Conquering Harakiri: Battling Austria's Steepest Ski Slope

Taking on Austria's Most Extreme Slope: The Harakiri Challenge

The Harakiri piste in Mayrhofen stands as Austria's steepest ski slope, a reputation I witnessed firsthand during my recent visit. What began as a beautiful bluebird day would turn into an intense personal challenge against this legendary run.

The Knorren chairlift ride revealed the true nature of what lay ahead. From my elevated vantage point, I watched as skiers and riders succumbed to the slope's brutal steepness, each fall confirming Harakiri's fearsome reputation.

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At the summit, the piste deceives with a gentle introduction before revealing its true character. As you round the corner, the ground seems to vanish, leaving you facing an intimidating ice field with an audience of chairlift spectators above.

My first attempt ended quickly. After a few initial turns, I caught an edge and discovered why Harakiri shows no mercy. The fall sent me sliding down the icy slope, spraying snow in all directions until gravity finally allowed me to stop. Round one clearly went to Harakiri.

A skier taking on the infamous Harakiri. Credit: SnowStash

Undeterred, I immediately headed back up for a second attempt. Armed with experience from my first run, I adapted my strategy, focusing on tighter, more frequent turns to maintain control on the icy surface.

The second run proved different. Each turn connected smoothly as I maintained my edge control, eventually reaching the bottom without falling. Standing at the base of the Knorren chairlift, I looked back up at the imposing slope with a sense of achievement – I had faced Austria's steepest ski run and emerged victorious.