Ski & Snowboarding in Gastein

After breakfast, it's time to head straight to the slopes. As the lift pulls into the station at the top, you'll be able to hop off the gondola and breathe in your first lung-full of clear, cold Gastein mountain air. Gaze out at the glistening white peaks of the Hohe Tauern range, which stands out so distinctly against the blue sky. The sun shines in your face and a contended smile spreads across your lips. You have just enough time to snap a photo or two for friends back home, but then the real action begins: slicing across 200 kilometers of freshly groomed pistes, all the way back down to Gastein Valley below. Variety-packed runs, rated from beginner to intermediate and expert, take you through forested sections and down broad mountainsides, certain to get your pulse pumping with pure joy & exhilaration. 

As midday approaches, you'll be ready for a break at one of Gastein's ski huts. Sitting comfortably out on a sunny terrace, a freshly prepared schnitzel and a plate of apple strudel will quickly recharge your batteries. Later in the afternoon, after a few more runs down the mountain, your day of skiing will gradually draw to a close. Back in town, you might well decide to spend some time at one of the Gastein spa resorts. As you relax in the warm thermal water, enjoy the last rays of sunshine and sense how your tired muscles are beginning to recover, you can already begin looking forward to your next day of skiing, mulling over which of the numerous pistes in the Gastein ski area you are going to conquer next.

Sounds like a perfect day of skiing, right?

Dorfgastein, the first town in the valley, offers several pistes on Fulseck mountain. If you cross the summit of the Kreuzkogel, you can actually ski all the way to Grossarl, which is over in the neighboring valley. The towns of Bad Hofgastein and Bad Gastein are interconnected via the Schlossalm-Angertal-Stubnerkogel ski area. You can also slice down the slopes of the Graukogel in Bad Gastein. For its part, the Sportgastein ski area will lead you up beyond 2,686 meters. Because of that high elevation, the piste conditions are always very good, even in warm temperatures. By the way: Did you know that Sportgastein is one of the Alps' absolute freeride hotspots?

Gastein is a winter sports paradise that offers skiers and snowboarders more fun than they ever dreamed possible!