Ski Austria

Welcome to the Ski Austria page, providing a regular round-up of the skiing conditions and current snow reports for the main ski resorts in the Austrian Alps. Over recent years some of the most consistent good piste conditions have been reported at Kaprun, Zurs, Obergurgl, St Anton, Hintertux, Neustift, Lech and Pitztal showing a mix of glacial resorts and those most exposed to prevailing storm tracks.

However, in any given week or season the best slope conditions may be found at any of the other high Austrian resorts or at lower elevation ski stations in poor weather.

For off-piste powder, resorts such as Kuhtai, Kaprun, Galtur, St Anton, Lech, Zurs, Obertauern and Ischgl have proven among the most consistent over the seasons, either brought on by regular snowfalls, favourable sun aspect or for not getting tracked out quickly. It is worth noting that while St Anton is an off-piste mecca it does get extremely busy and the lift accessed routes get tracked very quickly, however, it does benefit from regular heavy snowfalls.

Austrians have a very relaxed policy when it comes to skiing or boarding off-piste, however it is important to observe the warnings because Austria has its fair share of avalanche fatalities. Check out the snow reports below for the latest news as conditions change quickly in the Alps. Generally the best snow conditions arrive in Austria with weather systems tracking in from the north and northwest but you can expect snow from any direction producing reliable snow cover at most of the higher altitude resorts.

Austria is one of the world’s six leading ski nations and has played a crucial role in the development of downhill skiing over the past century.

There are more than 600 Austrian ski resorts of all sizes that fill every corner of the country, from the famous mountainous regions of Tirol and Stiermark in the West to the rolling hills of Eastern Austria.

Unlike in its Alpine neighbours, purpose build ski resorts are a real rarity in Austria. Although many of the country’s most famous resorts have been 95% built from scratch due to their success and expansion over the past 60 years, almost all new building is to strict planning regulations in the classic chalet style so villages always look attractive and it’s hard to know what is 2 years old and what 200.

Critics of Austrian skiing say that as a result of not building ski resorts on mountain tops most Austrian resorts are low – ranging from perhaps 600 to 1000m above sea level, and often their top lifts are below 2000m – which, the argument goes, can be bad news for snow cover.

In fact one of the most famous resorts criticised for that, Kitzbühel, published stats showing that their snow cover is little changed in the past 50 years. Perhaps, on average, arriving a day sooner and ending a day later than in the 1960s, but otherwise fairly constant.

Austria also beats its neighbours, and indeed any other country in the world, for glacier skiing. For much of those seven months of the year from May to November when few ski areas are open, up to eight glacier ski areas are open to ski Austria when no more than three are open in any other country north of the equator. These include the country’s highest ski lift at Pitztal Glacier 3440m.

Skiing in Austria was the most popular destination choice for British skiers in the 1970s and 1980s and remains second most popular after France. It lacks the vast ski areas of the French Alps – the largest region the slightly tenuous connection between the 280km of the Skiwelt and 160km or so around Kitzbühel, but Austria’s fans point out the terrain is more varied with runs down through the forest; friendly wooden mountain restaurants to stop off at, rather than vast motorway-services style concrete-cafeterias, and prices are generally 10 or 20% less for a lift ticket too.

The fore-runner of the style of downhill skiing we all enjoy today actually began in those smaller hills near Vienna. Pioneer Mathias Zdarsky developed it from the Norwegian Telemark technique invented 40 years earlier in to the first ‘Alpine’ style in 1905 and taught thousands of people the basics, many in huge 100+ people classes. Within a few years the Arlberg technique had appeared in St Anton, pioneered this time by one Johann ‘Hannes’ Schneider, which further developed downhill and popularised skiing worldwide as Schneider appeared in films and took the invention to Japan before going to the US when asked to support the Nazis. Instead he helped train the US Army mountain division, veterans from which were in turn behind the post-war development of ski areas in the Western US states like Colorado.
read more...

Austria: latest snow conditions round-up


AUSTRIA REPORT Austria has posted some of its biggest snowfalls of the season over the last week. The Stubai Glacier (90/455cm / 36/182") reported 100cm (40") in 24 hours going into last weekend and another 20cm (4") the next day. It has the country's deepest base and is only 15cm/6" of the world's deepest.

The snowfall boosted bases but also led to complete closures of some centres until the storm eased and slopes were made avalanche-safe. Obergurgl was another completely shut down at the end of last week by very high avalanche danger. Elsewhere, though, lower slopes are losing the springtime thaw battle and one of the country's big areas, the Skiwelt, announced the Ellmau sector was closing early for the season due to inadequate snow remaining down low.

Summary of forecast snowfall and ski conditions for resorts in Austria. Fresh snow is forecast at 31 resorts. Powder is reported at 13 resorts and 14 are reporting good piste conditions.

read more...

