
Kaunertal Glacier is one of Austria's highest and most snow-reliable ski areas, spanning 2,150m to 3,113m across 55km of pistes and 36km of marked ski routes deep in the Tyrolean Alps. The resort is home to the Black Ibex — Austria's steepest groomed slope — with a gradient of 87.85%, steeper than the Mausefalle at Kitzbühel's famed Streif. The mountain sits on the Austrian-Italian border, with three summits exceeding 3,000m and a 360-degree viewing platform at the Karlesjoch that sweeps across Austria, Italy and Switzerland.
The glacier terrain is predominantly above the treeline, set in a wide north-facing bowl that preserves snow quality throughout an exceptionally long season. A single lift pass covers both the glacier ski area and the family-focused Fendels resort further down the valley, as well as the Feichten village lift — making the combined offering well suited to mixed-ability groups. Despite the calibre of the skiing, lift queues remain rare, a consequence of the resort's deliberately remote setting.
Kaunertal Glacier spreads 27 runs across 55 km of piste of terrain. It leans beginner at 41%, with 11 beginner runs to find your feet and 5 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Kaunertal Glacier operates from early October through to late May, one of the longest guaranteed seasons of any ski area in the Austrian Alps. The 2025–26 season runs from 3 October 2025 to 25 May 2026, with the glacier elevation and north-facing orientation delivering consistent natural snow across the full season window. Annual snowfall averages 5 metres, and the resort's position above 2,150m means snow quality holds well into spring when lower-altitude areas have long since closed.
The extended spring period draws a dedicated crowd of freestylers and freestylers to the Snowpark Kaunertal, with the annual Spring Classics event a fixture on the Austrian freestyle calendar. The combination of reliable snow coverage and minimal lift queues makes mid-season visits particularly rewarding, while October and November openings attract race teams and early-season skiers seeking uncrowded glacier conditions.
Kaunertal Glacier sits at the head of the 28km Kaunertal valley in the Landeck district of Tyrol, accessed via the Kaunertal Gletscherstrasse — the fifth-highest paved road in the Alps, climbing 29 hairpin bends to the glacier base at 2,750m. The access road is toll-free for valid lift pass holders. The nearest town with services is Feichten im Kaunertal, 21km below the glacier base, with the regional hub of Prutz a further 11km down the valley at 884m.
Innsbruck Airport is the closest international gateway, approximately 90km to the east via the A12 Inntal Autobahn to the Landeck exit. Train services reach Landeck, from where bus connections run into the valley. Visitors driving from Germany can approach via Füssen or Garmisch to Imst and Landeck. The deliberate remoteness of the location — the Kaunertal road is a toll road for non-skiers — contributes directly to the unhurried atmosphere on the mountain that the resort is known for.
Hotels and lodges near Kaunertal Glacier, powered by Stay22.

Aspen Snowmass turns 80 this December, and it's marking the milestone with $3.75 lift tickets on the anniversary itself - the original 1946 price. A discounted long weekend, $19.46 dining specials, lodging deals up to 46 percent off, and a season of anniversary programming round out the celebration across all four mountains.

Doppelmayr closed its 2025/26 business year with revenue up 9.1 percent to 1.3 billion euros, driven by projects including the Big Sky Explorer Gondola, Deer Valley's Mayflower East Village Gondola, and the first TRI-Line installation at Hoch-Ybrig. Headcount grew too, with the ropeway manufacturer now employing almost 4,000 people worldwide.

Hintertux Glacier is retiring its 40-year-old gondola to the Tuxer Fernerhaus. The replacement carries 10 people per cabin instead of four, with seat heating and nearly 40 percent more hourly capacity. Doppelmayr's new line opens at the end of October 2026, right as the glacier's high-altitude terrain becomes accessible again for the new season.

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation is looking at a major shake-up to its title events calendar. From 2032, World Championships could run not just in odd-numbered years but in every non-Olympic winter too, effectively putting a global title event on the calendar almost every season. The FIS Council has approved the concept following a feasibility study, though an accelerated rollout as early as 2028 is also under consideration.

Mount Buller closes out its 2026 season this Sunday, joining Falls Creek, Hotham and Charlotte Pass in a cluster of closures landing almost simultaneously and roughly a month ahead of schedule. The culprit is stark: Spencers Creek's benchmark snow depth hit 31.2cm on 3 September, just 18% of the 73-year average and an all-time low for this point in the season. Six of Victoria and NSW's best-known resorts will have shut their lifts early within a span of about two and a half weeks.

