Austria, Europe · Ski Amadé
Hochkönig
1,100m vertical, 120km of runs, 34 lifts. Legendary Königstour ski circuit. Part of Ski amadé. Maria Alm, Dienten and Mühlbach, Salzburg, Austria.
Season 2026 - 2027
Opens
5 Dec 2026
Closes
4 Apr 2027
Days open
120
Annual snow
2m
The Overview
Michael Fulton
Melbourne-based skier and snowboarder with 50+ resorts across 5 continents. Specialises in Australian resorts and international resort comparisons.
Hochkönig operates between 800 and 1,900 metres, delivering 120 kilometres of marked piste across a vertical drop of 1,100 metres — one of the largest self-contained ski areas in the Salzburg region. The legendary Königstour ski circuit links six peaks and 35 kilometres of continuous downhill skiing in a single day, recognised as one of the best ski circuits in the Alps since its launch in 2012. Eight additional kilometres of marked ski routes extend the off-piste offering for confident skiers. The resort is part of the Ski amadé network, giving pass holders access to 760 kilometres of pistes across five Salzburg ski regions on multi-day tickets.
Terrain divides into 43% beginner, 34% intermediate and 23% advanced across 63 marked runs, with the longest single descent stretching 9 kilometres. Wide, perfectly groomed carving slopes through larch forest dominate the mid-mountain, whilst the 1-kilometre Hochmaist descent provides the steepest challenge. The Blue Tomato Kings Park at Aberg features tables, rails and kickers for freestyle riders, complemented by the Funslope Schönanger with its Skimovie speed-tracking run and the dedicated Family Run for progressing skiers. Extensive freeride terrain above the treeline rewards powder hunters after fresh snowfall on the north-facing Hochkönig slopes.
Maria Alm retains an authentic Salzburger Land village character with a baroque parish church, timber-clad farmhouses and a pace of life that reflects a genuine local community rather than a purpose-built resort. Over 30 traditional mountain huts serve regional Salzburg cuisine across the ski area, and the Culinary Königstour route combines skiing with curated gastronomic stops at selected huts. Beginner areas at Natrun, Hintermoos and the village nursery slopes allow first-timers to learn independently from the main gondola network, whilst the Marlies Schild training course offers structured improvement for developing intermediates.
Adult day passes start from €73 in shoulder season and €78.50 during peak weeks, with children (6-15) paying €36.50 to €39.50 and youth €55 to €59. Prices shown are based on the most recently published 2025-26 rates; 2026-27 pricing uses Ski amadé dynamic online pricing and will be confirmed ahead of the season opening. Children born 2021 or later ski free with a Minicard when accompanied by an adult. The resort suits families and intermediates seeking wide, well-groomed terrain with genuine Alpine village atmosphere, whilst advanced skiers will find enough challenge on the Hochmaist, Wastlhöhe mogul slope and the Königstour's varied descent profiles.
1100m
Vertical
63
Runs
120 km
Piste
2m
Annual snow
Ski Amadé
Pass
The Terrain
63 runs across 120 km of piste
Hochkönig spreads 63 runs across 120 km of piste of terrain. It leans beginner at 43%, with 27 beginner runs to find your feet and 14 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Terrain split
63
runs
63 runs across 4 grades
Beginner27 runs · 43%
Intermediate21 runs · 34%
Advanced14 runs · 23%
Expert0 runs · 0%
Time it right
When to visit Hochkönig
The 2026-27 season is scheduled to run from 5 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, with operating hours from 08:30 to 16:00 daily. The resort traditionally opens the first weekend of December with shoulder-season pricing through mid-December, before peak rates apply from late December through early April. Hochkönig's north-facing aspects and extensive snowmaking — covering the majority of the key piste network — deliver reliable conditions from opening day through the spring closure, making it one of the more snow-sure non-glacier areas in the Salzburg region.
Annual snowfall averages 172 centimetres at resort level, with substantially more accumulation on the upper slopes above 1,600 metres where north-facing terrain retains snow well into April. December typically delivers the heaviest monthly totals, followed by consistent accumulation through January and February. Comprehensive snowmaking installations with reservoirs and modern piste-grooming equipment ensure groomed conditions across the key runs even during natural snow gaps, supporting the resort's reputation as one of the most reliable ski areas in the Pongau district.
