Alpbach ski resort guide Ski area, apres-ski, things to see & do in Alpbach
Overview
Ski holidays in Alpbach - just over 1 hours drive from Innsbruck, Alpbach ski resort sits at 1000m on a sunny plateau in the Alpbach valley in the Kitzbüheler Alpen region of Austria.
Alpbach is an authentic, and very pretty ski resort which is growing in popularity especially with the new 8-seater gondola lift connection to the Wildschönau valley which gives a total of 145km of pistes to tour around.
The Alpach valley has 3 villages - Alpbach, Reith and Kramsach with a total population of just over 2600.
For people coming on summer or ski holidays in Alpbach, you are in for a treat - it is one of the prettiest villages in the Alps with stunning ski chalets and in summer, flowers ooze from every balcony.
Skiing in Alpbach & Wildschönau
Ski holidays in Alpbach have gone to a new level with the high speed gondola link in to the Wildschönau valley connecting the resorts of Oberau, Niederau and Auffach.
The new combined ski area is called Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau and gives 145km of mainly beginner and intermediate runs.
Alpbach is also part of the Kitzbüheler Alpen where you can ski across 5 close by ski areas linking up many resorts including Zell am See - Kaprun where you can go summer skiing on the glacier.
| Key information (whole area) | |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 1006m |
| Top lift | 2030m |
| Family | |
| Beginner | |
| Intermediate | |
| Expert | |
| Piste (km) | 145 |
| Longest run | 7 km |
| Off piste | |
| Cross country | 100 km |
| Season | Dec to April |
| Snowboard parks | 3 |
| Heli Skiing | ✘ |
| Summer skiing | ✘ |
| Glacier skiing | ✘ |
| Babysitting | ✔ |
| Creche | ✔ |
| Apres ski | Lively |
Beginners
First timers will enjoy the sunny nursery slopes above the church in the town centre and then progressing on to some gentle blues on Wiedersberger Horn.
Intermediate
There are some good reds to try out but these will only keep you entertained for a few days. The other options are to practice your off-piste skills and go in the back-country with a guide or venture out to one of the other ski resorts covered by the Kitzbuheler lift pass.
Advanced
For the advanced skier, there are limited on-piste options but the off-piste story is far better with some challenging 1000m vertical descents such as route 1 to the Achenwirt mid-lift station.
From the back of the Widersberger Horn, you can ski in to Hart in the Ziller valley. This should really only be attempted with a guide and its a taxi ride back. In total, there are some 17km of off-piste itineraries.
Cross-country
Whether skating or classic style - you'll find around 100km of groomed cross-country trails that lead you through an landscape of spectacular mountain scenery, tree-lined trails and rivers.
Snowboard
There are 3 terrain parks in the Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau area that cater for beginners through to experts.
Things to see & do
If you fancy a break from skiing, there are plenty of other activities to try...
- There are 8 great toboggan runs including the 6 km toboggan run on Reither Kogel and the 4km night tobogganing track at Bischoferalm in Alpbach (4 km)
- Ice skating
- Winter hiking trails
- Wörgl Water World with it's indoor pool, double looping water slide, saunas and various treatments
- Parapenting
Après-ski
The apres-ski typically starts in one of the many lively mountain huts with live music and continues well into the early hours back in the ski resort. There are several quieter bars and restaurants to relax in if partying all night is not your thing.
Children
If you are travelling with a young family, children are very well catered for in Alpbach. The ski schools are excellent and there are several kindergartens for the very young ones (2-4 years old) and the Juppi Kid's Club in Reith takes children between 2 and 12 years old.
Our view on ski holidays in Alpbach
Alpbach is a good option for family ski holidays where the emphasis is on beginners and intermediate skiers and boarders.
If you like Alpbach, Hemsedal in Norway is another good option for something different and with the prospect of seeing the Northern Lights. Alternatively, Kranjska Gora in Slovenia which s another excellent ski resort for families.
