The Lauberhorn race in mid-January is the biggest event in Wengen's year. The course runs from just below the Lauberhorn summit down through the Hundschopf, the Minschkante, the Wasserstation, the Hanneggschuss, and the Ziel-S finish in the meadow above the village. Spectator areas line the lower third of the course; the village fills with race fans, the train from Lauterbrunnen runs every twenty minutes, and the cowbells are deafening.
Outside race week the course is open to recreational skiers as run number 27 — most of it groomed, the Hundschopf section discreetly bypassed. Standing at the start gate looking down at the same fall line the professionals tackle is a sobering experience.