Omari Gates
Austria is home to some of the highest ski resorts in Europe, with a number of glacier ski resorts offering summer skiing. The Hintertux Glacier in the Ziller valley is Austria's only year-round ski resort, with 22km of runs catering to a range of abilities. The Stubai Glacier, Austria's largest glacier skiing area, is another option for summer skiing, with slopes open from May onwards. The Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, located in the province of Salzburg, also offers summer skiing, with slopes typically open until the end of July. While glacier ski areas may not be skiable during the height of summer, they often have longer seasons than other resorts, with fabulous ski conditions at the beginning and end of the winter season.
What You'll Learn
The Stubai Glacier is Austria's largest glacier skiing area
The ski area boasts 35 slopes and 26 lifts, providing a diverse range of options for skiers. The longest run, the "Wilde Grub’n", is a challenging 10km descent from the Wildspitz mountain station at 3,210 metres to the valley station at 1,750 metres or 1,695 metres, offering a thrilling experience for advanced skiers. The ski resort also offers a unique skiing tour that allows visitors to explore all five glaciers in the area.
The Stubai Glacier is renowned for its family-friendly atmosphere and has been awarded the ADAC ski guide award for being the most family-friendly ski resort in the Alps. Children under 10 years old can ski for free if accompanied by a paying parent. The resort also offers top-notch childcare services and the Stubai Zoo Snow Park, ensuring an enjoyable experience for the whole family.
In addition to skiing, the Stubai Glacier features the TOP OF TYROL summit platform at 3,210 metres, providing breathtaking views of the surrounding Tyrolean Alps. The resort also offers a variety of mountain restaurants, serving regional specialties and ensuring a delightful dining experience. With its modern cable cars and lifts, and convenient location, the Stubai Glacier is a top choice for winter sports enthusiasts seeking an unforgettable skiing adventure in Austria during the winter season.
While the Stubai Glacier typically closes in June when the summer season is in full swing, it reopens around the end of September, offering skiers the opportunity to hit the slopes again before the winter season officially begins. So, if you're looking for a glacier skiing experience in Austria, the Stubai Glacier is the perfect destination, providing a mix of exciting runs, family-friendly amenities, and breathtaking alpine scenery.
Hintertux Glacier is open all year round
The Hintertux Glacier is Austria's only year-round ski resort. It offers perfectly groomed, snow-sure runs 365 days a year, as well as stunning nature and great food at altitudes of up to 3,250 m (10,663 ft). The height of the Hintertux Glacier means that there are usually good snow conditions, enabling almost all pistes and lifts to be kept open.
The Hintertux Glacier is the tourist name for the glaciers of the Gefrorene-Wand-Kees, also called the Tuxer Ferner, and the nearby Riepenkees at the top of the Tuxertal, a side valley of the Zillertal in the Austrian state of Tyrol. The Hintertux Glacier is one of the most popular glaciers in Austria, offering skiing in the winter and hiking activities in the summer. Both glaciers are accessed by gondola and chair lifts and it is one of only two ski resorts in the world offering skiing all year round (the other being Zermatt in Switzerland).
The Hintertux Glacier offers a ski school for both beginners and advanced skiers. In addition to the winter sports facilities, the Hintertux Glacier offers an all-round view of the Alps from just under 3,250 m. The region is also suitable for mountaineering, with plenty of Alpine huts, some of which are managed all year round. The Spannagelhaus, for example, is next to the natural monument of the Spannagel Cave, which is over 10 km long and the largest cave system in the Austrian Central Alps.
The Hintertux Glacier is also home to the Nature's Ice Palace, a unique natural gem and an ideal year-round destination for families. Visitors can explore a walkable crevasse with magical ice stalactites, huge sparkling ice crystals, frozen waterfalls, and even a glacial lake. The Hintertux Glacier is an excellent choice for those seeking a combination of outdoor adventure, stunning scenery, and a variety of activities throughout the year.
The Kitzsteinhorn Glacier is the only skiable glacier in Salzbergerland
The Kitzsteinhorn Glacier is the only skiable glacier in the province of Salzburg, located above the town of Kaprun. It is part of the Glockner Group in the High Tauern range of the Central Eastern Alps in Austria. The Kitzsteinhorn reaches a height of 3,203 m (10,509 ft) and is the highest point in the region of SalzburgerLand that is accessible to everyone.
