Skiing in Stubaital
The Stubai Valley offers a good blend of epic, high-mountain, snow-sure skiing on the Stubai glacier, and more mellow, family-oriented skiing among the trees in Schlick 2000, which combines stunning alpine scenery with sunny mountain huts.
Stubai Ski Area Overview
Stubai’s impressive glacier stands like a giant meringue at the head of its long, wide eponymous valley. It takes about an hour to reach from Innsbruck, and along the route you’ll pass the more sheltered treelined slopes at Schlick 2000, the beginner-focused Serlesbahnen ski area at Mieders, and the bijou Elferbahnen ski area at Neustift, renowned for its natural snow and long toboggan runs.
Most skiers head straight for the more extensive terrain of the glacier, but all four ski areas are covered on ski passes for four or more days. They add variety to a ski week and are especially useful on white-out days when the glacier is best avoided.
The Stubai Glacier
At the foot of the glacier, two huge car parks straddle the Alpensporthotel at Mutterberg. The lower carpark is serviced by the Eisgrat gondola at 1,695m, and the upper one by the Gamsgarten gondola valley station at 1,750m.
The two gondolas converge at the Fernau middle station at 2,300m, before separating and continuing to Eisgrat (2,900m) and Gamsgarten (2,620m). The Fernau middle station is also the starting point for a third lift, the eponymous Fernau drag lift, which continues up to Jungfrauenbödel at 2,600m.
Jungfrauenbödel, Eisgrat and Gamsgarten effectively form the middle tier of the ski area, with slopes descending from all three to the Fernau middle station. Above them is the upper tier, with more lifts fanning out to several peaks above 3,000m: Schaufelneider (3,064m), Pfaffengrat (3,060m), Schaufeljoch (3,160m), Wildspitz (3,212m), Daunscharte (3,117 m) and Daunjoch (3000m). From Schaufeljoch, you can also walk up to the Top of Tirol viewing platform on Schaufelspitze at 3210m.
All the highpoints have a choice of blue or red pistes coming down from them, except Daunscharte, which has only a red run and a ski route, and Daunjoch, which is home to the ski area’s only black run.
Similarly, the ski area’s huge and high Snowpark is located at about 3,000m between Pfaffengrat and Schaufeljoch, and its nursery slopes and Kindergarten are at Gamgarten at 2,600m. There is also a cross-country circuit here, so everyone can experience the high-mountain atmosphere and views.
You have to be a good skier, though, to ski back down to the valley, as there are only two ski routes which descend below the Fernau middle station. Everyone else comes down in a gondola.
Schlick 2000
About a 30-minute drive down the Stubai valley from the glacier is the charming Tirolean village of Fulpmes and its ski area, Schlick 2000. This family-oriented ski area boasts stunning high-alpine scenery framed by the limestone peaks of the North Tyrol Dolomites, which also shield it from strong winds. Most of the runs are also treelined, and there are several good mountain huts, with sun terraces, which add to the sense of relaxation, particularly if you succumb to the ‘vodka feigen’ (vodka and fig) drinks they offer.
With only 25km of ski slopes, Schlick 2000 is less than a quarter of the size of the Stubai glacier, but it has a good balance of blue runs, red runs, black runs and ski routes, plus very good nursery slopes and children’s facilities centred on Big Ron’s Kinderland.
Beginner Skiing in Stubaital
The Stubai Valley is a great place for beginners to learn to ski or snowboard. Stubaital strives to please families and beginners with superb, child-friendly skiing, presented through its BIG Family programme, which includes free lift passes for children under 10.
On the Stubai Glacier at Gamsgarten there are child-friendly lifts (four magic-carpet lifts for absolute beginners, then gondolas and chairlifts), wide and flat slopes, a large beginners area, and family-friendly restaurants (service and self-service).
Facilities for young beginners include a wide Big Family Kinderland with a covered magic carpet lift, a special slalom run for children, a tyre carousel and a snow mammoth. And for more experienced kids, there is the Big Family Fun Slope with bumps and jumps, as well as Pistenbully riding.
