Mayrhofen is part of the Zillertal 3000 ski region that includes Mayrhofen, Finkenberg, Lanersbach / Eggalm and the Hintertux Glacier, together offering 245 km pistes, 67 lifts and year round skiing on the Hintertux Glacier. The skiing in Mayrhofen itself is spread across the 2 sides of the valley with the Ahorn ski area being best suited to families and beginners and the Penken side being ideal for intermediates and above skiers and snowboarders. Sort through the ski types below:
[ppmaccordion] [ppmtoggle title=”Beginner Skiing”]Beginner skiers in Mayrhofen should head over to the Ahorn side of the valley. The huge Ahorn cable car takes skiers up to the peak where an area of exclusively blue skiing is on offer. There are facilities at this area and terrain is ideal for beginners. The Penken side offers a small kids and beginners ski area located at the top of the Penken gondola but the terrain is more limited for beginners and is mixed with tougher skiing. The Ahorn area offers a decent sized area for beginners to practice and improve in and the cable car is on hand to take beginners back down to Mayrhofen at the end of the day.
[/ppmtoggle] [ppmtoggle title=”Intermediate Skiing”]Intermediate skiers have a huge amount to go at in Mayrhofen and the Zillertal 3000 ski region. But for a look (and of course the White Lounge) then the Ahorn side of the valley has very little for better intermediates. Lesser intermediate skiers may well want to find their feet on the blue pistes of the Ahorn and the downhill piste back to the resort but for more adventurous intermediates then the Penken area is the one to head for. The Penken area offers excellent and extensive ski terrain for the intermediate skier with runs out to the Eggalm part of the Zillertal 3000 ski region the really highlight. The pistes wind south over toward the soaring Hintertux Glacier all at a good altitude ensuring the best of the snow conditions and intermediate skiers can cover a good distance heading out over to the Eggalm area and back. The Hintertux Glacier offers further intermediate terrain and can be reached by a short bus transfer from beneath the Eggalm ski area. The Hintertux Glacier is one of the steeper glacier skiing areas in Austria with more challenging gradients than many other glaciers. It offers a good range of options for the better intermediates and given the skiing takes place up to 3250m then the snow conditions can be outstanding.
[/ppmtoggle] [ppmtoggle title=”Advanced Skiing”]Mayrhofen offer a good range and extent of tough skiing and the better skiers should find some great terrain. Possibly the best known of the tough skiing is the Harakiri piste – the steepest groomed slope in Austria. It is genuinely steep and what marks it out against other steep slopes is the fact that it is groomed and free of moguls that are common on other steep, non-groomed slopes. So what you have essentially is a very steep carpet. Well worth tackling, the Harakiri is also great entertainment as it attracts those who maybe shouldn’t be there – stand towards the bottom and watch it spit out those whose abilities are eclipsed by their self-belief.
For the serious advanced skiers then the Harakiri will represent a passing interest, the real terrain lies off-piste and I particular the routes under the 150er cable car. The height, gradient and local snow history of the Penken area ensure that the off-piste is some of the best in the Zillertal Valley.
[/ppmtoggle] [ppmtoggle title=”Off-Piste”]For the better skiers in Mayrhofen then the off-piste will be an obvious attraction. The terrain under the 150er cable car offers steep and extensive terrain for off-piste skiing. As well as the avalanche dangers the area has a number of rocks, many large enough to see but really not where you want to end up that is for sure. Ski guides for this area are advised and can only enhance the experience since this area has many superb spots to explore. There are some more recognised marked ski routes that also offer some great off-piste skiing in the right conditions including the Penken Tappental and the Rastkogel Weitental as well as the lower ski routes back to Hippach and Finkenberg.
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