
Austria's only year-round ski area spans 62 kilometres of piste between the valley station at 1,500 metres and the summit at 3,250 metres, delivering a vertical drop of 1,750 metres across terrain suitable for all abilities. The glacier maintains 62 kilometres of winter pistes - 17.2 kilometres blue, 35.1 kilometres red, and 11.7 kilometres black - across approximately 233 hectares of skiable terrain. Snow reliability is exceptional; the ADAC has rated the resort "especially snow secure" due to its high-altitude glaciers and north-facing aspect. The Hintertux Glacier is one of only two ski resorts globally offering year-round skiing, alongside Zermatt in Switzerland.
Terrain splits across two distinct glacier zones - the Gefrorene-Wand-Kees and the Riepenkees - connected via the mid-mountain hub at Sommerbergalm. Intermediate skiers dominate proceedings, with 55% of terrain graded red, while the 12-kilometre Schwarze Pfanne valley descent from Gefrorene Wand ranks as the Zillertal's longest run. The Lärmstange sector draws powder seekers to its north-facing freeride terrain, whilst the Betterpark at 3,200 metres operates as Austria's highest freestyle area. Beginners find dedicated learning terrain at Sommerbergalm including the Flohpark nursery zone and the Funslope feature run.
The mountain atmosphere combines serious altitude with accessible facilities centred around the Tuxer Fernerhaus at 2,660 metres, a substantial complex housing restaurants, lockers, and equipment storage. Crowds remain manageable outside peak periods due to the extended operating season spreading demand across months rather than weeks. The valley village of Hintertux is compact - just two distinct areas roughly one kilometre apart - with ski-in/ski-out hotels positioned directly at the base station. Après-ski concentrates at the Hohenhaus Tenne bar adjacent to the valley station, while additional nightlife extends to the nearby villages of Tux and Lanersbach.
The Zillertal Superskipass connects Hintertux to 542 kilometres of terrain across the entire valley, including Mayrhofen, Hochzillertal, and Zillertal Arena, accessible with passes of two days or more. Winter operations integrate with Ski- und Gletscherwelt Zillertal 3000, combining Hintertux with Eggalm, Rastkogel, Finkenberg, and Penken for 202 kilometres on a single pass. The glacier circuit challenge offers ambitious skiers 15,000 vertical metres and 60 kilometres in a single day across this linked terrain. The resort suits committed intermediates seeking guaranteed snow, freestyle athletes requiring year-round training facilities, and families wanting reliable conditions without extreme resort prices.
Hintertux Glacier spreads 32 runs across 62 km of piste of terrain. It leans intermediate at 55%, with 8 beginner runs to find your feet and 6 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Operating dates for the 2025-2026 season run from 14 September 2025 through to 13 September 2026, making this one of the world's longest continuous ski seasons. The glacier has offered year-round skiing since 1968, when the Gefrorene Wand chairlift became the world's first with towers built on glacier ice. Winter terrain expands significantly from early December when lower slopes open, connecting to the wider Zillertal 3000 network through late April. Summer operations continue on approximately 18-20 kilometres of terrain above 2,500 metres, served by up to 10-12 lifts, with the longest summer run measuring 2 kilometres ending at Tuxer Fernerhaus.
Annual snowfall averages approximately 388 centimetres according to historical records, with the snowiest period typically occurring in the second week of January when an average of 37 centimetres falls across 3.4 snow days. Glacier elevations above 3,000 metres maintain freezing temperatures and persistent snow year-round, whilst the ice itself reaches depths of up to 120 metres. Snowmaking infrastructure covers the 12-kilometre Schwarze Pfanne valley descent, ensuring the full run to Hintertux village remains skiable throughout the main winter season. Base depths during peak season typically hold between 3-4 metres on the upper glacier.
January and February deliver the most consistent powder conditions combined with cold temperatures that preserve snow quality across both glaciers. Spring skiing from March through May offers exceptional corn snow on south-facing aspects and longer daylight hours at altitude. The quietest periods fall in early December before European school holidays and again in late January between Christmas crowds and February half-terms. Autumn skiing from late September through November attracts racing teams and freestyle athletes seeking early-season training on fresh glacier snow.
The Hintertux Park Opening, held annually on the first weekend of October, marks Europe's first snowpark event of the season and has run for over 21 years. This weekend attracts international freestyle athletes to Betterpark Hintertux for sessions, contests, and equipment testing at 3,200 metres. The Betterpark operates from April through early December, including a halfpipe when conditions permit. Early Morning Skiing sessions allow keen skiers first tracks on freshly groomed glacier pistes before standard opening hours.
The resort occupies the head of the Tuxertal, a side valley branching south from the main Zillertal at Mayrhofen in the Tyrol region of western Austria. The valley station sits at 1,500 metres elevation in the small village of Hintertux, where steep mountainsides rise immediately from the road's end like a Alpine cul-de-sac. The glacier complex comprises two ice fields - the Gefrorene-Wand-Kees and Riepenkees - extending beneath the 3,476-metre Olperer peak. The surrounding landscape transitions from forested lower slopes to barren rock above the treeline, with the glacier ice reaching thicknesses of 120 metres and containing approximately 190 million cubic metres of ice.
Mayrhofen, the valley's principal town, lies 20 kilometres northwest and provides the main commercial centre with supermarkets, equipment shops, and a wider accommodation selection. The smaller villages of Tux (7 kilometres), Lanersbach, Juns, and Madseit string along the valley road, connected by free ski buses during winter. Innsbruck, the Tyrolean capital, sits 87 kilometres northwest, whilst Salzburg lies 190 kilometres to the northeast. The Zillertal has a long skiing history, with traditional Tyrolean architecture and mountain farming culture preserved throughout the valley communities.
Road access follows the A12 Inntal motorway to the Wiesing/Achensee/Zillertal exit, then the B169 Zillertalstraße through the valley to Mayrhofen, where the L6 branches into the Tuxertal. Total driving time from Innsbruck measures under 1.5 hours, whilst the journey from Munich takes approximately 2.5 hours covering 215 kilometres. Free parking and an underground garage serve the valley station, with free shuttle buses connecting the village of Hintertux. The road terminates at the lift base, with no through route - all traffic either parks or turns around.
Innsbruck Airport provides the closest air link at 92 kilometres, offering frequent European and UK connections with transfer times around 90 minutes. Munich Airport lies 215 kilometres north with extensive international services and transfer times of approximately 2.5 hours by private vehicle. Salzburg Airport sits 190 kilometres northeast as a third option. Rail travellers take intercity trains to Jenbach, then transfer to the narrow-gauge Zillertalbahn for the scenic 50-minute journey to Mayrhofen, where the 4104 bus continues to Hintertux hourly - local buses run free for ski pass holders during winter.
Hotels and lodges near Hintertux Glacier, powered by Stay22.