Early December offers the best value with shoulder-season pricing and quiet slopes as the full 120-kilometre network opens progressively. Christmas and New Year bring peak-season crowds but also the fullest hut and event programme across all three villages. January and February deliver the coldest temperatures and best powder conditions on the Königstour's upper slopes and freeride routes. March is the sweet spot for many regulars: long sunny days, firm morning corduroy on the wide pistes and soft afternoon snow, with the full circuit typically operational through to the April closing weekend.
The Ski Challenge Hochkönig race series runs throughout the season for recreational competitors, whilst the Culinary Königstour combines the classic ski circuit with stops at selected mountain huts serving regional specialities. Night skiing on the floodlit Natrun slopes in Maria Alm extends the ski day into the evening on selected dates. Spring skiing on the upper Aberg and Hochmais terrain remains possible through the scheduled 4 April closing date, with end-of-season events in the villages of Maria Alm, Dienten and Mühlbach marking the transition to summer hiking season on the Königweg long-distance trail.
Season 2026 - 2027
5 Dec 2026
Opens
4 Apr 2027
Closes
120
Days open
2 m
Annual snow
Getting there
Getting to Hochkönig, and where to stay
The Hochkönig ski region sprawls across the northern flanks of the Hochkönig massif in Salzburg's Pongau district, connecting the traditional Alpine villages of Maria Alm am Steinernen Meer, Dienten am Hochkönig and Mühlbach am Hochkönig beneath peaks rising to 2,941 metres. The name Steinernes Meer — the Stone Sea — refers to the dramatic limestone karst plateau of the Berchtesgaden Alps that forms the backdrop to every run. The ski area itself reaches 1,900 metres at the Aberg summit station, with the Hochkönig peak towering a further 1,000 metres above the highest lift-served terrain.
Maria Alm sits at 800 metres as the largest base village, with satellite hamlets at Hintermoos, Hinterthal and Aberg connected by lift and ski bus. Dienten lies 8 kilometres west at the foot of the Hochkönig's western ridge, whilst Mühlbach occupies the eastern approach at 860 metres with a rich copper-mining heritage dating to prehistoric times. Saalfelden am Steinernen Meer, the nearest town with full services, lies 6 kilometres north. The region forms one of five sectors within the Ski amadé mega-pass, alongside Salzburger Sportwelt, Schladming-Dachstein, Gastein and Großarltal.
Salzburg Airport (SZG) lies 60 kilometres northeast and approximately one hour by road via the A10 and B164 Hochkönigstraße. Munich Airport is 180 kilometres northwest via the A8 and A10, around two hours in normal conditions. Innsbruck Airport sits 150 kilometres southwest via the Felbertauern tunnel route, useful for arrivals from western Austria and Switzerland.
Bischofshofen Hauptbahnhof on the Salzburg–Villach main line lies 13 kilometres east, with regular ÖBB rail connections from Salzburg (45 minutes), Vienna (2.5 hours) and Munich (2 hours). Postbus line 620 links Bischofshofen to Maria Alm, Dienten and Mühlbach on a regular winter timetable. Free ski buses operate between all Hochkönig villages throughout the season for lift pass holders, making car-free access practical from any base village. The B164 Hochkönigstraße provides the main road access from Bischofshofen through the valley.
Where to stay
Search all stays →Hotels and lodges near Hochkönig, powered by Stay22.
Latest News
From the SnowStash desk
Spain Moves to Ban Smoking at Ski Resorts Under New Tobacco Law
Spain's government has approved a draft tobacco law that would ban smoking across a wide range of outdoor spaces, including sports venues - a category Spanish winter sports media expect to cover ski resorts, potentially extending to slopes and lifts themselves. The rules would also apply to e-cigarettes and vaping devices, even nicotine-free ones. The bill still has to clear the Spanish parliament before any ban, signage, or fines can take effect.
22 July 2026
South Tyrol Approves New 16-Person Ciampinoi Gondola in Val Gardena
South Tyrol has approved a full rebuild of the Ciampinoi cable car in Selva di Val Gardena, replacing the current 12-person gondola with a 16-person cabin and a new mountain-station restaurant. Capacity is capped at 3,200 people an hour rather than the 3,600 the operator wanted, and 250,000 euros must go toward compensatory measures. No construction or opening date has been set, though the upgrade is partly aimed at clearing bottlenecks before the 2031 Alpine Ski World Championships.
