The longest skiing season in the country – from the end of September until the beginning of May – and on top of that, first-rate ski pistes and powder snow as far as your skis/snowboards will take you. Sounds like a dream? This is reality, certified with the province of Carinthia’s cachet, in Carinthia’s only glacial skiing region. With over 450 cm of natural snow in high winter, and a compact artificial snow facility, skiers and snowboarders alike can frolic in the snow from the Schareck down to the Schwarzkopf lift. Lying at between 2100 m and 3122 m above sea level, the Mölltal Glaciers region entices with about 50 km of ski pistes and 9 facilities.
Access to the skiing region is afforded by the Glacier Express (cable car) from its valley station at 1200 m height above sea level. Within eight minutes, you reach the ski school centre at the mid-way station. The Lake Eissee railway (6-person cable car) takes you further to the mountain station at 2800 m height – up to the “Glass Palace,” the mountain restaurant Eissee. The highest lifts are the Glacier Jet (6-seat chair lift with hood) and the double chair lift 3000, which reach the four pistes on the Schareck glacier. The panorama lift Klühspies takes skiers from the Hochwurtenspeicher peak back to the mountain station; and on the family ski slope carving is so simple that even beginners will immediately get a taste for the sport. The “lowest” point, at about 2100 m height, is at the 4-seat chairlift Schwarzkopf, which leads directly to the Lake Weissee hut. At the midway-station there are also 2 drag-lifts and a training lift, which enable beginners to practise on the gentle ski slopes right next to the ski school.
Glacier Skiing Area in Salzburg - Kitzsteinhorn
At the heart of Austria, easily accessible, lies Salzburg’s unique glacier skiing region: the Kitzsteinhorn. 19 state-of-the-art funiculars and lifts leading up to over 3,000 m guarantee an absolute snow-assured enjoyment of the slopes. As early as autumn and far into the winter, sunny and wide glacier runs lure skiers and snowboarders alike. Skiers will find pistes of all levels, from soft slopes on the glacier to selective runs to the Sonnenkar or Langwiedboden. A challenge for boarder specialists: the permanent racing piste, the mogul piste or the natural pipes in the Langwied region. For snowboarders there is a Funpark on the glacier plateau. In addition to the panorama and Langwied cable car, the Kitzsteinhorn is accessible with the Glacier Jet 1 and 2, another funicular system operating in the glacier skiing region. Also there are artificial snow facilities of the pistes up to the edge of the glacier, this means an excellent permanent piste quality all winter long and slopes that reach down to the alpine centre as early as in autumn. The Kitzsteinhorn is not only Salzburg’s highest ski mountain, it is also Salzburg’s highest observation mountain. From the panorama terraces of the summit station the 3000ers appear close enough to touch!
Glacier Skiing Area in Styria- Dachstein Glacier
A fascinating cable car ride takes only a few minutes to cover the 1,000 vertical ascent (without pylons) against the majestic backdrop of the Dachstein southern wall up to the year-round skiing area on the Dachstein glacier at 2,700 m above sea level.Access is from Schladming in the Enns Valley by bus (regular services from Schladming railway station) or by car up a well-constructed mountain road to the 18km wide Ramsau Plateau (1,100 – 1,300 metres) and on via the Dachstein Panorama Road to the valley station of the glacier railway at Türlwandhütte (1,700 metres).
The Hunerkogel top station houses a modern self-service restaurant and ranks as one of the finest panorama points in the Eastern Alps. On the Dachstein glacier: three T-bars and a double chairlift serve the skiing area (where there are no crevasses). These slopes are also suitable for beginners. International cross-country skiing summer training centre with some fifteen kilometres of groomed and marked trails as well as a snowboard Funpark are at the sportsmen’s disposal. Numerous ski touring routes possible!