Brian Head is targeting 6 November, though last year it aimed for 7 November and did not open until the 25th. Park City, Alta and Solitude are pencilled in for 20 November, Snowbird and Snowbasin for 27 November, and Deer Valley for 5 December. Eagle Point will stay closed after the Cottonwood Fire. A super El Niño is forecast, but the big snow is not expected until January.

Hintertux became Austria's second glacier to open for 2026-27 on Friday 2 October, after the Pitztal Glacier. Twelve kilometres of piste are running around the Olperer and Gefrorene Wand, served by one gondola and two drag lifts, with the Betterpark also open. Lifts officially run 8:15 am to 4:30 pm, but skiing stops at 2 pm for now.

A historically poor western winter cut Vail Resorts' annual net income from $280 million to $147.5 million and skier visits by 13.4 per cent. Now 2026-27 pass units are down 12 per cent as of 18 September, worse than the 10 per cent flagged in spring. Vail blames the weather and thinks some buyers are simply waiting, and it forecasts a rebound if the snow behaves.

Arizona Snowbowl advertised eight $1 lift ticket days this winter. Go looking and only three are showing - 10 March, 1 April and 10 April - so the rest may already have gone. The consolation is a calendar full of $9 days, including all but one day in April. Opening day is 20 November, weather permitting, and opening weekend is $19.

For years, Whitewater's Short Side was where you ducked a rope and hoped for the best: unmapped, ungroomed and unpatrolled. This winter it's inbounds. Six new runs of glades and fall-line skiing add 190 acres (about 77 hectares), taking the resort past 1,400 acres in total. F2 Logging spent a month in the trees to make it happen, and opening day is pencilled in for 4 December. Bonanza now needs less snow to groom, too.

Mammoth got its first snow of 2026-27 on Monday 28 September - and promptly lost it by Tuesday morning. Barely an inch fell at McCoy Station, but with opening day pencilled in for Friday 13 November, it's the first sign the Sierra is waking up. Last year's date slipped from 14 November to 20 November, so nobody's booking flights on a dusting just yet. Here's where California's early openers stand.

Four connected areas, 70 lifts and a World Championship course, yet Saalbach Hinterglemm still runs like a family holiday. Two days on snow and a Worlds Super-G later, here is who it suits, what the Ski ALPIN CARD covers and why Epic Pass holders should pay attention. Big on blues, light on steeps.

Sölden's World Cup opener has been two giant slaloms on the Rettenbach glacier for as long as most fans can remember. From 2027/28 it could be four. Director Jack Falkner wants to add two Super-Gs, backed by a nod from Vincent Kriechmayr, and turn the opening into a full week where the ski world gathers in the Ötztal. FIS and the ÖSV are yet to sign off. This year, it's still just the two GS races on 24 and 25 October.
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
Days 1–7
32cm
Days 8–14
16cm
Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Our snow reports measure snowfall in centimeters over multiple time windows — last 24 hours, last 7 days, and the season total. Base depth reflects accumulation at the 1500m base area, while summit depth captures conditions 1750m higher at 3250m, where snow typically stays colder and lingers longer. Imperial conversions are shown alongside for convenience.
Current weather conditions affect snow quality. Cold temperatures with low wind typically preserve snow quality, while warm temperatures or rain can impact conditions negatively — something worth watching closely at Hintertux Glacier's 1500m base elevation, where temperatures run milder than the summit.
Snowfall and depth figures for Hintertux Glacier come from official mountain sources; weather and outlook data comes from independent forecasting services. The mountain is served by 21 lifts, including a quad chairlift and 3 6-person chairlifts.
The biggest swings usually happen right after a storm. Check Hintertux Glacier's report in the morning for the freshest numbers, and again in the afternoon as conditions evolve.