Solden Ski Area

Skiing in Solden

Solden’s ski area is on the west side of the resort and includes two glaciers and multiple high ski lifts. There are two beginners’ areas, a few steep black runs, and a  snowpark, but most of the pistes are ideal for intermediates who want to have a good time rather than be tested.

Solden Ski Area Overview

Solden has two ski lifts at opposite ends of the resort which transport skiers into two different ski sectors, which have the same name as the feeder lifts: Gaislachkogl at the south end, and Giggijoch at the north end. The satellite resort of Hochsolden also has a lift which feeds skiers into Giggijoch sector.

The Gaislachkogl and Giggijoch sectors are approximately the same size and separated by the Rettenbach valley. This can be crossed at mid-mountain via a lift hub where the C31 lift takes skiers from Gaislachkogl to Giggijoch, and the A17 lift takes skiers from Giggijoch to Gaislachkogl. There is also a ski slope connection in the woods below this, allowing skiers to ski from Gaislachkogl to the Giggijoch valley station in Solden, and from Giggijoch to the Gaislachkogl valley station in the resort.

At the far end of the Giggijoch sector is a two-way gondola (D53 Gletscherexpress) which connects Giggijoch to a third sector: the glacier. This has skiing on the Rettenbach and Tiefenbach glaciers. You can cross between the glaciers, either using the lifts that reach the ridge between them or the tunnel that goes under it.

To return from the glacier, you either ski down the long blue valley road run (slope 30) which reaches the C31/A17 lift hub and the connecting slopes between Gaislachkogl and Giggijoch (so you can ski into both sector), or take the two way D53 gondola back to Giggijoch.

The glacier ski area opens earlier and closes later than the rest of the Solden ski area. When only the glacier ski area is open, you can drive or take a bus up the glacier toll road to its base station.

Beginner Skiing in Solden

There are beginners’ areas with nursery slopes and inexpensive ski passes at Innerwald and Giggijoch. When beginners are ready to move on, there are extensive novice-friendly slopes in all three sectors.

Where you learn to ski in Solden is usually determined by where you’re staying in the resort: if you’re in Hochsolden or near the Giggijoch lift at its north end, you will probably learn at the top of the Giggijoch lift; if you’re in the centre of the resort or at its south end near the Gaislachkogl lift, you will probably learn at Innerwald.

Innerwald is smaller, cheaper and much more isolated than Giggijoch but its east facing slopes at about 1500m are high enough to have good enough snow for most of the season. It’s on the western edge of the resort, and consists of a couple of beginner-friendly T-Bars with nursery slopes alongside them and some restaurants at the base. It’s reached from the centre by the free Zentrum shuttle.

The Giggijoch beginners’ ski pass is more expensive than Innerwald’s, but it covers both the Giggijoch minilift (C33) and the much longer Hainbachkar chair lift (C34), plus the C30 and C38 lifts which you will need to take to get there from either Solden or Hochsolden. This is a bigger area than Innerwald, and because it’s much higher, it usually has better snow too.

When beginners are ready to move, on there are lots of easy blue runs to build up confidence on. Close to the Giggijoch beginners’ area are is piste 15 which has lots of different variants, and on the far side of Rosskogljoch is the sunny piste 22. On Gaislachkogl there are nice novice-friendly runs around the A12, A13 and A14 lifts. There are also easy blue runs on the glaciers (and a nursery slope which only operates when just the Glacier Ski Area is open) but it’s a long daytrip for a beginner.

Ski Schools & Ski Lessons in Solden

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Intermediate Skiing in Solden

Solden is an ideal spot for intermediate cruisers to rack up the miles on blue and red pistes, including the longest groomed slope in Austria and the endurance-testing BIG3 rally.

Beneath peaks that soar like pyramids, 115 km of blue and red pistes snake across Solden’s ski area. Roughly 80% of all Solden’s ski slopes are blues and reds, so unless you deliberately seek out black runs, you’re going to be spending almost all your time on intermediate-friendly slopes.

This is true for both the top and bottom of the ski area. Solden isn’t like some ski resorts where the highest runs with the best snow are accessible only to experts who can cope with steep terrain. Both the Rettenbach and the Tiefenbach glaciers are covered in rolling blue pistes, and you can get to and from them entirely on blue pistes, so they should be within reach of all intermediate skiers.