Glacier Areas in Tirol
Hintertux Glacie/Tux im Zillertal
4 seasons – 365 days of snow on the Hitertuxer Glacier! "The snow must go on" – also in spring. Sunshine Skiing on up to 60 km of pistes and spectacular slopes. Below the Tuxer Fernerhaus 24 ha of the 270 ha-large area of pistes are artificially snowed – thereby guaranteeing skiing up to 2100m up until May. In summer 18 km of pistes and up to 10 lifts in Austria’s nicest and largest year-round skiing region are in operation. The longest slope is 2 km long and ends directly at the sun terrace of the panorama restaurant Tuxer Fernerhaus (2660 m). 250 km of hiking trails, adventure cave, canyoning action, climbing and tandem paragliding, mountain biking, many sights worth seeing, and a fun children’s program make up the fascination of the glacier.
Glacier pow(d)er – autumn magic: 40 to 60 km of pistes on the first powder snow and view up to 100 km, the nicest time to go hiking and skiing! In the last September weekend the Sommerberg-Arena comes back to life – neither piste tigers nor thirsty souls will escape the lures of Apres-Ski! In Winter 90 to 230 km of diverse pistes from easy to challenging will hardly leave you time to catch your breath. Skiing, carving and snowboarding are a joy on those fine slopes. The longest piste is 12 km long with a difference in altitude of 1750m.
Stubai Glacier
With a surface of 12 sq kilometres the Stubai glacier is Austria’s largest year-round skiing area. Thanks to the ski runs elevation between 1750m to 3200m above sea level snow is guaranteed from October to July. The glacier is easily accessible: from Innsbruck take the Brenner motorway to the exit “Schönberg” and continue for another 30km along the Stubaier federal road to the Mutterberg base terminal. 24 modern ski lifts whisk winter sports enthusiasts into the realm of our majestic three thousand meter high mountains. There are 5 gondolas, 3 six-seater chairlifts, 1 four-seater chairlift, 3 two-seater chairlifts and 9 t-bar and/or beginners’ lifts.
Stubaier glacier boasts a total of 110km of runs for all level skiers: from sweeping cruiser for all ability levels to demanding mogul runs and chutes for experts. In addition there are a terrain park for snowboarders, two permanent race courses, one downhill run with timing facilities, one tubing chute, a 4.5km long cross-country skiing trail, and an ice climbing tower.
There are plenty of restaurants catering to the hungry and thirsty skier: the modern “Jochdohle” self-service restaurant at an elevation of 3150m, and the serviced “Zur Goldenen Gams” restaurant. Cool après-ski parties are waiting for you at the “Eissee” bar at the Gamsgarten top station.
In the unique “Mickey Mouse” Kids’ Ski Club the ski instructors teach children from 4 years skiing skills and skiing safety, and make the learning experience fun for the little ones. This way parents can enjoy their turns to the full while their kids are having fun to their hearts’ content!
Rettenbach-TiefenbachGlacier/Sölden
The skiing region, where the FIS-world cup takes place, is the only one in Austria which includes three glaciers with more than 3000m height. The Ötztal exit on the A 12 (Inntal Motorway) takes you straight onto the main road to Sölden (1,377 metres above sea level), where you can turn off onto the 15-kilometre Panorama Road to the glacier skiing area (at an altitude between 2,674 and 3,255 metres). There are large car parks at the valley stations of the lifts.
A 4-seater chairlift (valley station at 2,674 metres) takes you from Rettenbach car park to the Rettenbachjoch (top station at 2,995 metres), from where a T-bar goes on up to the Schwarzer Schneid (top station at 3,167) and a second T-bar to the Karleskogel (3,248 metres), from where it is directly linked to the Tiefenbach Glacier through a 200 m long ski tunnel. T he T-bar to the Seiterjöchl (3,032 metres) also links up with the Tiefenbach Glacier, which can also be reached by car by means of the 1,750-metre long road tunnel (the highest-lying road tunnel in the Alps). The facilities include a restaurant, events pavilion, kiosk, snow bar, ski and snowboard school, Salomon Station and a sports shop (with equipment rentals). The glacier winter sports area is also the site of the winter sports industry’s European Test Centre.