22 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Hoshino Tomamu - Corporate Japan's Mountain Playground Revisited
Hoshino Tomamu is the ski resort equivalent of a conference hotel that happens to have excellent powder. Built for corporate retreats and package tourists, it offers genuine Hokkaido snow on surprisingly limited terrain - 29 runs spread across 585 vertical metres.
21 July 2026
La Thuile's New Cable Car Replaces Two Ageing Chairlifts
La Thuile is spending 38.7 million US dollars on a new 10-person cable car linking Les Suches to Chaz Dura, replacing the La Combe and Chaz Dura chairlifts after nearly forty years of service. Built by Leitner, the new cable car runs 1,950 metres to a top station at 2,576 metres, carrying up to 3,000 people an hour with a six-minute ride. It also improves the connection to La Rosiere in France via the Petit-Saint-Bernard Pass, and is on track to open for the 2026/27 season.
21 July 2026
The Remarkables Adds Scarpa Bowl to Its Inbounds Terrain
The Remarkables is adding new inbounds terrain for winter, bringing the Scarpa Bowl - known locally as the Toilet Bowl - into its lift-accessed network after years as backcountry-only ground. The roughly 500 metre run is reached by bootpacking from the top of the Sugar Bowl chairlift, with a shuttle picking skiers up from the road at the bottom. It's a smaller, faster addition than the resort's planned Doolans expansion, though the new terrain hasn't opened yet due to a lack of snow this season.
21 July 2026
Ski Portillo Cut Off After Storm Dumps More Than 4.5 Metres of Snow
Ski Portillo remains isolated after an extended storm buried the Chilean resort under more than 4.5 metres of snow, with both ground and air access suspended since Tuesday while crews monitor avalanche hazards and worsening weather. Resort officials say further snowfall is expected in the coming days and haven't set a timeline for reopening the mountain road. Once access resumes, the scale of the snowpack could set up a strong season at one of the Southern Hemisphere's most historic ski resorts.
21 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Lotte Arai - Japan's Corporate Ski Anomaly With 22 Metres of Annual Snowfall
Lotte Arai receives 22 metres of annual snowfall - exceptional even by Japanese standards - but its corporate ownership model and limited terrain create an unusual cost-benefit equation. Here's what the numbers actually mean on the ground.
19 July 2026
Resort Spotlight: Banff Sunshine Village - Nine Metres of Snow and a Season That Runs Until May
Banff Sunshine Village sits at 1,660m base and receives 9.27m of snow annually. Inside Banff National Park, it offers a six-month season and terrain split that skews heavily advanced - though the crowds and lift infrastructure tell their own story.
18 July 2026
Current conditions
Snow Report
Updated 15 Aug 2026
1900m
summit
+0cm
new snow · last 24 hours
Clear15°C / 31°C · SE 10km/h
Snowfall
24 hours
0cm
48 hours
0cm
7 days
0cm
Base depth
0cm
Season total
0cm
Total lifts34
Live open status isn’t available right now.
5 Dec 2026 - 4 Apr 2027
Hour by Hour
Next 41 hours· Updated Aug 15, 2026 at 6:02 AM
Scroll for the full outlook · Open-Meteo
7-Day Outlook
1,900 mUpdated Aug 15, 2026 at 6:02 AMOpen-Meteo
Days 1–7
0.0cm
Days 8–14
0.0cm
Sat, Aug 15
Clear
Temp31° / 15°°C
Snow0.0cm
Wind10 km/h SE
Live snow from the resort feed; forecast from Open-Meteo, via Supabase.
Understanding the Hochkönig snow report
Planning a day at Hochkönig? Our snow report combines official mountain data with live weather so you know exactly what conditions look like right now, from the 800m base to the 1900m summit.
Snow measurements
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 800m base area, while summit depth captures conditions 1100m higher at 1900m, where snow typically stays colder and lingers longer. Imperial conversions are shown alongside for convenience.
Weather conditions
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 Hochkönig's 800m base elevation, where temperatures run milder than the summit.
Data sources
Snowfall and depth figures for Hochkönig come from official mountain sources; weather and outlook data comes from independent forecasting services. The mountain is served by 34 lifts, including 2 quad chairlifts and 6 6-person chairlifts.
When to check
Snow reports are typically updated early morning and late afternoon. For the most current conditions, check back regularly, especially if a winter storm is approaching.