Schlick 2000 Ski Resort Austria
Schlick 2000 is a family-oriented ski resort located amongst stunning surrounds above the village of Fulpmes in the Stubai valley (Stubaital) near Innsbruck, Austria. One of the Powderhounds favourite local ski resorts, Schlick offers great value skiing & snowboarding, fantastic Austrian mountain dining, a range of non-ski activities for all the family, plus (and best of all), some serious fun for freeriders looking to be challenged.
We rate Schlick as a 'Powderhounds secret stash' because despite its apparently small demeanour, the ski area hides some wonderful, big mountain terrain that is often driven past by the hordes that head up to Stubai Glacier. Instead turn right into Fulpmes & check out this little piece of heaven!
Pros and Cons for Schlick Ski Resort
Pros
- Wonderful north-facing terrain in a spectacular setting.
- Snow-sure upper mountain with most terrain above 1,600m.
- Great range of on-piste trails to suit all levels of skier.
- Fun off-piste freeride options for the adventurous.
- Fabulous mountain restaurants, bars & facilities.
- Efficient and ever-improving lift system.
- Excellent value lift pass.
- Good public transport access via the STB tram & bus from Innsbruck & local Stubaital villages.
- Family friendly ski resort with numerous non-ski activities.
- Free ski bus to superb sledding on Elfer11 at Neustift & skiing at Stubai Glacier.
Cons
- Relatively small resort (that skis BIG though).
- Shortish skiable vertical off the top lifts.
- Long, flat connecting trail to the gondola mid-station may test snowboarders!
- Valley trail gets sketchy later in the season (gondola download from mid makes sense at these times).
- Novice surface tows (Schanzlinlift et al) are at low altitude (impacting snow cover) & don't connect well with the gondola mid-station (the trail map is fiction is this regard).
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Village of Fulpmes is a traditional Austrian town that may be perfect for some & too quiet for others.
- If Stubai Glacier (or its access road) are closed on a powder day, expect a few extra riders at Schlick.
- Can attract a large, local crowd on a sunny weekend - they are funny though!
- The size of the resort may be too small for more than a few days visit (unless it pukes of course, then every day is a new powder adventure), but local backcountry, Stubai Glacier & the other Innsbruck resorts are all close-by.
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
Schlick 2000 ski resort provides piste skiing options for every level of skier & snowboarder plus fun off-piste & freeride options on a quality 1,240m of skiable vertical. Easy access to the ski resort is provided via gondola from Fulpmes. Novices & children can alight at the mid-station and learn to ski at Big Ron’s Kinderland (dubious name, but who are we to judge!) plus adjacent surface tows. Everyone else can head to the top where the bulk of the terrain sits in an expansive north facing bowl.
Check out the ski trail map for Schlick below.
Schlick has invested heavily in new lift infrastructure on the upper mountain. Subsequent increases in advanced piste options will please many (including the Powderhounds!). The new (ish) 4-seater & 6-seater chairs all serve terrain above 1,900m elevation. Another quad chair serves 600m of vertical and most of the piste trails and routes.
Off-piste potential abounds in the main alpine bowl, plus some tree skiing down lower for the adventurous. Those in search of powder & freeride challenges can do a short hike up to the high alpine bowls to the skier’s left of the Zirmachbahn top station or drop into steeps & trees directly from the top of the gondola. Outside the resort boundary, big steep lines head down towards the valley on the sunny south-aspect slopes from the top of the gondola at Kreuzjoch. After 3-400m of vertical, it is easy to peel off to the left onto a nice summer trail that exits the area at the Galtalm mountain restaurant, and then continue down to the middle station.
At the end of the day, it is possible to ski the entire 1,240m vertical from Sennjoch all the way into the base area above Fulpmes village.
For season 23/24, the old Galtberg T-bar has been replaced by an extended length 10-person gondola. The new gondola reaches from the mid-mountain base just below Froneben Alm and adds ski terrain by eliminating the surface tow line and reaching a higher lifted point (1,760m elevation). 3km of piste has been added to the resort, however the relatively low elevation of the terrain makes us wonder why they bothered.
Lift Pass
Local lift passes at Schlick 2000 are quite affordable for up to 3.5 days. Rates vary depending on the part of the season. Children under the age of 10yr are free when accompanied by a paying adult. Passes of 4-days duration or more are linked to the 'Stubai Skipass' which gives full access to Stubai Glacier, Serles & Elfer.
Schlick ski resort is also part of Innsbruck’s Ski plus City Pass area which includes 13 ski resorts ranging from the small, like Nordkette, Oberperfuss, Glungezer & Patscherkofel, the in between like Bergeralm, up to the larger such as Stubai Glacier, Axamer Lizum and Kühtai (the highest resort base in Austria). A Ski+City lift Pass is for a minimum 2-days and allows unlimited access to all 13 ski & sled resorts plus a wide range of Innsbruck city attractions. As to whether it is value for money is up to each individual to decide. It provides convenience, but buying local lift passes at the smaller ski areas is far cheaper.
