
100km of pistes at 1,630-2,313m. Austria's snowiest resort with 264cm average depth. 26 lifts, ski-in/ski-out village.
Obertauern spans 100 kilometres of pistes across 76 runs between 1,630 and 2,313 metres elevation, with a vertical drop of 683 metres. The resort holds the distinction of being Austria's snowiest winter sports destination, recording a mean maximum snow depth of 264 centimetres according to a 2016 study analysing 30 years of hydrographic data. Snowmaking covers 95 kilometres of terrain, whilst the high base elevation at 1,740 metres ensures reliable conditions from late November through early May. The terrain suits intermediates particularly well, with 61 per cent blue runs and 35 per cent red runs.
The signature Tauernrunde circuit connects all 26 lifts in a continuous loop around the bowl-shaped village, allowing skiers to complete a full circuit without repeating any lift. The clockwise pink circuit follows red and blue runs for confident skiers, whilst the anticlockwise green circuit sticks to beginner-friendly blue terrain. Gamsleiten 2 ranks as Austria's second-steepest marked piste, delivering sustained gradients up to 100 per cent with natural moguls forming through the day. The Super Seven Summit Tour links the seven highest mountain stations for stronger skiers seeking a full-day challenge.
Obertauern functions as a purpose-built ski village straddling the Tauern Pass, with nearly all accommodation offering ski-in, ski-out access directly to the slopes. The compact layout means 11 different lift entry points are spread around the village, eliminating long walks in ski boots. An après-ski mile featuring 25 ski lodges runs through the resort, with Lürzer Alm and Edelweissalm drawing crowds from mid-afternoon. The resort gained international recognition in 1965 when The Beatles filmed snow scenes for Help! here, choosing Obertauern for its guaranteed snow when other resorts lacked cover.
Lift passes valid for 1.5 days or longer include access to the Grosseck-Speiereck ski area in Mauterndorf, 15 kilometres away, effectively expanding the skiable terrain. Adult day passes range from EUR 49 in regular season to EUR 58 during peak periods, with six-day passes priced at EUR 245 to EUR 290. The resort suits intermediate skiers seeking reliable snow and efficient piste access, families wanting ski-in, ski-out convenience, and groups combining quality skiing with a lively après-ski scene. Expert terrain is limited to a handful of black runs, so advanced skiers may exhaust challenging terrain within a few days.
Obertauern spreads 76 runs across 100 km of piste of terrain. It leans beginner at 61%, with 46 beginner runs to find your feet and 4 advanced or expert runs when you want to push.
Obertauern operates from 21 November 2025 through 3 May 2026 for the current season, delivering over five months of continuous skiing. Lifts run daily from 08:30 to 16:00 during the main season, with partial operations continuing from 20 April through the closing date when the Zehnerkarbahn, Grünwaldkopfbahn, and Seekareckbahn remain open. The resort typically maintains full operations from late November through mid-April, with reduced lift pass prices of approximately 30 per cent applying from 20 April onwards. Early morning skiing runs every Wednesday from 08:30 on the Zehnerkarbahn, Gamsleitenbahn, and Achenrainbahn.
Annual snowfall averages approximately 562 centimetres, with January historically recording the highest monthly totals around 151 centimetres. The high base elevation at 1,740 metres and summit access to 2,313 metres ensures the ski area sits well above the freezing level throughout winter. Weather systems arrive from both north and south of the Hohe Tauern mountains, creating the convergence pattern responsible for Obertauern's exceptional natural snowfall. Snowmaking infrastructure covers 95 kilometres of the 100-kilometre piste network with 120 snow cannons, allowing early season opening even before significant natural snowfall arrives.
January and February deliver the most consistent snow conditions, with the snowiest week typically falling in the first week of February when an average of 44 centimetres falls across 4.1 snow days. December offers good early season skiing once the base has established, particularly in the second half of the month. March maintains excellent conditions on the higher terrain whilst benefiting from longer daylight hours and warmer temperatures. Spring skiing through April provides softer snow in the mornings with corn conditions developing by afternoon on south-facing aspects.
The annual Ski Opening Week features headline concerts marking the season launch - the 2025/26 season opened with performances from Seiler und Speer and Edmund. Night skiing operates every Monday and Thursday from 19:00 to 22:00 on the floodlit 1.5-kilometre run served by the Edelweissbahn chairlift. The SHEskiS women's ski day supporting the Pink Ribbon campaign takes place on 11 April 2026, whilst the Gamsleiten treasure hunt runs from 16-19 April with prizes including a BMW. First.Track mornings occur monthly, opening lifts at 07:30 with alpine brunch included.
