Ex-army major and avid alpinist, Philip Cottam, offers an insider’s guide to one of the lesser-known Austrian valleys and its pistes, for skiers of all abilities…
The Zillertal valley and its offshoots to the Hintertux glacier and Gerlos not only provides some of the best summer mountain walks and scrambles in Austria but also its biggest inter-connected ski area. The Zillertaler Superskipass gives access to 548 kilometres of prepared pistes serviced by 180 lifts and a comprehensive bus service that, almost regardless of where one is staying, provides ready access to other ski areas in the Zillertal.
For my trip I was based in Ried at the cosy family Platzlhof Hotel and the Hochzillertal area serviced by the Kaltenbach cable cars. That did not stop me spending a wonderful sunny day skiing at Mayrhofen on the Ahorn ski area in the morning and the more extensive Penken area in the afternoon. While there was no snow in the valley the snow up the mountains was plentiful throughout my stay wherever I skied.
Reid is a small village with a surprisingly beautiful church and plenty of hotels. I suspect that its tranquil atmosphere would not really suit those looking for a noisy and active après ski. However, as for skiing, the Hochzillertal-Kaltenbach and Hochfugen areas can be accessed from the village either via the two gondolas that rise from Kaltenbach, a ten-minute bus ride away, to the alpine meadows that lie at the base of the upper slopes of the Wimbachkopf, at 2442 metres, or via a short bus trip to Hochfügen and the array of lifts that cover the open slopes of the 2431m Pfaffenbühel.
Skiing between the two areas makes for an enjoyable outing but is best done early in the day to ensure there is enough time to get back to your starting point. My advice would be to start from Kaltenbach, unless one is based in one of the hotels at Hochfugen, as one of the highlights is the long descent into Hochfugen on either a red or a black run, according to one’s taste and fitness.
All that said, while there are a number of black runs available for the adventurous, the skiing at Kaltenbach and Hochfugen is best suited for families, beginners and intermediates. The slopes are mostly blue and red, wide open and with the runs well marked. The pistes and facilities for the kinder skischule are excellent and include a ‘magic carpet’, a covered travelator to get complete novices back to the top of the beginner’s piste.
There is also a variety of places for a reviving hot chocolate, goulash soup, spag bol or apfel strudel. At Kaltenbach, the Kristalhutte at the top of the Panorama lift and the Wedelhutte at the top of the Wedelexpress lift are to be recommended. At Hochfugen the 8er Alm just below the top of the 8er Jet lift is also popular, especially with the locals.
For those looking for a combination of the maximum choice of skiing, a vibrant choice of après ski and some serious shopping, Mayrhofen and its immediate environs is the place to be. From Mayrhofen it is not much over 30 minutes by bus to the glacier skiing at Hintertux in the wonderful surroundings of the elegant Olperer. At 3476 metres it offers spectacular views in every direction. A little further away by bus is Gerlos and the vast expanse of the Zillertal Arena. Both areas are well equipped with accommodation for those wanting just to ski in one area. Gerlos and the Zillertal Arena has a wider range of pistes to choose from and has more to offer intermediate and advanced skiers.
Hintertux has its own special high mountain atmosphere and its eight lifts provide access to a range of red and blue runs that are well-suited to those who enjoy less technical skiing. That said, its altitude and wide-open slopes mean that it can be windier than elsewhere. As for where to have a break my local informant suggested the Wirtshaus close by the lifts at the Tuxer Ferner. Hintertux is also one of the few places in Austria where summer skiing is still possible.
Back at Mayrhofen, on the east side of the town, is the magnificent Ahorn cable car that can carry 160 people in one large cabin up to 1965 metres and the sunny slopes below the forepeak of the Ahorn. The views are magnificent and the open upper slopes are a real sun trap. The skiing is well suited for beginners and intermediates with 6 lifts and a range of blue and red runs that include a long, enjoyable one of each down through the trees. For the more advanced there is the 5.5 kilometre black run that descends 1400 metres back down to the valley. As for getting a hot chocolate or something stronger, before hurling oneself down another slope, I can heartily recommend the Ahornhutte.
Down in the valley and a short walk westward from the Ahorn lift is the Penkenbahn gondola that rises over the town to 5,877 feet (1790 metres) up on the mountain. This opens the door to the main Penken ski area with 15 lifts reaching up to an altitude 6879 feet (2095 metres), including the lifts on the slopes of the nearby Horberg (7479 feet/2278 metres) where one of the lifts tops out at the summit. The result is a large area full of variety, certainly enough to keep even the keenest and fittest of skiers entertained.
Most of the runs are red and blue with many of them being satisfying long. There are also some challenging black runs including the steepest run in Austria, the 78% slope of the Harakiri run (piste 34, for those interested). As with most ski areas, water cannon litter the main pistes. At Penken there is also a reservoir that has recently been enlarged enabling the pistes to be given a covering of artificial snow in only six days. Before the enlargement of the reservoir, it took three weeks. As for a place to have a break from skiing the Kasermandl comes highly recommended and can be found at the top the Penken Express and Kombibahn lifts.
The Zillertal provides a wider a range of skiing options than you can find almost anywhere else in Austria, though in making any recommendations I appreciate that I am in danger of splitting hairs as well as underselling all sorts of places. That said, I thought Kaltenbach had a real family feel not least because I often found myself sharing lifts with family groups and came across others on the slopes and in the mountain restaurants.
As I indicated earlier, Mayrhofen would be better for those for whom après ski is as important as the skiing. Mayrhofen and Gerlos would also be best for those who want access to the widest choice of slopes and more challenging skiing. For those wanting a truly high mountain experience then Hintertux would be the place to go. Finally, in my experience, winter and summer, wherever you choose to go in the Zillertal you will find the same warm Austrian welcome. Ski Heil!
For more information about Zillertal and its facilities, please visit www.zillertal.at.
Photos courtesy of Zillertal Tourism
