After being closed for four days whilst they 'found the road again' following a major winter storm, we were one of the first cars up to sample the powder at Kaunertal when it re-opened on a snowy February Friday morning. To say the drive up was simple would be over-stating it. The snow tyres on our car were rubbish and traction was precarious on the upper sections, particularly on the bends. Negotiating past the snow-clearer on the dam wall was also interesting. It served as a gentle reminder that this is a private road more akin to accessing a New Zealand ski resort than one in Austria, and that in icy conditions, anyone with reservations about winter driving should take the bus.
The road up to the top was still mostly buried so we parked at the lower Ochsenalm car park. Ostensibly here to check some new lifts and lifted terrain, we explored the new Weissseejoch gondola first thing as its roller door was lifted at the bottom station. All by our lonesome we checked out the new intermediate piste trail and skier bridge across the road whilst the viability was negligible. As the cloud lifted we slashed fresh tracks into the interesting off-piste directly from the top station of the gondola. The Zolllhaus & Weissseejoch variantes provide a series of rolling short vertical drops either side of the piste, it had plenty of whoops & yips to make it fun without any real danger. As the followers arrived we headed further up the hill.
In the main bowl there were knee deep fresh tracks to be had between the beginner pistes of the Nörderjoch T-bar. The new(ish) Falginjoch cable car provided comfortable access to steep & deep north-aspect powder directly under the lift line. This area was once served by a surface tow, so removing the infrastructure and replacing it two strategically placed cable car towers has vastly improved the skiing here. Some of the turns were waist deep. A shame the skiable vertical in this part of the resort is not huge. Kaunertal's greatest drawback is its lack of long consistently pitched fall line inbounds terrain. However fresh deep turns are fresh deep turns and no one was complaining.
Heading up the Karlesjoch gondola for a few runs allowing us to re-sample the advanced terrain including the Weisejaggl variante. Great fun, but after the traverse to the start of the descent, a few nasty sharks lurked under the powder in the various entry couloirs, including one that rather abruptly upended me! Even in deep snow, care still needs to be taken here, but that should go without saying for any off-piste freeriding.
The sun arrived in the afternoon, and we were well-spent. The ski-in car park at Ochsenalm is a delight when fatigued. Skied straight back the rear of our rental car after a glorious day. The road was much improved by the time we left. Naturally the bus up for Feichten was crossing the dam wall at the same time we did. Had to put the mirrors in to pass, but it emphasised the skill of the drivers and how they provide a great alternative to getting up on a questionable morning.
On this visit we stayed in Feichten. Kaunertal has no accommodation on the hill and Feichten-im-Kaunertal is the closest to the entry gate. Despite being relatively small, it has plenty going on after hours for a few nights visit, including the heady sight, sound & scent of dairy bovines. It’s not called Cownertal for nothing! Surprisingly, the bar & restaurant at the local swimming pool proved to be the most convivial location to dine but there are several others lurking amongst the many hotels and guesthouses. You can buy fresh milk from a dispenser outside one of the dairies too!
We love Kaunertal Glacier for its deep snow, spectacular alpine surrounds, lack of people and now it is even better with the new lifts and additional terrain. Paying for your lift pass from the comfort of your vehicle at the entry gate just out of Feichten is another bonus. Time it right and visit here when in Austria. And if you roll in and the road closes because of a storm, be patient and ski Fendels or Serfaus Fiss Ladis until it opens.
There is nothing better than standing at the bottom of a ski resort on the morning of a cold, clear powder day and as the lifts start loading you see absolutely NO ONE ELSE. Sure, others eventually appeared, but that moment of “it s all ours” is priceless. Welcome to Kaunertal Glacier.
We didn’t know what to expect of our visit to Kaunertal. We knew it got a lot of snow & was at the end of a long winding road. We hoped it would be quiet & uncrowded. It was. We expected to ski dry powder snow. We did. We thought it would be a great little spot for Powderhounds. We were right. So nothing else matters right? Turns out it does…….
So what is Kaunertal Glacier ski resort & what is it not…
It IS a fun, snow sure, high alpine ski resort. When the weather is good Kaunertal provides a wonderful place to not only learn to ski, but progress from beginner to intermediate. It is also a great place for those looking for freeride routes & backcountry access to explore. And most of all, Kaunertal is a quiet ski resort where one can still find solitude, ski perfect groomers or powder all day & get up close & personal with a glacier or two.
It is NOT as big as it first appears. Skiable vertical off the lifts is acceptable at nearly 1000m but the actual terrain is not huge. The piste trails are only interesting for a few days at best, only a morning if you are an advanced rider not interested in freeride. It is not a super-steep fall line kinda ski hill. Interrupted fall line means much of the off-piste skiing is in short bursts. It also isn’t a big, bad party ski village kind of resort, because there is no village. Accommodation & any after hours partying is way down in the charming village of Feichton, or further away at Prutz & beyond.
A small thing that made a big impression on the enjoyment of the day was an interaction with an overzealous staff member come ‘salad bowl overseer’ in the Gletscherrestaurant Weisssee. Apparently, one cannot present a full bowl of salad without being threatened an extra charge for putting too much in! As to what ‘too much’ is was left undefined. Whilst it could have been an amusing interlude, the incident left us with a sour taste in our mouths which went perfectly with the uninspired food & bitter coffee. Shame, because it’s the only restaurant on the mountain. If you want a snack or drink, use the small café/bar at the base of the chairlift. Friendly folk down there!
A blessing but also a curse at Kaunertal is the road. Whilst it provides vehicle access to a lofty 2750m plus the ability for anyone in a group with a car to ski it without the need for lifts, the road has its issues. Principal among them from a Powderhounds point of view is the road cuts through some of the better off-piste terrain. Kaunertal is also one of the few ski resorts in Europe where a road use fee applies (the road is private!). When the lifts close (or even when they open!), 800ish vertical metres is skiable from road’s top car park all the way down the reservoir in the upper valley.
Visit Kaunertal Glacier to enjoy a picture perfect glacier ski resort, but BYO lunch! Keep coming back to Kaunertal for its long ski season & to explore the multitude of ski touring & freeride routes that extend from this glorious location.
We watch with interest whether new ski lift projects (including one into Italy) go ahead in the near future. Could be a game changer for the resort.