The Kitzsteinhorn Glacier is a popular ski area, with a long ski season from autumn to early summer. It offers diverse pistes and the best piste conditions between 3,029 m and 2,000 m above sea level. The glacier ski resort provides 100% snow reliability and perfect piste conditions from October to early summer. In addition to the extra-long ski season, there are also numerous attractions in summer, such as hiking, biking, and guided tours.
The Kitzsteinhorn Glacier is easily accessible using the Glacier Aerial Tramway from the valley station at 911 m (2,989 ft). The valley station features the highest cable car pylon in the world, standing at 113.6 m (373 ft) tall. The summit can also be reached via the Gletscherjet I, a 24-person funitel, and the Gletscherjet II, a gondola lift.
The Kitzsteinhorn Glacier has a rich history, with skiing on the mountain dating back to the early 20th century. The German and Austrian Alpine Club erected a mountain hut, the Krefelder Hütte, in 1907-1909. The first cable car was put into operation in December 1965, making it the first glacier ski slope in the Austrian Alps. However, the resort has faced environmental impacts and the global retreat of glaciers since 1850. Despite these challenges, the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier remains a popular destination for skiers and outdoor enthusiasts alike.
The Kaunertal Glacier is Tirol's youngest glacier
The Kaunertal Glacier is one of the highest ski resorts in the region, offering snow-sure conditions from late September until June. The resort caters to skiers and snowboarders of all levels, with blue, red, and black pistes available at altitudes of up to 3,108 metres. Beginners can enjoy the easy blue slopes near the Falginjoch ridge, while advanced and expert skiers can take on the FIS race piste at the Nörderjoch. The resort also features a snow park for freestylers and a 2.2 km black run, the steepest in-bounds run in Austria, leading down from the Karlesspitze through a floodlit tunnel to the Ochsenalm.
In addition to the excellent skiing and snowboarding conditions, the Kaunertal Glacier also offers a family-friendly atmosphere. The resort of Fendels, which is accessible with the same lift pass, has an extensive children's and beginners' area. The Kaunertal Glacier is known for its lack of lift queues, allowing visitors to make the most of their time on the slopes. The area also boasts a year-round mountain world, with skiing and snowboarding options in the winter and hiking trails and viewing platforms at high altitudes during the summer months.
The Kaunertal Glacier is an ideal destination for those seeking a combination of peaceful tranquillity and wild nature, as well as sporting experiences and quiet recuperation. The glacier is surrounded by the stunning landscape of the Tirolean Alps, providing a true alpine experience for visitors. With its high-altitude location, excellent conditions, and variety of slopes for all abilities, the Kaunertal Glacier is a top choice for winter sports enthusiasts looking to extend their skiing season.
The Pitztal slopes are a classic glacier ski area
The Pitztal Glacier is Austria's highest skiing area, with altitudes of up to 3,440 m. It is also one of the most modern, with the newest lifts in the Pitztal located here. The Wildspitzbahn cable car takes you up to 3,440 m, where you can relax on the panorama terrace of Austria's highest cafe. The ski area is extended during the winter season by the facilities of the Rifflsee Bergbahnen. Both ski resorts are connected by the Rifflsee downhill run and cover a large and very diverse area encompassing 68 kilometres of pistes.
The Pitztal Glacier ski area offers a wide range of winter sports opportunities for every level of ability, from September to May. Skiing and snowboarding, cross-country skiing, ski touring, and freestyle skiing in the X Park are all on offer. The ski area is also a popular training ground for many top athletes and national teams.
The Pitztal ski resorts cater to families, with manageable family ski resorts, proficient children's ski schools, and the free Bambini ski pass. There are also plenty of activities for freeriders and ski tourers, with steep slopes and tall, three-thousand-metre peaks. The cross-country centre at the glacier offers skating and classic trails, and the high cross-country skiing trail at the Rifflsee is more relaxed.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can ski in Austria in August. Hintertux is a year-round ski resort with 22km of runs catering to a range of abilities. It is also possible to ski on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, which usually stays open until the end of July.
Summer skiing in Austria is generally hard and icy in the morning and slushy in the afternoon. Many people ski for a few hours in the morning and then relax in the afternoon or take in the local sights.
The Stubai glacier ski area has a wide range of summer activities, including a viewing platform, family hikes, mountain tours, climbing and geocaching. The Hintertux glacier also offers attractions such as Nature's Ice Palace, Spannagel Cave, and the Panorama Terrace.