Obertauern sits at 1,740 metres on the Tauern Pass in the Radstädter Tauern mountains, positioned on the border between the Pongau and Lungau regions of Salzburgerland. The village occupies a natural bowl formation surrounded by peaks on all sides, creating the distinctive snow-catching amphitheatre that earns it the nickname 'snow bowl'. The ski area extends above the treeline, providing open alpine terrain with panoramic views in all directions. Obertauern falls within the municipality of Untertauern in the Sankt Johann im Pongau district, approximately 90 kilometres south of Salzburg city.
The nearest settlements include Untertauern 8 kilometres north, Tweng 7 kilometres south, and the historic market town of Radstadt 20 kilometres to the north. Mauterndorf lies 15 kilometres south in the Lungau valley, providing access to the linked Grosseck-Speiereck ski area. The region has witnessed winter traffic since 1929, when regular winter crossings of the Tauern Pass first became possible, though skiing arrived earlier with soldiers training here around 110 years ago. Radstadt offers rail connections and serves as the gateway for those travelling by public transport.
Drivers from Salzburg follow the A10 Tauern Motorway to exit 63 at Radstadt, then continue on the B99 Katschberg Federal Road through Untertauern to the pass - a journey of approximately 92 kilometres taking just over one hour. From Munich, the route follows marked motorways to Salzburg before joining the A10 south, covering roughly 220 kilometres. Those arriving from Villach or the south exit the A10 at St Michael toll station (exit 104), passing through Mauterndorf to approach from the Lungau side. Winter tyres are mandatory on Austrian roads, and snow chains may be required on the final approach to the pass.
Salzburg Airport lies approximately 90 kilometres north, with transfers taking around 70-75 minutes by private shuttle or taxi. Klagenfurt Airport provides an alternative at 140 kilometres, whilst Munich Airport sits 220 kilometres away. Radstadt railway station, the nearest rail connection at 20 kilometres, receives direct services from Salzburg (80 minutes), Innsbruck, Munich, and Vienna. Line 280 buses operate from Radstadt Bahnhof to Obertauern every four hours, taking 28 minutes - note that public transport throughout the Salzburg region became free of charge in May 2025 for those using Salzburg Verkehr services.
Hotels and lodges near Obertauern, powered by Stay22.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
Full day skiing at Obertauern, Austria's most snow-sure resort at 1,740 meters. Experience 100 kilometers of slopes in the legendary Snow Bowl setting.
Buy passYouth skiing at Obertauern with access to Austria's snow-sure slopes. Perfect for teens to experience reliable powder conditions from November to May.
Buy passChildren's skiing at Obertauern with beginner-friendly terrain and ski school access. Family-oriented Austrian resort with gentle learning slopes.
Buy passFree skiing for children 6 and under at Obertauern when accompanied by parent. Complimentary access to Austria's most reliable snow conditions.
Buy passSenior lift ticket for Obertauern from 63 years. Discounted access to Austria's Snow Bowl with comfortable lifts and mountain huts.
Buy passObertauern pass valid at nearby Grosseck-Speiereck for 1.5+ day tickets. Explore additional Austrian terrain 15 kilometers away with same ski pass.
Buy passAfternoon skiing at Obertauern from noon. Perfect for shorter visits to Austria's most snow-reliable resort with guaranteed powder conditions.
Buy passNight skiing at Obertauern on Edelweiss lift Mondays and Thursdays 7-10pm. Experience Austrian Alpine skiing under the stars with floodlit slopes.
Buy passFlexible point system at Obertauern for casual skiing. 400-point card valid for two seasons with points deducted per lift ride based on duration.
Buy passSix-day Obertauern skiing with consecutive day validity. Experience Austria's Snow Bowl with savings over daily rates and reliable powder conditions.
Buy passLungo pass for four Austrian ski areas including Obertauern, Grosseck-Speiereck, Fanningberg, and Katschberg. Regional skiing variety in Salzburg.
Buy passUnlimited access to Obertauern all season from November to May. Austria's longest winter season with most reliable snow conditions in the Alps.
Buy passDay passes start from €18, with peak rates up to €58.
More Obertauern intelligence: snow report, webcams, resort overview.