Ski in Sölden

Skiing in Sölden

Sölden - Ski Resort in Austrian Alps - 141km of Piste (1380m to 3250m)

One of Austria's largest, liveliest and most popular ski resorts. It formerly offered summer skiing on its twin glaciers (one or the other was always open ) and whilst that has now ended it still has a long winter with ski-season opening festivals and the first northern hemisphere World Cup races each October and November. Snow is guaranteed thanks to the glacier back up.

Sölden

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Sölden Ski Facts

Sölden Ski Facts

		Intermediate Skiers
		Beginners
		Snowboarding
		Snow
		Apres-Ski
	31	Black Pistes (30km)
	61	Red Pistes (51km)
	57	Blue Pistes (69km)
141km		Downhill Pistes
16km		Cross Country Pistes
33		Ski Lifts
1870m		Max Vertical
3250m		Highest Lift
1380m		Lowest Piste
1380m		Resort Altitude

Sölden

The Austrian ski resort of Sölden has direct access to 141km of downhill skiing, with 35 individual pistes, served by 33 ski lifts.

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

Snowmaking :- Sölden is able to augment natural snow, with 158 Snow Cannons.

Ski Lift Capacity :- The 33 Ski Lifts of Sölden are able to uplift 60,693 skiers / snowboarders per hour.

There is an airport within two hours drive, so ski weekends, snowboard breaks and short ski holidays to Sölden are perfectly feasible. Innsbruck Airport is just one hours drive away, in good driving conditions, so you can be on the piste quickly.

Skiing in Sölden

The Sölden-Hochsölden-Gaislachkogl sector of the Ötztal Arena Ski Area has over 100km (60+ miles) of trails connected by a number of high capacity lifts and long runs, the greatest of which descends for 10km (6 miles) over a 1675 metre (5,500 feet) vertical. This however is now even bigger thanks to the lift link to the glaciers meaning that the 30 plus lifts, many of them state-of-the-art gondolas and chairs, links up to around 150km (90 miles) of runs. Another unusual aspect of the glacier skiing area is the Euro Test Centre where no less than 20 major international manufacturers have their latest designs available for rental to test, in autumn and winter

Sölden now has gondolas on three mountains more than 3000m high at the Rettencbach glacier, Tiefenbachkogl and Gaislachkogl. Each of these 'Big3' has a viewing platform at the top giving 360 degree views. There is also a 'B ig 3 Rally' to try, taking in more than 10,000m of vertical in around four hours of hard skiing.

The route starts at the base of the Giggijoch Gondola and continues through the 170m long ski tunnel that connects the Rettenbach and Tiefenbach glaciers and takes you to the Tiefenbachkogl peak via the Tiefenbach gondola. On the Rettenbach glacier you can ski down a new route through the Rettenbachtal Valley all the way to the base terminal of the Gaislachkogl gondola. Once this lift has been taken and the descent made you'll have covered some 50km, but there's no reason not to keep skiing!

Otherwise most of the terrain is classified 'red' for intermediates and this makes it great cruising territory. Experts do have a choice of good blacks and plenty of excellent ski touring opportunities, beginners have slopes at the top of the village. Most of the ski area is at a relatively high altitude by Austrian standards, making it more snowsure than most - even without the glacier and extensive snow-making, again to state-of-the-art standards.

Theres a choice of three ski schools, with a further school at Vent, all offering ski touring and guiding off piste as well as a wide selection of competitive courses. Total cross country skiing opportunities extend to 18km (11 miles) over three loops.

Snowboarding in Sölden

Sölden is a great place for 'boarders, on and off the slopes. The terrain, open for ten months of the year, is served by more chairs and gondolas as a percentage of the total number of lifts than the vast majority of Alpine resorts.

There are two terrain parks above Giggijoch. The boarder park has a half pipe, some impressive kickers, a variety of rails, a 14 metres long spoine, nine metres high, a three metre wall ride, half pipe and a chill area. The easycross area has a boardercross course with good waves and jumps. In summer there's a park high on the Rettenbach glacier offering different camps and gear tests.

Sölden Aprés Ski

Solden has a reputation for having some of the liveliest après ski in the Alps right from 3pm, and has about 45 bars, restaurants, cafés and discotheques in addition to the many restaurants to facilitate this. The local 'in' drink is the 'Flying Hirsch' (for the time being at least). More than 20 establishments are open past midnight - including the popular Bierhimml disco through to 4am, joined by the Stamperl and Lawine bars. Philipp's Kaminstubn disco closes its door at a more refined 3am.

Taking a lift up to a mountain hut for a meal and then riding down the largely illuminated five kilometre (three mile) toboggan run back to the resort is a popular evening activity, arranged by three hostelries - the Berggasthof Silbertal, the Gaislachalm and the Löplealm. Sleigh rides are also offered as is night skiing and the chance to catch a choreographed piste show.

Sölden Snow Reports by e-mail

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Sölden in brief

Sölden Ski Resort is:
Ok for Expert Skiers.
Good for Intermediate Skiers.
Ok for Beginners.
Excellent for Snowboarding.
Opened : September 21, 2012
Closed : May 22, 2013
Opening Subject To Snow Conditions.

Sölden Snow Forecast

Map of Sölden