Obertauern Ski Resort Austria
Obertauern ski resort is one of Austria's most snow sure, non-glacier skiing areas. The village at Obertauern is over 1,600m elevation, guaranteeing a long ski season from late November to early May - exactly what Powderhounds is looking for!
Our visit to Obertauern showcased the ski resorts versatility, catering perfectly to novices, beginners & intermediates, plus providing enough challenging thrills & spills for advanced & expert freeriders to make it worth the journey. And best of all, the high annual snowfall meant we skied powder when we least expected it.
Pros & Cons for Obertauern Ski Resort
Pros
- High elevation base area in one of the snowiest parts of Austria.
- Ultra-modern & efficient lift system.
- No lift lines.
- Good range of piste trails for all levels (but less for advanced on piste).
- Wonderful ski resort to learn-to-ski.
- Interesting variety of off-piste terrain.
- Great après ski particularly in the upper valley.
- Plethora of ski-in ski-out accommodation.
- Very good value lift pass price linked with Grosseck Speiereck.
- Easy public transport access by bus & ample free car parking for day trippers right near the lifts.
Cons
- Short skiable vertical off most lifts (200 to 400m with two notable exemptions).
- Major piste trails can be very busy & get skied off & bumped quite early on busy weekends.
- Several long, flat linking trails & some off piste exits create issues for snowboarders.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Village is spread along the valley, so no strong central village.
- Accommodation can be relatively expensive & books out quickly in high season (but there are options off the mountain).
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
Mellow on one side, steep on the other & a little of both down the ends, Obertauern’s skiing & snowboarding terrain lines a high & broad mountain pass. In many respects similar to the excellent Kühtai ski resort near Innsbruck, Obertauern is geared towards the family & intermediate end of the market with nearly 100km of groomed trails of wide easy cruisers. The groomers are offset by some sensational off-piste & freeride terrain that once found, is hugely enjoyable. Steeps, trees, couloirs & bowls have quality snow on a shaded northerly aspect & relatively little competition for first tracks.
Check out the ski trail map for Obertauern below.
At less than 700m, the skiable vertical at Obertauern is short compared to most European resorts. Much of the terrain, particularly on the sun-soaked northern side of the valley is much less than this. Similarly, the longest trail is only 3km long. Does any of this really matter? Not really, the ski experience is still great! For more advanced powder seekers, we found the best terrain around the Zehnerkar gondola, off the Gamsleitenspitz, and below the Schaidberg 6-seater chairlift.
Ski Lifts
Despite masses of humans on the easy piste trails, lift queues are non-existent due to the ultra-modern & perhaps overly generous bum-warming lift system. The lifts include a couple of combi chondolas (combined gondola & chairlift) which sorts out the hard from the soft (always take the chair, cos who wants to take skis off if you don’t have too!)
One of the ski-lift highlights at Obertauern is riding up the much-photographed Gamsleitenbahn 2, ironically the resort's oldest chairlifts. The slow double chair allows for plenty of viewing time on the way up, but the terrain is not as gnarly as most photos depict, but it is still great fun on or off-piste on the way down.
The complex expanse of terrain across both sides of the valley is cunningly connected to the lifts by a series of bridges & trails. Snowboarders may want to take a long hard look at the terrain & trail map to avoid the worst of several long, flat connecting traverses. It is more of a skier’s hill!
Lifts Pass
Obertauern ski resort, as with most Austrian resorts, has multiple ski lift pass options for anyone staying multi-days. The basic day passes are also valid in Grosseck Speiereck, 16km to the south, adding another string to the Obertauern bow.
As part of the Ski Lungo Pass & Salzburgerland Superski Card areas, anyone planning on a road trip of more than a week to a few ski resorts may benefit from the purchase of one these multi-resort passes.
Snow & Weather
Obertauern statistically receives the highest snowfall of all Austrian non-glacier ski resorts outside of Vorarlberg (Damüls-Mellau, Silvretta Montafon, Warth-Schröcken, Zürs et al). Its high base & geographical location allows storms to reach it from most directions. Adequate tree lined slopes allow for skiing in even the worst visibility, & when the sun comes out, utterly glorious.
Where is Obertauern Austria?
