Ischgl Ski Resort advanced

Ischgl / Advanced

The Greitspitz, the Palinkopf and the Paznauer Taya are the starting points for a number of good blacks, but Ischgl also has some interesting ski routes.

Some challenging fun can be found in Ischgl by taking the draglift from the top station of the Idjochbahn up to the Greitspitz, the highest point at 2,872m (9,422ft). Three black runs start here, one of which is the interesting 14a, a route which takes you down to the Hollenkar valley.

From here a good option is to take the Hollkarbahn chairlift to link up with the Zeblasbahn – and access the super, swooping, black descents, routes 20 and 21, from the Palinkopf. By the side of these runs, when there has been new snow, you'll find some wonderful powder stashes.

Paznauer Taya
Alternatively, take black route 33 down from the Palinkopf, beneath the Hollenspitz, and head down to the Paznauner Taya section where you'll find more exciting black runs either side of the Hollspitzbahn chairlift. These bring you to the Fimba Valley, from where you can continue down to the middle station of the Silvretta gondola for a return to Idalp, or take the Gampenbahn chairlift back up to the Palinkopf for more fun.

The Paznauner Taya area, at the western end of the ski area, has an atmosphere of its own distinct from the rest of Ischgl. It's also usually strangely under-used – except for the extremely popular Paznauner Taya restaurant, one of the area's best, by the bottom station of the Hollspitzbahn. Perhaps it’s because this restaurant is so pleasant, and conducive to long lunches, that the slopes are so empty.

Off piste in Ischgl
This is also the kicking off point for some of the best off-piste in the area. Beneath the Palinkopf and the Hollenspitz are some of the more testing slopes Ischgl has to offer – these are recognised ski routes, but technically off-piste and unpatrolled. They are marked on the ski map with dotted red lines but are best tackled with a guide unless you are very familiar with the area. Some of the best are at the extreme western edge of the area, from Palinkopf down to Fimbatal, or the steep descent from Hollenspitz to the Hollenkar valley.

Back at the eastern side, some good black runs, and a couple of ski routes too, are accessed by the Pardatschgratbahn, either down to the Velilltal valley, or all the way to the middle station of the Idalp gondola. These runs also give some of the best views of Ischgl and the Paznaun Valley.

Good skiers and boarders can get a lot of snow time at Ischgl. It recently won an award for being top of the fast league table, with 62per cent of its lifts high speed. A plan for a new chairlift from Vesil, on the western extremity of the skiing, to the Piz Val Gronda at about 9,300ft, is at an advanced stage and will open up scores of kilometres of exciting new skiing. A snowcat lift is sometimes used in this area. For a few euros per person, skiers are towed up by ropes trailing from the snowcat.

Idalp, at the top of the Silvrettabahn, has a superbly-equipped new ski hire shop, with a test centre for good skiers and boarders to try out the latest gear