Mountain Layout — Skiing

Here is a larger, more detailed trail map.

Here is the interactive trail map.

Sölden
Let’s look first at the ski slopes above Sölden. They are split into three areas—the Giggijoch-Hochsölden, the Gaislachkogl and Golden Gate to the glacier. The skiing overall is wide open. Though there are trails marked on the map, with good snow, you can ski virtually anywhere, which makes Sölden a favorite of powderhounds and means plenty of skiing above the treeline. The area lends itself to various levels of intermediate with some expert off-piste runs thrown in for good measure. In fact, an ad-venturous expert will have no trouble keeping busy above Sölden and in the Obergurgl/Hochgurgl areas. Beginners will be limited in their choice of trails.

Access to the slopes is either by cable car at the the Giggijoch station, at the north end of Sölden, or by gondola at the Gaislachkoglbahn station, at the south end of town. The cable car ascends past Hochsölden and up to the Giggijoch Bergstation. This contemporary top station is also host to five lifts that fan out into a wide bowl. The difficulty ranges from corduroy groomed beginner to off-piste expert trails.

Great fun for a day of skiing and riding is to start at the Giggijoch area and traverse over to the Gaislachkogl summit. This intermediate to expert terrain is a wonderful adventure guaranteed to fulfill your wildest dreams about skiing and riding in the Alps. For a delicious hearty stew or to quench your thirst, stop at the Gampealm on trail 11.

The Gratlift and Stabele doublechairs, halfway up the Gaislachkogl summit, access a wonderful variety of intermediate trails and tons of off-piste riding and skiing.

The trails off of the Gaislachkogl summit are narrow and the sides of the trails drop off to nowhere, making this solid intermediate terrain. However, because the ultra-modern Gaislachkogl gondola carries both up and downhill traffic, even beginners can enjoy the views from one of the highest peaks in Italy. Just a few kilometers from where you’re staying, the famous site where the 5,000-year-old frozen body of Oetzi (known to some as the Iceman) was discovered several years ago.

Though the Austrians are meticulous groomers, there are ravines everywhere sporting headwalls with enough powder to make any rider or expert happy. Areas of special note are off the Langegg six-passenger lift, as well as the off-piste runs off of the Rosskirplbahn quad. Snowboarding is extremely popular in the Oetztal. A new boarders’park has been created to international standards at the Giggijoch. It includes a halfpipe, bordercross, quarterpipe high jump, rails, diamonds, half-diamonds, fried egg, fun-box spins and jumps.

Obergurgl and Hochgurgl

Here is a larger, more detailed map.

Here the interactive Obergurgl-Hochgurgl trail map.

The skiing above Obergurgl and Hochgurgl is more extensive than Sölden, and thanks to a recently added lift, skiers can cruise down from Hochgurgl to Obergurgl, and ride back up to the Hochgurgl trails. Above Obergurgl, the Festkogl lift opens to a wide face with unlimited intermediate skiing. Experts can drop to the right-hand side of the lift and take the unprepared run through the Verwalltal back to the lower lift station. This area is high (6,369 to 10,015 feet) with good, crisp snow. For a change, traverse over to the Hohe Mut area, which has a good unprepared run from the Hohe Mut Restaurant and a group of shorter lifts and runs.

You can access Hochgurgl by the gondola from Pill/Angern or by car, if you aren’t staying there. This town has developed into a relatively upscale commu-nity anchored by one of the best luxury Alpine hotels, the Top Hotel Hochgurgl. Lifts peak out at 10,170 feet, where a mountain restaurant provides spectacular views. The skiing for experts is down the Königstal; for beginners in the center of the area; for intermediates under the Kirchenkarlift. Like Obergurgl, this area is perfect for continuous off-piste cruising.

Both Obergurgl and Hochgurgl have good beginner slopes.

If you want to concentrate on cross-country skiing, choose another area. Some trails exist, but not the network you’ll need to ensure variety.

One last hot tip: ski on Saturday. German visitors, like clockwork, consistently and predictably use Saturday as a travel day and leave the slopes practically abandoned.

Mountain rating
With a few exceptions, particularly from the Gaislachkogl, these runs are for intermediates. Some contributors have rated every marked run some variation of intermediate.

There are enough training areas at the bottom for ski schools. The beginner has plenty of terrain to ski, especially in the center of the Giggijoch/Hochsölden sector, to ski.

Experts looking for wild steeps in the Oetztal and to dive into the off-piste will find a dream come true. In summer, when skiing is a real luxury, this is one of Europe’s finest areas.

Slopes are well-marked and considerably wider than at other Austrian resorts.

Obergurgl-Hochgurgl offer wonderful above-treeline skiing where if you see it, you can ski it. There is skiing for every level of skier. Beginners have plenty of room and experts can look for wide open spaces but without much extreme challenge.