Similarly, at the bottom of the ski area there are now three blue routes  (2/8, 3b/10/8 and 7a/9) which descend all the way down to the Gaislachkogl base station, so all intermediate skiers should be able to ski back home. Stronger intermediate skiers who can handle red runs can also ski gown to the Giggijoch Tal as well.

And there are good red runs as well as blue runs, starting with piste 1 ,the long red from the summit of Gaislachkogl, which feeds into two more reds (4 and 5). The red pistes between Rotkogljoch and the bottom of the C31 lift (11, 12, 16 and 18) also form a substantial area with a natural red gradient.

Intermediate skiers should also tackle Austria’s longest continuous groomed slope. You start from the top of Rettenbach glacier, ski down the glacier (various options but slope 33 is the main route) then down the long valley road piste (30) which passes by two restaurants, then choose whether to ski down to Gaislachkogl Tal on blue pistes (7a and 9) or down to Giggijoch Tal on red pistes (22). Either way, it’s about 15km long with an altitude difference of about 1900m.   

But the ultimate endurance challenge is the area’s signature ski circuit, the Big 3 Rally. This links together the three viewing platforms which are all above 3000m, and which all have stunning panoramic views. In total, it’s a 50 kilometre journey, so not for the fainthearted.

Keen intermediates should also definitely visit Obergurgl, and maybe Hochoetz-Kühtai too. These ski areas are covered by the standard Solden pass and easily accessed by bus.

Advanced & Expert Skiing in Solden

 

Only a fraction of Solden’s pistes are black, and most of these are not very steep. But there’s off piste skiing for which you will need a mountain guide, on Wasserkar and into the Rettenbach Tal, plus ski touring.

Advanced skiers should enjoy Solden’s black runs. Not all of them are steep but Piste 1A near the top of Gaislachkogl, and the FIS World Cup slope on the Rettenbach glacier (Piste 31) definitely are, although they are both quite short. If you want something longer and milder, Pistes 14, 30, and 22 form a non-stop 9km long route from Rosskirpl down to the Giggijoch base station that’s mostly on black pistes. It’s not continuously steep, but it has its moments. And piste 3, which keeps close to the A14 lift on Gaislachkogl, is quite long and quite steep.

There are also mogul runs for good skiers who like bumps – the ones beside piste 31 are the steepest. Similarly there are 5 ungroomed ski routes (excluding the private ski routes to the bars and restaurants at Gaislachalm) which give a taste of the freeriding that is available.

To explore the off-piste you should hire a guide. There’s terrain close to the lifts on Wasserkar in the Gaislachkogl area, and also next to the FIS World Cup slope on the glacier. There are also steep and dangerous routes from the ridge behind Gaislachkogl. And there is also extensive ski touring.

Boarding & Freestyle in Solden

Solden has a snowpark, two funslopes and a Funcross.

The Snowpark is on the Giggijoch side of Rotkogljoch. There are several lines including tough ones for experts, plus jibs, rails and boxes.

The Funcross is above Giggijoch around piste 15. The aim is to combine speed with steep turns, flowy snow waves and quick jumps.

One funslopes is near the Funcross on piste 15; the other is on the the far side of the ski area at Gaislachalm close to the A12 lift. These are predominantly aimed at children with tunnels and small jumps, although a lot of adults seem to enjoy them as well.

Solden Mountain Restaurants

Solden has about 30 mountain restaurants so you’re never far from a refreshment break.

Solden has about as many mountain restaurants as it has lifts (about 30 of each).

Most tastes and budgets are accounted for. At the top end (in every sense) is the Ice Q, Austria’s highest gourmet restaurant at the top of the Gaislachkogl at 3,000m above sea level. The Falcon restaurant at the same lift’s mid-station also has a smart a la carte restaurant, as well as a cheaper self-service restaurant with a wonderful sun terrace. There are also restaurants at the base areas of both the glaciers.

There are also three notable clusters of mountain restaurants: at Gampe near the bottom of the C31 and A17 lifts; at Gaislachalm near the bottom of the A12 and A13 lifts; and between Ausserwald and Innerwald near the bursary slope lifts. All these clusters host lively apres-ski bars but there are relatively quiet restaurants as well, although even these become packed and lively on a sunny afternoon.