In Schlick 2000, there are flat, child-friendly beginner areas at the Froneben middle station and on the Schanzlin practice meadow. The star of the show for small children is the cartoon character BIG Ron. His BIG Family Kinderland at Froneben includes a playing and warming room, four magic carpets, two merry-go-rounds in the snow, a Tipi and a slalom training course. Once they have mastered the basics, children move on to Schanzlin.
The beginner facilities at both Stubai Glacier and Schlick 2000 are located on the mountain (accessible by gondola or cable car from the base station), which not only creates a proper mountain feel for kids but also better snow conditions for ski lessons throughout the season. In both ski areas, as beginners and children progress, there are good blue runs accessible via excellent lifts that take them above the BIG Family camps.
The Stubai Glacier has a good selection of blue runs right across its range, from the tops of Schaufelnieder on the left (as you look at the piste map) to Schaufelspitze itself in the centre of the range and Wildspitz taking you off to the right down Piste 7 back to the camp at Gamsgarten. But beginners on the Glacier will want to take the lifts down at the end of the day, either from Gamsgarten itself or from Mittelstation Fernau, as the only marked descent to the base station is the technically challenging ski route Wilde Grub’n from Gamsgarten.
At Schlick 2000, beginners who are progressing can similarly enjoy very scenic long blue descents from Kreuzjoch at 2,136m, Galtberg at 1,765m, and Sennjoch at 2,240m. These descents can all finish at the Middle Station at 1,363m, or continue down a blue run all the way to the valley station at 1000m.
Families and beginners can have a great day out as well on a limited number of straightforward runs at either Elfer in Neustift itself or Serles in Mieders, lower down the valley. Most Stubai lift passes for more than 4 days cover these ski areas as well as the Glacier and Schlick 2000.
Ski Schools & Ski Lessons in Stubaital
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Intermediate Skiing in Stubaital
The Stubaital is a red-and-blue run heaven, perfect for intermediate cruising or learning to snowboard. In addition to confidence-boosting blue runs (highlighted above in the Beginner section), which are good fun, the Stubai Glacier and Schlick 2000 offer some great intermediate skiing.
Stubai Glacier – up on the glacier, wide smooth runs like those off the Eisjoch draglift below Schaufelspitze and the Fernau chair below Schaufelnieder are perfectly groomed and represent great carving terrain.
More challenging pitches are found on the edges of the ski boundary, like red run number 16 off the Fernau chair; red run number 9 from Daunscharte; and red runs 10, 11, 12 and 13 on the far side of Schaufeljoch, Wildspitz and Schaufelneider. There are a few red runs near the centre of the glacier (numbers 29, 2, 19, and 20), but this area is mostly blue runs.
All of this easily accessible skiing opens up and connects efficiently, providing excellent intermediate-level skiing.
Schlick 2000 – intermediates will also definitely want to spend at least one day over at Schlick 2000, where the combination of stunningly beautiful scenery, a choice of blue and red run descents from all the summits, and plenty of mountain huts, makes it a very intermediate-friendly ski area. Most of the runs subdivide into new pistes, but the layout of the ski area and its high-speed lifts mean you can get back up high quickly to try the different options.
Also, at the charming Elfer ski area at Neustift, there are a handful of treelined red runs, and at the Serles ski area at Mieders, there is more easy intermediate skiing through the trees. A good option on heavy snow days when you want to ski in a white-out, but the Glacier is invisible.
Advanced & Expert Skiing in Stubaital
The Stubai Glacier has seven marked ski routes for experts, including the 10km Wilde Grub’n all the way down to the valley station at 1,750m, and loads of opportunities for freeriding. On piste, the opportunities for experts are limited; just one black run on the glacier, plus three more black runs and a couple of ski routes at Schlick.
Stubai Glacier – Glaciers being glaciers – fairly flat as snow features go – there is just one black run on the glacier: number 27 coming down from Daunjoch, which is steep enough to warrant a visit or two, but you wouldn’t want to spend all day skiing it.
