Mountain Layout — Skiing

Here is a larger, more detailed map.

This area has some of the most modern lifts in Austria. Considering that many feel Austria is the last bastion of T-bars, virtually all of May-rhofen can be skied using only chairlifts, gondolas and cable cars. In December 2006, the ski-lift company completed a major upgrade in the Ahorn, one of the few remain sectors that had been dominated by T-bars. The newly installed Ahorn cable car is the biggest in Austria. The 160-person gondola zips skiers up to the 2,000 meter plateau is six minutes. Also for the 2007/08 season, the two main T-bars will also be replaced by an eight-person chair lift. These lifts, and the entire new mountain faces that they open, change everything. Much of the new terrain was once the province of only backcountry skiers.

The Ahorn sector his best suited for beginners and lower intermediates though more advanced skiers may also enjoy skiing here. At the end of the day, you can drop right back into town.

From Mayrhofen, you can access the main ski area by either the Penkenbahn or the Horbergbahn high-speed gondolas. Both are connected with all the hotels in the town by a shuttlebus every 15 minutes during the winter.

Once at the top of the Penken those interested in the children’s center and beginner lessons only have to step off the lift. From the top of the high-speed, six-seater Penken Express, beginners can swing to their left to avoid the steeper sections and drop back to the top station of the gondola. Intermediate and advanced skiers will love the steeper sections off this lift. They can drop down to the top of the Horbergbahn and take the lifts to the wide-open, off-piste, powder-filled terrain of the Gerent.

Further up the Horberg Hallow, experts and intermediates looking to push them-selves should take the 150-person cable car up to 7,217 feet where there is wide-open skiing. Experts looking for a real challenge should try the Hikari.

Hintertux and the Tuxertal
Skiers in Tuxertal can drop into the Rastkogel and Eggalm areas. Both are excel-lent beginner and intermediate areas with plenty of off-piste for experts. Aftera day of skiing either take the bus back to Mayrhofen or they can ride the Rastkogelbahn and then another six-person high-speed chair lift back up to the top of the ridge. From there cruise down the Hofberg/Gerent area to return to Mayrhofen. Both of these areas now connect with the main Mayrhofen ski areas.

The Hintertuxer glacier opens at the end of the valley rising from 4,921 feet to top out at 10,564 feet—that’s an amazing 5,443 feet of vertical. This is one of the top training areas for ski and snowboard teams from all over the world. From the ground station you can see most of the nearly 50 miles of trails above. The lift system is superb and the small mountain huts on the runs are great fun.

The best run is the trail from the Grosser Kaserer (10,700 feet) down over a great steep field of bumps to the gondola. A nice intermediate run leads from the top of the Gefrorene Wand to the Spannagel house, which is cozy and serves excellent food.

Mountain rating
This is a region that has something for everyone. Experts will delight in the Horberg/Gerent area. They have an enormous area to explore and enjoy.

Intermediates have Eggalm and Raskogel in the Tuxertal that are a blast and the Penken is a phenomenal intermediate area with super fast lifts. Intermediates can also head over to the Horberg/Gerent area where the slopes are wide open and they have plenty of room to test themselves.

Beginners have the benefit of one of the best ski schools in Austria. They have excellent learning areas at the top of the Penkenbahn and in the Penkenjoch at the top of the Finkenberger Almbahn..

For snow reports, call 62373.