Recent Eyeball Snow Reports for Austria

A–D

E–F G–G H–J K–K L–M N–Q R–R S–S T–Z Best powder (13)Best piste conditions (14)

Ski resorts in Austria from A to D

Resort
snow depth
top and bottom

on-piste

off-piste

Last Snow

Next 9 Days
0–3 | 3–6 | 6–9
snow (cm)
Next 5 days weather forecast.
Freezing level (m)
Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

(712m — 1200m)

snow report today

opens in 270 days 1.0 cm
7 days ago
15.0
4.0
light rain part cloud heavy rain cloud light snow
Mid station 956 m
1450m 1900m 1900m 2000m 1000m

(950m — 1780m)

snow report today

Achenkirch am Achensee webcam
1.0 cm
7 days ago
25.0
4.0
light rain cloud mod rain part cloud mod snow
Mid station 1365 m
1700m 2200m 2050m 2100m 950m

(1107m — 1480m)

snow report today

opens in 270 days 6 cm
7 days ago
6.0
25.0
9.0
light rain part cloud mod rain light rain light snow
Mid station 1294 m
1350m 1800m 1900m 1850m 1150m

(810m — 1810m)

snow report today

1.0 cm
2 days ago
6.0
22.0
7.0
light snow part cloud light rain part cloud light rain
Mid station 1310 m
1300m 1600m 2050m 1900m 1200m

(721m — 1201m)

snow report 6 days ago

4 cm
7 days ago
14.0
7.0
part cloud part cloud mod rain clear light snow
Mid station 961 m
2000m 2450m 2150m 2350m 850m

(813m — 2025m)

snow report today

110
30
Hard packed snow
Crust
3.0 cm
7 days ago
1.0
26.0
4.0
rain showers cloud light rain part cloud mod snow
Mid station 1419 m
1650m 1900m 2050m 2050m 1000m

(1000m — 1280m)

snow report 7 days ago

1.0 cm
7 days ago
3.0
23.0
4.0
snow showers part cloud light rain rain showers light rain
Mid station 1140 m
1200m 1600m 2000m 1850m 1200m

(750m — 1750m)

snow report today

7 cm
7 days ago
6.0
24.0
11.0
light rain part cloud mod rain cloud light snow
Mid station 1250 m
1400m 1900m 1900m 1950m 1050m

(655m — 1700m)

snow report today

opens in 277 days 10 cm
7 days ago
18.0
8.0
part cloud part cloud light rain clear light snow
Mid station 1178 m
1950m 2400m 2150m 2300m 800m

(896m — 1300m)

snow report today

opens in 277 days 4 cm
7 days ago
4.0
17.0
8.0
light rain part cloud mod rain cloud light snow
Mid station 1098 m
1400m 1900m 1900m 1950m 1050m

(1349m — 1593m)

snow report 2 days ago

1.0 cm
3 days ago
1.0
26.0
2.0
snow showers part cloud light rain rain showers light rain
Mid station 1471 m
1100m 1600m 2000m 1900m 1350m

(699m — 1551m)

snow report today

4 cm
10 days ago
30.0
1.0
rain showers part cloud light rain part cloud light rain
Mid station 1125 m
1750m 1700m 2250m 2200m 1900m

(1310m — 1900m)

snow report yesterday

1.0 cm
2 days ago
2.0
32.0
6.0
rain showers cloud light rain part cloud mod snow
Mid station 1605 m
1650m 2000m 2050m 2050m 1000m

(1560m — 2340m)

snow report yesterday

140
120
Packed powder and groomed snow 5 cm
4 days ago
2.0
39.0
4.0
part cloud part cloud light snow part cloud heavy snow
Mid station 1950 m
1700m 1750m 2100m 2150m 1050m

(1079m — 2007m)

snow report yesterday

70
Packed powder and groomed snow 1.0 cm
3 days ago
2.0
33.0
4.0
rain showers part cloud light rain cloud light snow
Mid station 1543 m
1550m 1500m 2050m 2100m 1250m

(840m — 2300m)

snow report yesterday

Bad Hofgastein webcam
135
Packed powder and groomed snow 2.0 cm
3 days ago
3.0
35.0
5.0
light rain part cloud light rain cloud mod snow
Mid station 1570 m
1550m 1550m 2050m 2050m 1250m

(470m — 1415m)

snow report 6 days ago

1.0 cm
7 days ago
18.0
4.0
rain showers part cloud mod rain part cloud light snow
Mid station 942 m
1450m 1950m 1900m 2000m 1000m

(1100m — 2055m)

snow report yesterday

100
35
Spring snow 5 cm
9 days ago
26.0
2.0
snow showers part cloud light rain part cloud light rain
Mid station 1578 m
1700m 1550m 2150m 2150m 1450m

(1670m — 2120m)

snow report yesterday

60
30
Packed powder and groomed snow 1.0 cm
3 days ago
42.0
3.0
snow showers part cloud light rain part cloud light snow
Mid station 1895 m
1650m 1650m 2200m 2250m 1300m