Stubai’s main appeal for experts, however, lies in its official ski routes and unofficial off-piste. Stubai Glacier’s ski routes are dotted all over the ski area, but most are on the fringes. The most famous is Ski Route 35, Wild Grub’n.
Wild Grub’n is a twisting and varied off-piste route that winds through a dramatic open bowl and finishes down at the base station, covering a vertical drop of over 1 kilometre. If you connect this to blue run 7 from Wildspitz above it, and blue run 28 below it, you have a great and varied descent over 10km to the valley station. More challengingly, strong skiers can ski down under the Eisgrat gondola on ski route 34, avoiding Wilde Grub’n crowds at the day’s end – as the ski instructors do. You miss out on a lot of fantastic scenery, but it’s a more testing run.
Schlick 2000 – Over at Schlick, there are three black runs. Run number 3 near the centre of the ski area is the longest and the easiest to ski repeatedly because it follows the course of the Panoramabahn chairlift. Run number 10 near the Zirmach chair, and run 14 from the Galtbergbahn are steeper but shorter.
Additionally, two ski routes, which are about the same gradient as the black runs but ungroomed, and you have enough challenging slopes to spice up a fun day’s skiing in a beautiful area.
Off-Piste Skiing & Freeriding in Stubaital
Stubaital offers excellent opportunities for high-snow-sure off-piste skiing, mainly at the Stubai Glacier, where the Powder Department has designated 15 runs, with conditions regularly updated and safety information provided.
Freeriding in Stubaital
Stubai have taken their off-piste skiing to a new level with the 15 designated off-piste runs on the Glacier from their Powder Department. Essentially, these are all lift-accessed (some with a little climbing), and they can all be seen in video format online and in downloadable, trackable GPS format.
With names like Hard Rock, the Wall, Cannonball and North Face, the level of information provided in Stubaital has put off-piste skiing more transparently (and more safely) on the agenda. But it is important to remember that freeriding is only for advanced and expert skiers, and preparation and safety are essential, no matter how good a skier you are.
To help you be prepared, the Stubaital ski schools and mountain guides attached to the Powder Department run off-piste safety courses, making use of a DVA search and rescue training area, where you can practice using your transceiver, probe and shovel. They also offer individual and group lessons in freeriding, and guided skiing off-piste to Solden in the Otztal.
The Freeride Skiing page on the Stubai Glacier website provides important information on risk factors, downloadable GPS Tracks, and the Stubai Glacier Off-Piste Map – essential reading for freeriders. The latest mountain and avalanche safety information is displayed at Freeride Checkpoint Gamsgarten, where you can test your transceiver before skiing off-piste.
Ski Touring in Stubaital
Stubaital is also popular for ski touring. Most ski tours, with 30-45 minutes of up-work, end up back at the resort or a hut, then a taxi ride back.
For extremists, the couloirs to the right of the Gamsgarten gondola are only a few metres wide and make even the resident mountain goats nervous. From the top of the Schaufelspitze (3,333m), which takes about 45 minutes to reach on foot, there’s a steep 45-degree couloir.
Easier, less threatening and more accessible powder runs can be found off the double chair Wildspitz and the four-man chair Rotadl. There are lovely touring runs off the top of Daunkopf, accessed from the top of the ski route Wilde Grub’n.
Photo: TVB Stubai | Stubaier Gletscher | Andre Schoenherr
Boarding & Freestyle in Stubaital
The Stubaital Glacier’s fabulous Stubai Zoo snowpark is a must for keen boarders and freestyle skiers, and there’s also plenty more opportunities for snowboarding off-piste, particularly the Powder Department’s 15 designated freeride runs.
Stubai Zoo is one of the highest and largest parks in the Alps, and it is serviced by its own lifts. It is open from October until late April or early May. Hardly surprising, therefore, that it is popular with the international freestyle and boarding scene.
Stubai Zoo offers much for slopestyle riders, with four levels of snowpark experience, from pro-line to easy-line, on bumps and jumps that are shaped daily. This is a really excellent facility accessed from the Top of Tyrol, Schaufelspitze, all above 3,000m.
