Ski in Kaprun

Skiing in Kaprun

Kaprun (Europa Sport Region), Austria (770m to 3030m)

Part of the Europa Sport region with Zell am See but not quite lift linked. A regular ski bus links the high altitude skiing on the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier where there are powder bowls. The toboggan runs care illuminated for night sledging.

Kaprun

Sponsored Links

Kaprun Ski Facts

Kaprun Ski Facts

		Expert Skiers
		Intermediate Skiers
		Beginners
		Snowboarding
		Snow
		Apres-ski
	4	Black Runs (7km)
	9	Red Runs (22km)
	16	Blue Runs (32km)
130km		Downhill Pistes
20km		Cross Country Trails
25		Ski Lifts
2260m		Max Vertical
3030m		Highest Lift
800m		Resort Altitude
770m		Lowest Piste

Kaprun

The Austrian ski resort of Kaprun is part of the Europa Sport Region Ski Area with access to 130km of downhill skiing, with 81 individual pistes. In addition to the skiing in Kaprun itself (130km of pisted ski runs), the appropriate ski Lift Pass will allow you to ski or snowboard in the other Europa Sport Region ski resorts of Kitzsteinhorn and Zell am See.

With pistes above 2500 metres, skiing and snowboarding is assured throughout the season.

Snowmaking :- Kaprun is able to augment natural snow, on 29km of ski runs, with 200 Snow Cannons.

Ski Lift Capacity :- The 25 Ski Lifts of Kaprun are able to uplift 35,500 skiers / snowboarders per hour.

There are two airports within two hours drive, so ski weekends, snowboard breaks and short ski holidays to Kaprun are perfectly feasible.

Skiing in Kaprun

Guests staying in Kaprun have a choice of three ski areas every morning. There's the year round skiing on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, Kaprun's most 'local' ski area on the Maiskogel, or the most extensive Schmittenhöhe skiing above Zell am See, but accessible by a gondola from a car park at Schüttdorf between the two resorts. A regular free ski bus service which runs every 15 minutes connects all the areas and resorts.

The Maiskogel ski area is served by a cable car (tram) from the edge of the village, or a modern quad chair, and there's another quad and a drag lift at the top of the cable car serving largely easy blue runs through the woods, with a single red. Lower slopes are on a wide open sunny meadow. This area is a complete contrast, almost the antithesis of the nearby high altitude glacier skiing where there is of course not a tree to be seen. The one next to the resort is good for beginners serving nursery slopes on either side, with snow making covering both. The higher drag following on serves an intermediate red. Either side provides a good half day's skiing for the intermediate skier.

The Kitzsteinhorn is a large sunny bowl criss-crossed by a network of more than 20 lifts, including a cable car (tram) in addition to the access gondola from the valley, which take you on up to the highest point at 3029m. In addition, there are two quads and a six seater chair lift, plus a network of drags. This is the area formerly served by the underground funicular railway that was destroyed and many people killed in the infamous tragedy.

For cross country skiers the 3km Höhen Loipe is open all year at a height of 2800m above sea level. a second loipe around Kap[run itself is floodlit at night. It is also 4km long and part of 18km of cross country trails in the area.

Most of the trails on the mountain are graded easy or intermediate (red). Unfortunately, although the area is up to 2450 metres above Kaprun and the valley base station, it is not possible to ski all the way back down on-piste, because of the formation of the terrain. Instead you need to take the gondola back down from the base of the glacier ski area, which covers a vertical approaching 1000m. Queues at this point to go down, and indeed to come up, can be bad especially at busy times and when snow cover is thin at less snow sure destinations.

The Kitzsteinhorn management, not content with having a glacier, have added snow making to the glacier's lower slopes to ensure superb conditions.

Zell am See's 75km (47miles) of trails make up around three fifths of the Europa Sport Region and are largely located on the Schmittenhöhe mountain behind the town. More than 50km (31 miles) of the terrain is graded red and blue, including an 8km (5 miles) trail, the Schutt, descending the full 1200 metre vertical back down to the resort.

Advanced skiers have several long medium-steep blacks descending through the forest back down to the resort to enjoy, several usually mogulled, and Zell has a reputation for good off-piste powder when conditions are right. Zell am See's sunny slopes do have good snow-making cover on nearly two thirds of the piste.

Cross country skiers have up to 200km (125 miles) of trails around the valley, including a 10km (six miles) track on frozen Lake Zell and a six kilometre illuminated track at Kapun.

Snowboarding in Kaprun

The Kitzsteinhorn glacier is one of Austria's major 'boarding destinations, with the added attraction of year round opening. If the weather is good you can even hit Lake Zell in the afternoon for a beach party - a regular occurence during the summer. It is extremely boarder-friendly with snow parks and natural pipes and 'boarder friendly access by cable car, which travels direct to the heart of the action.

Chairlifts take over to serve the rideable terrain itself, the highlight of which is the Langwied sector which has natural half pipes and bumps. Professional 'boarders train here and summer 'boarding camps are organised.

The park features 23 jumps, rails, and boxes on nearly 30,000 square metres of glacier snow. Intersport Bründl at the main lift station offers rentals, sales and service on the glacier itself. The ski school also have 'boarding divisions.

In winter, at neighbouring Zell am See, there's an additional half pipe at the Glocknerwiese and there's plenty of surfing and cruising terrain all around the Region. A test centre provides demo boards on the slopes here.

Kaprun Aprés Ski

Kaprun has a relatively active nightlife with a majority of quaint rustic bars and eateries but with the snowboard boom helping to fuel a lively bar scene as well. Top choices include Partykeller, Kitsch and Bitter, Pub no1, Pavillion, Killy's, Partykeller, Paletti and the Baum Bar.

There is plenty to do besides party in Kaprun - bowling, toboggan run, sleigh ride, swimming, skating and a host of other opportunities. Then you can always go on down to Zell am See.

Kaprun Snow Reports by e-mail

For a Free 7-Day Snow Forecast for Kaprun, including a Snow Report with current skiing conditions, just sign-up to our Ski Chat Forum and set Kaprun as a favourite ski resort in your Profile.

Kaprun in brief

Kaprun Ski Resort is:-
Good for Expert Skiers.
Very good for Intermediate Skiers.
Good for Beginners.
Very good for Snowboarding.
Opened : 08 October 2011
Closes : 17 April 2012
Opening subject to Snow Conditions.

Kaprun Snow Forecast

Snow Forecast for Kaprun

Kaprun Piste Map

Full Page Piste Map of Kaprun

Map of Kaprun

Full Page Map of Kaprun