As we pack up the beach balls and sun screen, I can only feel excitement. The end of summer marks the beginning of the ski season after all. Arguably the most beautiful season the year!
Despite dodgy pre-season snowfall in recent years, the prepared skier, as always, will find the best snow and slope combination.
The team at SkiSuitRental selected 5 great Austrian resorts for your early skiing getaway. It is by no means the definitive guide (there is fierce competition throughout the Alps!) however it is the first step in trading in your bikini for a ski suit.
We have the rental ski suits ready by the way. Just let us know your size and the destination where to send it! Here are some fantastic possibilities:
Hintertux is largely considered as Europe's best and definitely Europe's steepest glacier. It is open year-round and at the time of writing (August 2017), 12 of 20 lifts are operating on 20 km of slopes.
Image source: www.ferienhotel-neuwirt.at
The “Gletscherbus 3” is the highest-lying bicable continuous gondola lift in the world.When everything is operational, they have 60 km of slopes to enjoy and during the winter, it connects with the ski resorts of the Zillertal with 196 km of runs. Talk about spoiled for choice. The official season opening is the weekend of October 5th, 2017.
Ischgl offers a large expanse of skiing above the tree line yet without a glacier. They have invested heavily in a high capacity lift system. The season usually opens at the end of November and then officially kicks off with a free concert in early December with star-studded names like Robbie Williams and Paris Hilton.
Image source: www.ischgl.com
Image source: www.ischgl.com
Don’t be fooled by the sleepy appearance of the village. The party continues throughout the winter and has been described as “the absolute apres ski epicentre of the world”. Dancing on the bar is almost mandatory.
Image source: www.skischule-soelden.com
Image source: www.soelden.com
The two glaciers, Rettenbach and Tiefenbach, are used as a training location for many champion ski racers and they are also used as test centres for new material. The Ski World Cup Opening will be hosted on the Rettenbach Glacier on October 28th, 2017.
Kitzsteinhorn is best known for its freeride infrastructure and off-piste skiing. This year the season opens on November 3rd with the WOW Glacier Love party. See the aftermovie from last year to put you in the mood. If you are looking for a thrill, try the Black Mamba run which has as much as a 63% slope. Go now as all lifts are operating.
Image source: www.kitzsteinhorn.at
Image source: www.kitzsteinhorn.at
Image source: www.oetztal.com
Image source: www.oetztal.com
Image source: www.oetztal.com
Their snow-making abilities cover 99% of the slopes. The high altitude promises colder temperatures. The combination is a November to May long ski season that can move 40,000 skiers per hour. (And if all else fails, there is also a link to the Sölden glacier!) The winter opening for “the diamond of the Alps” is on November 16th, 2017. There are some great huts with great views too.