Lower down the valley, the family-friendly Schlick 2000 ski area above Fulpmes includes the Snowpark Schlick 2000, which features numerous kickers and rails.
Photo: TVB Stubai | Stubaier Gletscher | Andre Schoenherr
Stubaital Mountain Restaurants
The Stubai ski area offers an excellent choice of mountain dining and refreshments, from haute cuisine to good-quality self-service restaurants, coffee and snack bars.
On the Stubai Glacier, the star turn is the Schaufelspitz restaurant at Eisgrat, whilst at Schlick 2000, the scenic Panorama Restaurant more than lives up to its name, but there are also several smaller, more rustic options like the sunny Galtalm mountain hut.
Stubai Glacier Mountain Restaurants
This is the Tirol, where standards are, as you would expect, high at almost every level, with a really good offering of mountain huts, both traditional and modern.
Dresdnerhutte
At Stubai Glacier, a must-visit for Alpine character is the Dresdnerhutte, a lovely old mountain hut by the Fernau middle station that serves decadent hot chocolate with rum, apple strudel, and real Tyrolean food. It also has simple overnight accommodation – bunk rooms, hot showers, an internet computer and atmospheric taxidermy snagged from the surrounding mountains. The cosy wooden out-hut serves snacks and drinks, and is a perfect suntrap.
Zur Goldenen Gams
For modern table service or out on the sun terrace, the Zur Goldenen Gams restaurant in Gamsgarten mid-station is an attractive, large post-and-beam restaurant — handy for a ski school meeting and the Intersport Gamsgarten, where you can store your skis and boots at the end of the day. There are also good children’s dining facilities in the Gamsgarten’s self-service restaurant.
Jochdole
Eat and drink at Jochdohle on Top of the Tyrol, the highest mountain restaurant around. It’s a chic, modern counter-service restaurant that juts out over a precipice. From one gondola to another, up here at 3,150m, they claim you can see “almost to Venice”, so hands up if you spot St Mark’s!
Schaufelspitz
Top marks, though, go to the Schaufelspitz restaurant set at 2,900m at Eisgrat. This is evolved Austrian cuisine of a very high order (Gault-Millau have awarded a Toque) accommodated in a slick modern interpretation of wood glass and steel. Very stylish indeed, and as good as anywhere else in the Alps at this end of the spectrum.
Zum Steinbock
Next door, the equally stylish Zum Steinbock café serves up coffees, pastries and schnapps. As pleasant a pit-stop as you can get in the high Alps. The Kaiserschmarren here is to die for. Close by is the Eisgrat self-service restaurant, which is as nice as self-service gets in the Tirol.
Bodelehutte
The Bodelehutte above Fernau, on the way up to Schaufelnieder, is another good pit-stop for a snack and a drink.
Schneekristall Bar
The Schneekristall Bar on the Gamsgarten terrace upstairs is a popular après ski hangout. Outdoors, surrounded by a glass rondel on a sunny afternoon, this is a great spot.
Tschangelairalm
For an apres drink, an absolute gem on the road back below the Stubai Glacier is the Tschangelairalm – an old wooden pasture Alm that has not been brought into the 21st century yet. Stop for a drink or a simple meal, and you are transported back in time to the rural origins of these beautiful hills.
Schick2000 Mountain Restaurants
Over at Schlick 2000, there is a good choice of mountain huts and self-service restaurants.
The Sennjoch hut is a nice place to chill outside on a sunny day and to be snug inside if the weather turns wintry. The Panorama Restaurant at Kreuzjoch is a large self-service facility which serves big hearty Tirolean mountain fare and, as its name suggests, commands fabulous views from its perch above 2,100m, enhanced by its huge floor-to-ceiling windows.
The most atmospheric of all the Schlick 2000 mountain huts, however, is surely the sunny, south-facing Galtalm next to the Galtberglift. It’s popular with downhill skiers and ski tourers who climb all the way to it from the valley.
Lower down above the middle station and adjacent to Big Ron’s Kinderland, the Bruggeralm serves rustic local fare with charm and ambience.
Photo: TVB Stubai | Stubaier Gletscher | Andre Schoenherr