Tremblant has confirmed a major expansion of its Quebec ski area, with a new Timber Summit sector adding 62 acres of terrain, eight trails and a high-speed quad chairlift for winter 2027/28. It's part of a CAD 42.5 million investment that also includes a new beginner learning zone at Versant Soleil opening this coming season. The project has grown considerably since it was first announced back in 2020, when it carried a far smaller budget and an opening date that never eventuated.

We knew when the Bird Bath Pond Skim showed up on Hotham's Instagram that the season was on its way out. It's been a rough one - I only managed two days on snow all year, at Falls Creek - and now Baw Baw, Selwyn and Hotham have all called it, possibly the worst Australian season I've seen in a decade. Hotham's last day of lift operations is Sunday, 6 September, with a Retro Day, Father's Day après and closing sales before the lifts stop turning for good.

Thredbo Alpine Resort has confirmed plans to replace its 37-year-old Gunbarrel quad chairlift with a new six-seat Doppelmayr D-Line, targeting winter 2028. The AUD 35 million project will keep travel time roughly the same but lift capacity from 2,800 to 3,000 skiers per hour. It's part of a broader investment push that also includes doubled snowmaking capacity at Friday Flat for 2027, with the ageing Kosciuszko Express now flagged as the resort's next major lift replacement after Gunbarrel.
Kaunertal Glacier's 2025-2026 season typically runs from October 3 through May 25. That window is roughly 234 calendar days, though daily operations depend on snow cover, weather, and lift maintenance.
Resorts in Austria, Europe often announce firm dates closer to winter; check the live snow report before you travel if you are planning around opening weekend or spring closure.
Kaunertal Glacier lists about 55 km of piste of marked terrain spread across 27 named runs. That footprint is what most riders experience on a lift-served day. Side-country or hike-to terrain may sit outside these published numbers.
Use the trail map to see how the mountain is laid out and where the longest fall-line runs connect back to base.
Trail grading at Kaunertal Glacier breaks down roughly as 41% beginner, 41% intermediate, 18% advanced. With a strong beginner share, Kaunertal Glacier suits families and first-time visitors who want forgiving warm-up terrain before exploring further upslope.
Percentages describe the resort's published piste mix, not vertical metres. A mountain with modest "expert" stats can still feel demanding if the steep terrain is long or exposed. Read the trail map alongside these numbers when planning your route.
Kaunertal Glacier operates 9 lifts across 5 lift types. The fleet includes 3 t-bars, 2 gondolas, 2 quad chairs, 1 aerial tram, and 1 surface lift.
Lift mix affects how quickly you can lap your favourite zones. Gondolas and trams move big crowds to mid-mountain, while shorter chairs and surface lifts often serve learning areas or local pods. Check the live snow report on ski days for real-time open/closed status.
Base elevation at Kaunertal Glacier is about 2,150 m (7,054 ft), with the summit around 3,113 m (10,213 ft), giving roughly 963 m (3,159 ft) of vertical from base to top.
Higher start heights usually mean colder, drier snow holding longer into spring, but also thinner air and faster weather changes. Pack layers if you are riding from village level to summit lifts in one day.
Kaunertal Glacier averages about 500 cm (197 inches) of natural snowfall per season. That is a long-term climate figure. Any single winter can run well above or below it depending on storm track and temperature.
For trip planning, pair this baseline with the live snow report and webcams: fresh cycles show up in overnight totals and summit cameras long before season averages tell you much about today's surface.
Kaunertal Glacier is affiliated with the Tyrol Pass. Pass holders should confirm current season benefits, blackout dates, and reservation rules on the pass issuer's site. Policies change year to year and can differ between international and domestic products.
If you are not on Tyrol Pass, day tickets and multi-day bundles are still available; see the lift tickets page for published rates and purchase links.
SnowStash pulls together 3 live mountain webcams, a downloadable piste map, and the daily snow report for Kaunertal Glacier so you can plan from home. Webcams refresh on a short interval and are the fastest way to judge visibility, wind exposure, and whether storm snow is still falling.
The snow report adds structured totals, base depth where available, and lift/trail status when the resort publishes it. Use both together: cameras show what it looks like right now, and the report summarises numbers your group can compare day to day.
Yes. The downloadable PDF/image map is better for offline planning, marking meeting points, and understanding the full mountain layout at a glance.
Both versions are on the trail map page for Kaunertal Glacier. If you are navigating with kids or meeting friends across separate lifts, screenshot or print the static map and keep the live map open on your phone for operational updates.
Kaunertal Glacier sits in Austria, Europe. That regional context matters for travel planning: airport transfers, snow tyres, and typical storm patterns all follow geography as much as resort marketing.
Browse nearby accommodation from the resort page if you are comparing village-base vs valley-base stays; where you sleep changes your first lift of the day more than most trail stats do.