The Obertauern ski resort is in Salzburgerland, central Austria, 100km by road south of beautiful Salzburg & only 2.5hr drive from Munich. The closest major town away from the resort is Radstadt, 21km to the north. Gateway airports are Munich (MUC) & Salzburg (SZG). Salzburg airport only accepts flights from origins within Europe or the UK. Another alternative to Salzburg would be Innsbruck (INN) airport.
The Powderhounds recommend taking the train & bus from the airports to Obertauern, but for those that just cannot abide public transport or are travelling in larger groups, the most efficient (but costly) mode of travel is a private transfer.
Search & book private airport transfers to Obertauern.
By public transport, take the train to Radstadt. From Salzburg to Radstadt by rail takes 1hr20min. Trains also travel to Radstadt from Zurich, Munich, Graz etc, then one can jump on the route 280 Postbus [bus-stop out front of the train station or from the near the centre of Radstadt at the Post Office (Postamt)]. The bus goes through Obertauern to Mauterndorf (Grosseck Speiereck - lift pass linked to Obertauern) and near Katschberg. Radstadt Bahnhof is on the same railway line as Schladming 4 Berge - only a few min away on the train (or by car). Note that the Postbus to Obertauern from Radstadt is free to ski pass holders with skiing equipment. Most bus drivers will let you on for free if you just have ski equipment, however there is the odd one that will inexplicably ask an individual for their ski pass. How a bus driver can let 40 people onto a bus & not ask for a ticket, but then asks one-person (me in this case) beggars’ belief. He was told as much!
Search & book train tickets to Radstadt. From Radstadt buy a bus ticket from the driver.
The journey up the hill is via Untertauern, then through a gorgeous gorge (always wanted to write that!). If driving a rental car, the road presents minimal problems & is generally wide enough to avoid many ‘is that oncoming bus going to hit me’ moments! Parking is free & ample throughout the resort. P2 is the biggest, just alongside the two main gondolas. P3 is the most convenient if you can get a space. P7 is best if hunting powder first thing or coming up from the south (Mauterndorf). P7 also has the best après ski facilities within 50m of the car park.
Obertauern Accommodation
The Obertauern valley comprises several clusters of accommodation centred on the three main lift base areas within the ski resort. Like the glorious Kühtai to west near Innsbruck, the local topography means the majority of Obertauern accommodation is delightfully ski-in ski-out, offering the ultimate is convenience. The problem with all that convenience is that Obertauern is popular & accommodations can book out quickly.
Search & book all Obertauern ski accommodation.
Alternative to the ski resort lodgings are the charming towns of Radstadt to the north or Mauterndorf to the south. Radstadt has super transport links & lovely old town (incl. walls & towers) & makes the better first choice alternative! Although Mauterndorf is a delight too, overlooked by a castle no less!
For detailed info & recommendations on the best accommodation in the resort village, see our Where to Stay in Obertauern page.
Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guiding
Our local partners have multiple convenient snow equipment rental shops near the ski lifts at the resort. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Obertauern Ski & Snowboard Rental page.
Obertauern has a host of ski & snowboard instructor & mountain guide options. Search & book via our Obertauern Ski & Snowboard Rental page.
Nearby Ski Resorts
Obertauern is in the heart of a major Austrian ski region. Glacier skiing at Dachstein, massive piste terrain at Schladming 4 Berge, classic Grand Hotels, modern infrastructure & awesome freeride at Gastein, numerous ‘boutique' powder ski offerings like Zauchensee, plus the expansive Snow Space Salzburg (incl. Flachau & Wagrain) make it an interesting ski safari region, particularly in a cold, heavy snow season.
Radstadt has its own ski hill on the same bus route but the stop is a short walk from the gondola, plus a specific local 'schibus' with multiple in town pick-up points drops off right at the gondola.
Review
The Powderhounds reviewed Obertauern, the snowiest ski resort in Salzburgerland, in 2019 & had a great time in a resort that delivered exactly what we thought it would. we are due to return soon. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read its marvellous prose.
See how Obertauern compares to the rest of the Austrian ski resorts on the Austria ski resort ratings page, or compare to the rest of Europe on the European ski resort ratings page.
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