TL;DR
Tyrol's highest ski area is gearing up to open a full month ahead of most of the Alps. The Pitztal Glacier is scheduled to start its 2026/27 season on Saturday 26 September, running through to 2 May 2027, with the lower-altitude Rifflsee area following in December. High-altitude terrain up to 3,440 metres gives the glacier a head start on snow, though as always, the actual opening extent will depend on how September's weather plays out. Early online ski pass bookings can save up to 30%.
Tyrol's highest ski area is set to open a full month before most of the Alps get their season underway
The Pitztal Glacier, home to Austria's highest lift-served terrain, is scheduled to open for the 2026/27 winter season on Saturday 26 September 2026. Lift operations are set to continue through to 2 May 2027, giving the glacier one of the longer operating windows of any ski area in the Alps. The lower-lying Rifflsee ski area, which connects to the glacier and sits closer to the valley village of Mandarfen, is due to open later in the season, from 12 December 2026 through to 4 April 2027.
As with every season, both the opening and closing dates remain subject to change depending on snow conditions and weather in the lead-up, and the operator has flagged that the actual extent of open terrain in the first weeks will depend heavily on how much snow falls in September.
