlit evening skiing

Lit runs and snow tubing make it a popular after-dark outing for Riga families through the winter.

On the map

Riekstukalns
Legend

Run difficulty

  • Novice
  • Easy
  • Intermediate
  • Advanced / Expert
  • Freeride / Extreme
  • Unknown

Run types

  • Downhill — groomed
  • Downhill — ungroomed
  • Downhill — gladed
  • Nordic (groomed)
  • Ski tour
  • Lit (night)
  • Not patrolled
  • One-way
  • Snowmaking

Lifts

  • Operating
  • Operating (private)
  • Non-operating
  • Lift station

Slope-gradient grading

Downhill / ski tour

  • Flat<3°
  • Easy3–14°
  • Intermediate14–22°
  • Advanced / Expert22–45°
  • Freeride / Extreme>45°

Nordic

  • Easy<6°
  • Intermediate6–9°
  • Advanced>9°

Aspect (sun exposure)

  • N — least sun
  • E — morning
  • S — most sun
  • W — afternoon

Legend after OpenSkiMap

Map & ski data © OSM (ODbL) via OpenSkiMap · basemap OpenFreeMap · terrain Mapterhorn
See the official piste maps on Skimap.org →
Where you'll stay

Stay near Riekstukalns

Most visitors come for the day from Riga, which offers the region's hotels and guesthouses within easy reach.

City hotels

A base in town — the snow centre is a day trip, not a resort stay.

Aparthotels

Self-catering flexibility for a family visit or a longer city break.

Airport hotels

Handy if the centre is a stopover between flights.

Tickets

Book access to Riekstukalns

Snow sessions, lessons and slope passes for Riekstukalns.

Booking soon

Online access tickets for Riekstukalns will be bookable here shortly. In the meantime, book direct on the venue's own site.

How to get there

By air

Riga Airport (RIX) is the gateway, a short drive from the slopes near Baldone.

Transfer up

An easy road trip south from Riga; a car is the simplest way to arrive.

Best time: The coldest weeks of January and February give the best chance of good cover on this lowland hill.

Nearby resorts

Other resorts within reach.

Complete your trip

Getting to Riekstukalns

Book an airport transfer up to the resort, or pick up a car at Helsinki (HEL) — search and compare without leaving the page.

Ski data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), via OpenSkiMap & Skimap.org. Basemap © OpenFreeMap / OpenMapTiles. Editorial: mynext.holiday. Accommodation via Stay22; transfers via Kiwitaxi; car hire via Travelpayouts.