Kirchberg Advanced Skiing
While there is a huge amount of skiing accessible from Kirchberg, including some steep and testing runs, advanced skiers and boarders visiting the KitzSki area are unlikely to be sustained by the pistes alone, but ski touring with a guide allows access to more challenging terrain.Just 24km of the 170km piste network is classified as advanced, meaning expert skiers would benefit from having an appetite for ski touring or a willingness to spend part of their visit exploring the neighbouring ski areas to avoid repetition.
The Hahnenkamm area – famous for the annual downhill race – is often the first port of call for advanced skiers, offering a number of challenging black and red runs including the Streif race course – the only marked run in the KitzSki area to be marked as very difficult – and a testing mogul section on the 21a Waldehang/Seidlalmhang run.
Most of KitzSki’s other advanced pistes are accessed from the Steinbergkogel lift, with the top section of the 38 Direttissima black run perhaps the most demanding of these thanks to its steepness. Local guides also speak highly of the Schwarzkogel run down to Aschau, providing there is enough snow.
The resort is investing to improve access to some of the area’s expert territory, with work ongoing during the 13/14 season to complete the lift at Hochetzkogel which will give lift access to routes currently reserved for ski tourers.
There are a number of other areas only accessible by ski touring, including beneath the Kleiner Rettenstein and Schwarzkogel peaks, while local guides also favour the off piste beneath the 3S-Bahn and in the Alte Wacht area.