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Latest in Tyrol
German Man Used Forged Documents to Ski for Free at Multiple Tyrolean Resorts
A 30-year-old German man spent last winter skiing for free across multiple Tyrolean resorts using a forged industry pass and an old employee ID - until he got caught at the Stubai Glacier in February. The total damage to lift operators came to almost €4,000. He avoided a criminal record through an Austrian diversion agreement, but will have to repay the outstanding damages plus an additional €600 penalty.
St. Johann in Tirol Replaces 45-Year-Old Chairlift With New 10-Person Gondola for 2026-27
A two-seater chairlift from 1981 is making way for a 10-person gondola in St. Johann in Tirol - and if you never rode the old Jodlalm double chair, you missed something. Construction is underway now, capacity jumps from a crawl to 2,400 people per hour, and the new gondola runs direct to the Harschbichl summit at 1,603m without a transfer. Opening planned for winter 2026-27. The chairs from the old lift were sold off - someone's getting a unique garden feature.
Mayrhofen Ski Resort Review: Six Sectors, One Very Steep Groomed Run, and a Valley Pass That Changes the Maths
Mayrhofen has a reputation that starts with one famously steep groomed run and ends with 548 kilometres of valley-wide terrain. Here's an honest breakdown of all six sectors, the lift system, pricing, and who this resort actually suits.
Epic Pass Adds Zillertal Valley Ski Resorts for 2026-27 Season
Epic Pass is expanding its Austrian coverage for 2026-27, adding Zillertal Arena, Hochzillertal-Hochfügen, and Spieljoch to its existing Mayrhofen and Hintertux Glacier partnerships. The Zillertal Valley additions bring 339 miles of runs and 118 lifts to the pass. Here's what Australian skiers need to know about the region and what the expansion means for trip planning.
Kaunertal Glacier Closes Early Despite Fresh Snow and More Forecast
Kaunertal Glacier is calling its 2025/26 season on May 17 - earlier than planned - despite picking up around 7 cm of fresh snow this week with more forecast before the weekend. Snow depths remain solid at altitude, but warm spells, operating costs, and low capacity utilisation have tipped the decision. The planned KTE snowpark event is also off.
Ski Slope Burglary Getaway Foiled by Snow Groomer in Ischgl
Two burglars who broke into a restaurant and attempted to escape down Ischgl's ski slopes at 2am were caught after an alert snowcat driver spotted them hiding in trees. Austrian police used snow groomers to reach the remote location and apprehend the suspects.
Austria Avalanche Deaths Bring Season Total to 28 as Persistent Weak Layer Claims Two Experienced Backcountry Skiers
Two experienced backcountry skiers died in an avalanche on Tamlspitze in Austria's Tux Valley on 28 February, pushing the country's seasonal death toll to 28—more than double the 10-year average. The fatalities underscore ongoing instability from a persistent weak layer affecting the Alps.
Ischgl Completes Two New Lifts as Austrian Resort Continues Infrastructure Overhaul
Ischgl has opened two new eight-seat chairlifts, including what it claims is the world's shortest heated eight-seater. The Höllbodenbahn and Sassgalunbahn installations mark the latest phase in the Austrian resort's ongoing lift replacement programme, with another project already scheduled for 2026.
St. Anton am Arlberg Joins Elite 'Club 5' World Cup Venues
St. Anton am Arlberg has been admitted to the prestigious 'Club 5', an association of top World Cup ski racing venues. This recognition bolsters the resort's bid to host the 2033 World Championships.
Sölden's Ski Infrastructure Upgrade: New 8-Seater Chairlift and Slope Connections
Sölden ski resort is set to enhance its lift system with a new 8-seater chairlift 'Silberbrünnl' and improved slope connections, offering skiers and riders better access and more diverse terrain options.
Tyrol's Winter Tourism Season Shows Resilience Amid Challenges
Tyrol's 2024/25 winter tourism season faces ups and downs, with slight decreases in arrivals and overnight stays. Despite challenges, the industry remains stable, adapting to changing conditions and maintaining its role as a key economic driver for the region.
Silvretta Arena Welcomes 2 Million Visitors for 2024/25 Season
The Silvretta Arena Ischgl/Samnaun has achieved a significant milestone, recording over 2 million first-time visitors for the 2024/25 winter season, marking a return to pre-pandemic levels of success.
Sölden Joins Epic Pass for 2025/26 Ski Season
Vail Resorts adds Sölden, Austria to the Epic Pass lineup for the 2025/26 ski season, offering pass holders access to this high-altitude resort known for its reliable snow and modern amenities.
Saalbach and Zell am See-Kaprun Join Epic Pass for 2025/26 Season
Vail Resorts expands its Epic Pass offering to include Saalbach and Zell am See-Kaprun in Austria for the 2025/26 ski season. This addition provides pass holders access to two of Austria's premier ski areas, enhancing the global appeal of the Epic Pass.
Ischgl Ski Resort Upgrading with Three New 8-Person Bubble Chairlifts
Ischgl, a popular Austrian ski resort, is investing €50 million to replace three existing lifts with state-of-the-art 8-person bubble chairlifts, enhancing guest comfort and transport capacity.
KitzSki and SkiWelt Merger Talks: Creating Austria's Largest Ski Area
Discussions are underway to merge KitzSki and SkiWelt, potentially forming Austria's largest interconnected ski area with over 500 kilometres of slopes.
Kitzbühel's Sound | Escape Festival Boosts Late-Season Tourism
Kitzbühel's Sound | Escape electronic music festival has successfully revitalised the resort's late March weekend, attracting visitors and boosting local businesses. The event featured top DJs and free admission across various venues.
Jungholz Ski Area Acquired by German Company for $1.65 Million
WMM AG, a German company, has purchased the bankrupt Jungholz ski area in Austria for $1.65 million. Plans include reopening for the 2025-26 winter season with new features and affordable pricing.
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Spain Moves to Ban Smoking at Ski Resorts Under New Tobacco Law
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 Approves New 16-Person Ciampinoi Gondola in Val Gardena
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.
Resort Spotlight: Hoshino Tomamu - Corporate Japan's Mountain Playground Revisited
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's New Cable Car Replaces Two Ageing Chairlifts
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 Adds Scarpa Bowl to Its Inbounds Terrain
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 Cut Off After Storm Dumps More Than 4.5 Metres of Snow
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.
Resort Spotlight: Lotte Arai - Japan's Corporate Ski Anomaly With 22 Metres of Annual Snowfall
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.
Resort Spotlight: Banff Sunshine Village - Nine Metres of Snow and a Season That Runs Until May
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.