Mayrhofen: Home of the Harakiri
Despite its extreme terrain reputation, Mayrhofen caters to all levels. The Ahorn area provides gentle slopes for beginners, while the north-facing Penken area offers challenging runs and excellent powder skiing conditions.
Penken Park is one of Austria's premier terrain parks, featuring professionally designed and maintained features for all freestyle levels.
Piste 33 from the Kombibahn top offers breathtaking views of the alpine bowl forming the Penken area's heart. The off-piste freeride terrain under the Lärchwald quad provides excellent tree skiing, especially on powder days.
Hintertux: 365-Day Skiing
Hintertux Glacier delivers genuine year-round skiing with 60 kilometres of pistes served by 21 lifts, operating between 1,500 and 3,250 metres elevation. Professional ski teams worldwide use Hintertux for summer training due to its reliable conditions and quality terrain.
The resort's Nature's Ice Palace offers a unique underground glacial cave system with naturally formed ice sculptures and frozen waterfalls developed over thousands of years.
Top runs include the freeride terrain under Lärmstange 1 lift, piste 13 through a towering mountain gully, piste 2 for high-altitude powder skiing, and piste 1 for the full vertical descent from Tuxerjoch summit to village.
Silvretta Montafon: The Newest Addition
Announced on May 23rd, Silvretta Montafon brings 140 kilometres of pistes across two interconnected mountains in Austria's westernmost Vorarlberg state. The resort remains relatively under the international radar, meaning lower crowds and a more authentic Austrian mountain experience.
The terrain includes challenging "Black Scorpions" runs among Austria's steepest marked slopes. Silvretta Montafon will host the FIS Freestyle World Championship in 2027, indicating significant investment in world-class terrain park infrastructure.
The resort offers unique sunrise skiing sessions, providing early-morning lift access for uncrowded slopes and spectacular photography opportunities.
Value Proposition and Economics
Austrian daily lift tickets typically cost around 75 euros, significantly less than premium US resorts charging $200+. However, the real value comes from having world-class international skiing included with your domestic Epic Pass access.
Austrian ski trips can actually cost less than domestic US trips when factoring in budget airlines, efficient public transport, competitive accommodation, and the added value of authentic Alpine culture, mountain huts, traditional cuisine, and après-ski experiences.
Looking Ahead
These Austrian additions transform the Epic Pass from a North American product with international perks into a comprehensive global skiing platform. Austria, the birthplace of modern alpine skiing, now offers Epic Pass holders access to legendary terrain steeped in skiing history and tradition.
With over 800 kilometres of Austrian pistes and 20+ potential ski days, Epic Pass holders can plan three-week Austrian adventures exploring some of the world's most historic and challenging ski terrain, all while experiencing authentic Alpine culture in its birthplace.
