In Austria, the ski season knows no time limits, and whenever the urge to ski strikes, there is always a lift and a slope where you can have fun even in the middle of summer. This skiing privilege is thanks to the presence of some of the most important Alpine Glaciers, where snow is not only abundant in winter, but also holds up when cities are sweltering in the scorching summer months.
The ski area that never closes is Hintertux, yet there are also other Austrian ski destinations that, even if they don’t boast year-round records, are still able to kick off their ski season very early.
No fewer than 8 ski resorts are already operating with multiple lifts and slopes available for those who cannot live without snow; here is where you can already ski in Austria.
Stubai
In recent years, the Stubai glaciers (Windach and Eisjochferner) have been heavily affected by global warming with significant consequences; summer 2012 in particular left lasting marks despite the use of geotextile sheets.
This season, however, has been kinder and allowed the first lifts to open as early as September 20 thanks to several major snowfalls; currently, 15 ski slopes are open with 100 cm of snow on the ground.
Soelden
The Soelden Glacier (Oetztal) opened its doors on the second weekend of October and now offers 33 km of open ski slopes served by 3 gondolas, 1 chairlift, and 5 drag lifts. The Soelden glacier is also getting ready to host the opening round of the 2013/14 Alpine Ski World Cup.
Pitztal and Kaunertal
These two glaciers in Austrian Tyrol are less famous than their neighbors, yet they have no less to offer in terms of both sports and tourism. Here the season began on September 14 for Pitztal and October 13 for Kaunertal. Both already provide access to 6 ski lifts and skiing on 14 km of slopes at Kaunertaler and 15 km at Pitztal.
Mölltaler Glacier – Carinthia
In addition to the 5 Tyrolean glaciers (Kaunertal, Pitztal, Sölden, Stubai, and Hintertux), Austria also boasts glacier ski destinations in other regions. Among them is Carinthia with its Mölltaler Glacier at nearly 3,000 meters above sea level; this ski resort has already opened the upper section of the glacier with 4 ski lifts available for the first skiers of the season.
Kitzsteinhorn Glacier – Salzburg
In the Salzburg region lies another glacier, the Kitzsteinhorn. This white paradise sits above the ski resort of Zell am See-Kaprun at over 3,000 meters above sea level.
It currently offers 11 km of open slopes out of a total of 25. At high altitude, snow conditions are good, and with nearly 1 meter of snow on the ground, plenty of skiers are flocking to its slopes during the day.
Dachstein Glacier – Styria
Styria is another region of Austria (and one of the coldest), home to the Dachstein Glacier within the large Dachstein-Ramsau ski area. From its 2,700 m elevation, it is the first ski resort in the region to open its doors. Reached from the valley by cable car, its slopes are served by drag lifts and T-bars.
Compared to the other glaciers, partly due to its lower altitude, the Dachstein currently offers just one open slope.
Upcoming openings
Barring any major weather shifts, for further ski lift openings in Austria we will have to wait until the second half of November; here are several scheduled lift opening dates:
- Bad Kleinkirchheim (Carinthia) – November 30, 2013
- Obertauern – November 28, 2013
- Schladming – November 29, 2013
- Ischgl – November 30
- Obergurgl-Hochgurgl – November 23
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