(1098m — 2231m)

snow report today

160
50
Artificial snow cover 4 cm
4 days ago
1.0
33.0
3.0
part cloud part cloud light rain part cloud heavy snow
Mid station 1664 m
1600m 1950m 2150m 2150m 1050m

(1075m — 1740m)

snow report today

40
30
Packed powder and groomed snow 1.0 cm
4 days ago
17.0
3.0
cloud part cloud light rain clear mod snow
Mid station 1408 m
1750m 2150m 2150m 2200m 950m

(1000m — 1800m)

snow report today

opens in 270 days 4 cm
7 days ago
19.0
3.0
cloud part cloud light rain part cloud mod snow
Mid station 1400 m
1700m 2050m 2150m 2200m 950m

(1167m — 1214m)

snow report today

opens in 270 days 3.0 cm
7 days ago
19.0
2.0
part cloud part cloud light rain part cloud mod snow
Mid station 1190 m
1700m 1950m 2100m 2200m 1000m

(681m — 1700m)

snow report 6 days ago

10 cm
7 days ago
19.0
7.0
part cloud part cloud light rain clear mod snow
Mid station 1190 m
1850m 2400m 2150m 2250m 800m

(1030m — 1201m)

snow report today

opens in 277 days 5 cm
10 days ago
28.0
part cloud part cloud light rain cloud light rain
Mid station 1116 m
1700m 1800m 2250m 2200m 2100m

(964m — 1050m)

snow report 6 days ago

2.0 cm
7 days ago
17.0
2.0
part cloud part cloud light rain part cloud mod snow
Mid station 1007 m
1750m 2100m 2100m 2200m 1000m

(891m — 2000m)

snow report today

130
Packed powder and groomed snow 5 cm
4 days ago
20.0
5.0
part cloud part cloud light rain clear mod snow
Mid station 1446 m
1550m 2300m 2150m 2250m 800m

(421m — 1064m)

snow report 12 days ago

8 cm
13 days ago
9.0
6.0
part cloud part cloud mod rain clear light snow
Mid station 742 m
2000m 2450m 2150m 2400m 850m

(620m — 1957m)

snow report yesterday

65
25
Fair
×
Not Enough Snow
2.0 cm
7 days ago
1.0
25.0
4.0
rain showers part cloud light rain cloud mod snow
Mid station 1288 m
1600m 2050m 2050m 2050m 1000m

(560m — 690m)

snow report today

opens in 277 days 2.0 cm
25 days ago
7.0
1.0
part cloud cloud light rain part cloud heavy rain
Mid station 625 m
1700m 1850m 2100m 2100m 1000m

(1200m — 2701m)

snow report yesterday

1.0 cm
2 days ago
16.0
35.0
16.0
snow showers part cloud light snow part cloud mod snow
Mid station 1950 m
1450m 1650m 1850m 1900m 1150m

(1000m — 2301m)

snow report yesterday

1.0 cm
2 days ago
24.0
6.0
part cloud part cloud light rain part cloud mod snow
Mid station 1650 m
1350m 2150m 2100m 2150m 800m

(669m — 2009m)

snow report today

170
120
Packed powder and groomed snow 4 cm
6 days ago
18.0
7.0
part cloud part cloud light rain clear mod snow
Mid station 1339 m
1800m 2350m 2100m 2200m 800m

(1410m — 2525m)

snow report yesterday

120
70
Powder
Powder
3.0 cm
4 days ago
2.0
46.0
3.0
part cloud part cloud light snow cloud mod snow
Mid station 1968 m
1400m 1450m 2200m 2150m 1150m

(850m — 2060m)

snow report today

220
10
Packed powder and groomed snow 5 cm
4 days ago
24.0
8.0
part cloud part cloud light rain clear mod snow
Mid station 1455 m
1750m 2300m 2100m 2150m 800m

(800m — 2000m)

snow report yesterday

120
20
Spring snow 2.0 cm
3 days ago
4.0
27.0
8.0
light rain part cloud mod rain cloud light snow
Mid station 1400 m
1550m 1450m 2050m 2000m 1150m

(1367m — 2168m)

snow report 8 days ago

11 cm
9 days ago
1.0
39.0
3.0
snow showers part cloud light rain part cloud light rain
Mid station 1768 m
1750m 1700m 2200m 2200m 1850m

(990m — 2100m)

snow report today

118
30
Packed powder and groomed snow 2.0 cm
3 days ago
6.0
27.0
8.0
light snow part cloud light rain cloud light snow
Mid station 1545 m
1450m 1500m 1850m 1900m 1200m

(681m — 1551m)

snow report 10 days ago

Dreilaendereck webcam
4 cm
10 days ago
30.0
1.0
rain showers part cloud light rain part cloud light rain
Mid station 1116 m
1750m 1700m 2250m 2200m 1950m

(800m — 1600m)

snow report today

opens in 263 days 3.0 cm
7 days ago
21.0
5.0
rain showers part cloud mod rain cloud light snow
Mid station 1200 m
1600m 1900m 1950m 2050m 950m