Resort check: Zillertal – the best bitsFall-Line’s favourite runs
With over 649 kilometres of excellent prepared pistes, you’ll find pretty much everything you want in each of the ski areas, from gentle family runs and flat piste for beginning skiers to challenging pistes for the very experienced skiers.
But here are a few we’d recommend that you don’t miss:
•
The Stephan Eberharter Gold Piste is an excellent slope, which most skiers can cope with. It is the ideal setting for a great day’s skiing, stretching for around 5 kilometres, this valley descent is the longest piste in the Hochfügen/ Hochzillertal ski resort – you’ll have to contend with a change in altitude of 1200m.
•
There is night skiing every Wednesday and Friday on the Stephan Eberharter Gold Piste from 7 pm until 10 pm.
•
The Harakiri is Austria’s steepest slope, with a maximum incline of 78 per cent. This slope is steeper than an inrun – and, yes, that’s the starting ramp used in ski jumping that we’re talking about. Even the most seasoned skier finds the Harakiri challenging. Take a deep breath.
•
You’ll find the Arenafunt on the townhill in the Zillertal Arena. The descent is located in the Zell area of the Zillertal Arena in a southwesterly direction, which makes it a real suntrap. As the piste is set away from the central area, you always have plenty of space to strut your stuff on the slalom runs, and it offers up a wide course of high-speed downhill twists and turns through the woods over 5 kilometres, with an altitude drop of 907 meters in a matter of minutes. Whoop!
•
Next up is Leonhard Stock and the panorama ski run. This piste is a dream to ski because it is steep and long, and perfect for carving. Secret tip: get here early in the morning because the decent is freshly prepared and very few skiers have been down it.
I’m looking for some early season action?
The best option if you head out to Zillertal early in the season is to go skiing on the Hintertux. Here you’ll also find the Natur Eis Palast, which is a naturally grown glacier crevasse that developed without any kind of human influence and has now been made available with a cavern tour for visitors.
But snow is pretty much guaranteed in the Zillertal area throughout the entire winter because of its environmentally friendly snowmaking facilities, with two snow cannons per kilometre of piste!
I want some big mountain fun!
The entire Zillertal area offers a wide range on Freeride opportunities. But, as we’ll never tire of saying, get yourself a guide and stay safe!
No freeride for me, I’m all about the freestyle ski!
Now you’re asking! Each ski resort in the area has got its own, very popular terrain park. So here are a few options to get you started:
•
Hotzone.tv Park Gerlos, in the Zillertal Arena ski area, has some easy-to-medium Slopestyle fun, with a variety of obstacles. The park is designed on half of the upper end of the piste at the Vorkogel lift. There are easy and medium lines, as well as a jib line. The jib line comprises a rollercoaster box, a kinked box, a flat box and a curved box. In addition, there is a small chill area, kitted out with a sound system and a service station.
•
Betterpark on the Hintertux Glacier is a hotspot for top names from the world’s freestyle scene – this is the place to come if you’re in search of some serious airtime!
•
The Almdudler Park, in Hochzillertal, is made up of an assortment of kickers and, depending on your ability, you can choose between an easy line, a medium line and a pro line. All three lines lead to the jib line, which comprises solely of boxes and rails. The park is 600m in length in total and boasts a total of 14 different jumps.
•
Vans Penken Park, in Mayrhofen, is one of the best-shaped parks in the Alps. Boasting new rails, kickers, boxes every season, and clearly separated into five lines (kids, fun, public and pro lines, as well as a halfpipe).
Photo credit / Ollie Plumley shredding the Ziller pow / Photography: James Bryant
Related stories
• Zillertal navigation menu
Zillertal eating, drinking and sleeping
• Resort Check
• Travel features
Posted by Online Editor - Sun, 13/06/2010 - 8:22pm
Fall-Line’s favourite runs
With over 649 kilometres of excellent prepared pistes, you’ll find pretty much everything you want in each of the ski areas, from gentle family runs and flat piste for beginning skiers to challenging pistes for the very experienced skiers.
But here are a few we’d recommend that you don’t miss:
•
The Stephan Eberharter Gold Piste is an excellent slope, which most skiers can cope with. It is the ideal setting for a great day’s skiing, stretching for around 5 kilometres, this valley descent is the longest piste in the Hochfügen/ Hochzillertal ski resort – you’ll have to contend with a change in altitude of 1200m.
•
There is night skiing every Wednesday and Friday on the Stephan Eberharter Gold Piste from 7 pm until 10 pm.
•
The Harakiri is Austria’s steepest slope, with a maximum incline of 78 per cent. This slope is steeper than an inrun – and, yes, that’s the starting ramp used in ski jumping that we’re talking about. Even the most seasoned skier finds the Harakiri challenging. Take a deep breath.
•
You’ll find the Arenafunt on the townhill in the Zillertal Arena. The descent is located in the Zell area of the Zillertal Arena in a southwesterly direction, which makes it a real suntrap. As the piste is set away from the central area, you always have plenty of space to strut your stuff on the slalom runs, and it offers up a wide course of high-speed downhill twists and turns through the woods over 5 kilometres, with an altitude drop of 907 meters in a matter of minutes. Whoop!
•
Next up is Leonhard Stock and the panorama ski run. This piste is a dream to ski because it is steep and long, and perfect for carving. Secret tip: get here early in the morning because the decent is freshly prepared and very few skiers have been down it.
I’m looking for some early season action?
The best option if you head out to Zillertal early in the season is to go skiing on the Hintertux. Here you’ll also find the Natur Eis Palast, which is a naturally grown glacier crevasse that developed without any kind of human influence and has now been made available with a cavern tour for visitors.
But snow is pretty much guaranteed in the Zillertal area throughout the entire winter because of its environmentally friendly snowmaking facilities, with two snow cannons per kilometre of piste!
I want some big mountain fun!
The entire Zillertal area offers a wide range on Freeride opportunities. But, as we’ll never tire of saying, get yourself a guide and stay safe!
No freeride for me, I’m all about the freestyle ski!
Now you’re asking! Each ski resort in the area has got its own, very popular terrain park. So here are a few options to get you started:
•
Hotzone.tv Park Gerlos, in the Zillertal Arena ski area, has some easy-to-medium Slopestyle fun, with a variety of obstacles. The park is designed on half of the upper end of the piste at the Vorkogel lift. There are easy and medium lines, as well as a jib line. The jib line comprises a rollercoaster box, a kinked box, a flat box and a curved box. In addition, there is a small chill area, kitted out with a sound system and a service station.
•
Betterpark on the Hintertux Glacier is a hotspot for top names from the world’s freestyle scene – this is the place to come if you’re in search of some serious airtime!
•
The Almdudler Park, in Hochzillertal, is made up of an assortment of kickers and, depending on your ability, you can choose between an easy line, a medium line and a pro line. All three lines lead to the jib line, which comprises solely of boxes and rails. The park is 600m in length in total and boasts a total of 14 different jumps.
•
Vans Penken Park, in Mayrhofen, is one of the best-shaped parks in the Alps. Boasting new rails, kickers, boxes every season, and clearly separated into five lines (kids, fun, public and pro lines, as well as a halfpipe).
Photo credit / Ollie Plumley shredding the Ziller pow / Photography: James Bryant
Related stories
• Zillertal navigation menu
Zillertal eating, drinking and sleeping