Austria’s Steepest Ski Run Opening

A ski run with an average pitch of 41.3 degrees and with a gradient of 87.85% opens at the Austrian glacier ski area of Kaunertal on Saturday, 22nd February.

Christened the 'Black Ibex' the run is the latest in a line of Austrian slopes that claim the 'steepest lift-served groomed run in the country' title.

Part of the promotional blurb for the run includes the stat that it's even steeper than the Streif in Kitzbühel over which the Hahnenkamm World Cup downhill is raced each January and has a maximum 85% gradient.

Other recent contenders include the Lange Zug ski route above Lech Zurs in the Arlberg which has a maximum gradient of 80% at its steepest part.

Despite this the Harakiri piste in Mayrhofen, which opened back in 2004 and has a 78% gradient, is generally regarded as Austria's steepest slope.

Other steep Austrian slopes with intimidating titles include the Diabolo ski area in Montafon which has a 70% slope and Black Mamba at the Kitzsteinhorn glacier which pitches at 63%.

Also worth a mention is Piste 112 in Westendorf which claims an 80% gradient. As well as being steep, it is long so very intimidating - you definitely do not want to fall on it. It is much longer than the Harakiri in Mayrhofen for example.

I know the 112 in Westendorf, but it is usually without moguls, and usually has few punters as the access is not "obvious". But actually the nastiest run in Ski Welt is the 2c off the top of Hopfgarten (Hohe Salve). When THAT is icy and/or moguled and also filled with people falling over it is a proper nasty piece of work.

munich_johnny wrote:I know the 112 in Westendorf, but it is usually without moguls, and usually has few punters as the access is not "obvious". But actually the nastiest run in Ski Welt is the 2c off the top of Hopfgarten (Hohe Salve). When THAT is icy and/or moguled and also filled with people falling over it is a proper nasty piece of work.

Agree 100%.

I am not sure that the run is intrinsically difficult. However, it is narrow and because it is a link to other parts of the mountain, it tends to be busy with lots of people who really should not be on it :evil: . Even if you are well able to ski it yourself, the odds of getting taken out by others is very high :evil: . I always avoid it :thumbup: .

Yup. I now normally skip it as well, and take the new chair from the Hopfgarten mid-level, or ski down and towards Itter etc. Unless we have new snow, in which case I just ski off either side in the off-piste which is dandy.