See the Ski+City Pass resorts map.
Snow & Weather
The main ski area of Schlick 2000 sits in a shady northerly aspect above 1,600m elevation which maintains snow quality throughout the season. Snow making augments mother nature on the main piste & valley trails, guaranteeing skiing from November to April.
Where is Schlick 2000 Austria?
Schlick 2000 ski resort is in the Stubaital (Stubai Valley), part of the Tyrol region, Austria. It is only 17km south of Innsbruck & near the village of Fulpmes. It is easily accessible via rental car, public tram & bus. The Stubaitalbahn (STB) tram is a wonderful journey through the valley direct from Innsbruck to the Fulpmes. Local buses that meet the tram complete the journey to the ski resort base. The Stubaitalbahn terminal in Innsbruck is 10min walk from the central station. Note that all local buses to & from the resort base are free with a valid ski lift pass.
Gateway airports for international travellers are Innsbruck (INN) for any travelling from within Europe of the UK & Munich (MUC) for everyone else. Search & book airport transfers to Fulpmes.
For more detailed information see our Travel to Schlick & Fulpmes page.
Schlick & Fulpmes Accommodation
At the base of the Schlick 2000 ski resort the town of Fulpmes provides all accommodation options & further up the valley, Neustift im Stubaital has several excellent hotels. All locations are easily linked to Schlick via the STB tram or free ski bus.
Fulpmes is a wonderful base for a true Austrian village experience & is well placed for forays up to the excellent Stubai Glacier. The town has loads of hotels (including a few luxury 4-stars), self-contained apartments, guesthouses & pensions. We love staying at family-run farm stays and Fulpmes does not disappoint in this regard. All around the fringe of town are numerous farm-stays with either rooms or fully self-contained apartments (ferienwohnung). One of the best farm-stays, and highly recommended by us, is Pension Schottenhof. It is a working dairy farm and also has a few very funny pigs & other friendly beasts, all within walking distance to the centre of town. further along from the Schottendorf, Pension Grubenhof provides a similar lodging experience.
On the mountain, the Schlickeralm Hotel is perfect for first tracks located at 1,616m elevation deep in the ski resort & next to the Sennjochbahn chairlift base station.
In the centre of Fulpmes, the best of the many hotels is the Alpinresort Hotel Stubaierhof. A little further out, the Hotel Cristall is also excellent and comes with a seemingly never-ending breakfast that may leave you without any need for lunch!
For quieter lodgings, but in great locations, up near the Schlick gondola valley station, and overlooking town, is the perfectly located Ferienland Stubai Apartments. Further along the road, a few minutes’ drive from the gondola base, anyone with a rental car should try the Gasthof Gröbenhof. It will provide the perfect Austrian holiday experience at its superb guesthouse, set amongst forest overlooking the valley.
Search & book Schlick 2000 & Fulpmes accommodation.
The world's best ski city of Innsbruck has a wider selection of quality hotels & apartments & is perhaps better suited for those wishing to explore a wider range of local ski areas.
Search & book Innsbruck accommodation.
Ski Rentals, Lessons, & Guiding
Ski rentals are available from our partners in the village of Fulpmes. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Schlick Ski & Snowboard Rental page.
Some off-piste ski lessons & guiding can make all the difference to a visit to Schlick, particularly the backcountry freeride routes from Bergstall, Sennjoch & Kreuzjoch. For more information & options see our Stubaital Ski Lessons & Guiding page.
Other Activities
For anyone visiting Schlick 2000 that is not interested in sliding down hills in the upright position, a range of interesting alternative (non-ski) activities are available.
A visit to Stubai Glacier is worth the ride up the Eisgrat gondola and views at the 'Top of Tyrol' lookout. One can undertake a winter walk down the glacier to Gamsgarten via the 'winter wanderweg'. At Eisgrat there is an ice climbing tower to try, and the Ice Grotto walk into the bowels of the glacier.
Whilst it may not make sense to many overseas visitors, sledding (or rodelbahn!) is a great European winter tradition and worth a try, particularly if with a family or large group. Often combined with lunch, dinner or drinks at a mountain hut, sled runs also run at night under illumination.
At Schlick there is a 3km rodelbahn (sled run). Further up the Stubai valley, Elfer11 mountain rises above the village of Neustift and has three long sled runs, two of which are over 8km long. Numerous other sled runs are in the valley but need to be accessed by foot. All lifts are covered by the Ski+City Pass.
More activities at Schlick 2000 and the Stubaital include a variety of winter walking trails to alpine hüttes like the Galtalm, plus paragliding and a wealth of wellness centres & day spas in Fulpmes. The Austrians (and visitors to Austria) do love a good day spa!
Review
The Powderhounds reviewed Schlick in 2019 & again on a big powder day in March 2024. It is the sort of ski resort that we adore. Not huge, but great snow, fun terrain, low crowds (generally), awesome restaurants & grand surrounds. Click on the review link in the left column or top of the overview (if on a phone) to read its inciteful (& possibly rambling) musings!
See how Schlick 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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