The Tiefenbachferner chairlift and the Tiefenbachkogel T-bar have been replaced by a 8-seater rope way (valley station at 2,793 metres, top station at 3,255 metres). Further ski lifts: Seiterkar (chairlift), Mutkogl, Panorama and Minilift (T-bars). The 3-seater ‘Seiterkar’ chairlift links up with the Rettenbach Glacier, making this the only glacier skiing arena in the Eastern Alps.
The resort’s winter skiing area is connected with the existing Rettenbach and Tiefenbach glacier skiing areas not only by means of the Panorama Road but also by a ski lift system, the “Golden Gate to the Glacier”: more particularly, the extension of Schwarzkogl skiing area with the Einzeiger, Seekogl and Schwarzkogl lifts (all three are 4-seater chairlifts) and the Glacier Express 8-person gondola railway. This enlargement has created a further extensive skiing area with challenging slopes.
Pitztal Glacier/Leonhard im Pitzal
The region has won the Piste Quality Seal of the Province of Tirol and was awarded the snowboard quality seal. Pitztal is also used by many national skiing teams as a training area and it is the home of star competitive skier Benni Raich. From Imst, the Pitztal road leads 35 km up the valley to the station of the glacier underground railway Pitzexpress at an altitude of 1,740 metres. The Pitzexpress (capacity: 180 passengers) takes about eight minutes to reach the top station at 2,840 metres above sea level. From here you can change to Austria’s highest-lying cable car, the Pitz Panorama Railway, which goes up to the summit of the Hinterer Brunnenkogel at an altitude of 3,440 metres. From here you have the peak of Tirol’s highest mountain, the Wildspitze (3,774 metres), right in front of you, not to mention more than fifty mountain peaks over 3,000 metres. Between mid-September and early June four T-Bars and a double chairlift are in operation. The skiing area also includes about twelve kilometres of high-altitude cross-country skiing trails and a Funpark for snowboarders (which has been awarded the snowboard quality seal).
The skiing slopes cater to skiers of all levels of proficiency from beginners to experts. There is a wide range of ski touring routes, which include the Wildspitze, and guided descents to the valley are available. Among the facilities are a snowboard Funpark as well as ski and snowboard schools. The ski pass also covers the Rifflsee family skiing area (1,680 – 2,800 metres, open between December and April). It is served by a 6-person gondola railway, a weather-protected 4-seater chairlift and several T-bars. This area also includes a 7-kilometre high-altitude cross-country skiing trail round the lake, two restaurants and a downhill run linking up with the valley station of the Pitztal glacier railway.
The Pitztal glacier has a new ice arena: at 2,600 m height, the Pitztal glacier offers a natural ice competition and training grounds for the trend sport “ice climbing.” To complement the “Big Ben” tower near the valley station of the Rifflsee cable car, which is artificially iced every winter, ice-climbing experts of the "Höhenwerkstatt" and their friends from Pitztal have a new playground for their sport.
Kaunertal Glacier Skiing Area
On 32 km of ski runs, including black, red and blue pistes, skiers can ski to their heart’s content, no matter whether they are beginners or experts. The Kaunertal Panorama Road, considered by many to be the finest high-altitude mountain road in the Alps, goes up to the world of eternal ice at an altitude of 2,750 metres. The skiing area of some 350 hectares has been ideally developed. There are chairlifts and T-bars going up to 3,200 metres above sea level, where snow conditions are absolutely dependable. Apart from the specially prepared pistes for downhill skiers and training teams, there are ski runs with a vertical difference of more than 1,000 metres catering to skiers at all levels of proficiency. There are also a full-time Halfpipe and a trampoline facility for the benefit of the growing numbers of snowboarders who come here. There are 9 lifts on the glacier – so no queueing!
