It truly depends on what type of vibe you’re looking for when you’re at a ski region known for being open all year. The north facing slopes provide excellent spring skiing conditions, but anticipate the ski area to be busier as skiers from lower surrounding resorts travel here for more snow. When Mayrhofen’s advent celebrations and festivals are in full swing, the Hintertux villages provide a considerably calmer base, which might be ideal if you like peaceful nights and long ski days.
The position, height, and northerly aspect of Hintertux Glacier provide outstanding snow depth and quality, particularly above 2000m. While mother nature takes care of the rest, snowmaking ensures that major traffic sections and the new Schwarze Valley route are fully blanketed. The mountain is highly exposed in bad weather due to the lack of trees, yet it is very stunning in the light.
Hintertux, a little community at the end of the Tux valley, is home to a collection of classic guesthouses and hotels. The town is a calmer alternative to the busier and bigger resort of Mayrhofen, which is a 25-minute drive down the twisting mountain roads, and it provides access to the adjacent – and all-year-round – Hintertux glacier ski region.
Hintertux boasts a quiet and isolated atmosphere, with 360-degree views of the surrounding mountains and walking trails for those who want to explore them. The community is just a few hundred meters long, with hotels and a few of stores on each side of the major road that runs through it.
The ski lift up to the glacier is a 10-minute walk or a short bus ride from Hintertux hamlet, and the lift base station has a couple of hotels but nothing more. Visitors searching for a more lively base may decide to stay in Mayrhofen, or even in the somewhat busier Tux valley settlements located between Hintertux and Mayrhofen.
Visitors will quickly see a white dream rising huge above them at the end of the Tuxer Valley – the Hintertux Glacier, a site that offers pleasure on the slopes all year. It is open 365 days a year and has about 60 kilometers of running trails. The exciting slopes begin at 3,250 meters above sea level and are beautifully framed by the interesting glacier surroundings. Take the Sommerberg gondola and Gletscherbus up the mountain from the valley station. Beginners should start on the Sommerbergalm to get a feel for the terrain. From here, many blue-marked routes go to the Tuxer Joch. Aside with these routes, we strongly urge that everyone ride the Tuxerjoch chairlift. The seven-kilometer “Schwarze Pfanne” run down into the valley to Hintertux, which begins right below the Tuxerjochhaus, is a must-see for all tourists. A large ski area is also available in the other direction from the Sommerbergalm. Skiers first reach the Tuxer Ferner before continuing on to the Gefrorener Wand in a series of stairs. The spectacular views from the terrace speak for themselves at 3,250 meters above sea level! Advanced skiers may explore multiple red-marked lines from here, as well as the black-marked Buggelpiste (no. 8a) and Sonnenhang (no. 11b). The Schlegeis Glacier extends over the southern half of the slopes, which may be quite difficult at times. Off-piste ski trails leading to the deep stuff are designated in the region near the Lärmstange lift. If you want something gentler and more peaceful, Olperer 1+2 and Kaserer 2 are also delightful and simple runs. The Hintertux Glacier is also ideal for freestyle cyclists. Snowboarders and free skiers may get their kicks at the Hintertux Glacier 365 days a year, while professionals and specialists enjoy the ideal training conditions, with many flocking to the Betterpark Hintertux every fall to prepare for the forthcoming season. Betterpark Hintertux is open from April to the end of May, and from mid-September to the end of December. The Eggalm and Rastkogel ski resorts in the Tuxer Valley offer additional slopes to explore on top of the region surrounding the glacier. While the Eggalm is better suited to novices and skiers who prefer some solitary carving, the Rastkogel, because to its proximity to Mayrhofen, provides a wide range of terrain. The “Gletscherrunde” is without a doubt the greatest way to discover this diverse ski area. It has 72 kilometers of runs and 15,000 vertical meters of elevation gain as it travels through Penken, Rastkogel, and Eggalm before reaching to 3,250 meters to the Hintertux Glacier.
First-timers may learn the ropes at the Flea park, where the easy-to-use lifts and mild slopes are frequently free to use.
The summit of the area’s Olperer blue runs are some of the most spectacular we’ve seen, while the Kaserer drag lift provides more moderate runs. Tuxerjoch is a beautiful lengthy route down to the Sommerbergalm — pause for a satisfying hot chocolate before taking the Rasmoos drag for blue #15.
The 6km Schwarze valley route (#1) runs all the way down to base for red run skiers and snowboarders — ski it mid-morning or mid-afternoon to escape the throng of people going back for lunch and dinner. There are several routes to enjoy across the ski region, ranging from Gefrorene Wand and Kaserer high over 3000m. Sonnenhang, a large, steep slope where you can really build up speed, is the only black piste in the vicinity. But if you’re a skilled skier, you’re in for a treat. Lärmstange’s freeride trails are available from October to May, with its own double chairlift and no grooming equipment in sight. Betterpark has some of the tallest obstacles in the country at 3200m above sea level, with five lines including pro, medium, easy, and jib lines.
Some believe that Hintertux has more than enough to offer, while others prefer to take advantage of the close proximity to surrounding resorts and go exploring. The Zillertal 3000 ski pass gives you access to the glacier as well as Tux, Finkenberg, and Mayrhofen, where iconic routes such as the Harakiri await.
Starting at 2660m, Tuxer Fernerhaus includes a self-service and a la carte restaurant for those who want to grab and go as well as those who want to sit and be served. Wrap your fingers around a Glühwein by the fireplace, or stroll out to the sun terrace of the panoramic bar and relax on a deckchair. Spannagelhaus, located at 2351 meters, features a beautiful outdoor sitting area where Kaiserschmarrn (Austrian pancakes) are a must-try. The Sommerberg Arena, at 2100m, is a fantastic venue for après ski, with a DJ and a party atmosphere.
Spend a day at Mayrhofen, which is home to the famed Scotland Yard Pub and Bruck n’ Stadl pub, for a livelier après environment.
There are some genuinely unusual activities in this area — from the Gletscherbus 3 top station, journey inside the glacier to ‘Nature’s Ice Palace’ to observe ice stalactites and frozen cascades. The Spannagel Cave is the highest publicly accessible cave on the continent and the largest mountain cave system in the Central Alps — it’s definitely worth a visit.
