Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn Ski Resort
Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn ski resort is one of the largest lift interlinked ski areas (also one of the longest names!) in Austria. Known for its relaxed vibe (locally known as 'Lassig') & huge freeride terrain, Skicircus Saalbach has an impressive 270km of piste trails and a truly vast off-piste.
Rated as "Best Overall Ski Resort in Europe" by Powderhounds for several years, Ski Circus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn should be firmly on everyone's bucket list. If the snow is good off-piste and in the backcountry, there is a lifetime of skiing here.
Pros & Cons for Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn
Pros
- Scored Powderhounds' #1 Best Overall Ski Resort in Europe for several years so is a bonafide great ski area.
- Fantastic, modern lift system.
- Superb, unfettered off-piste on a powder day in classic Austrian terrain.
- Excellent intermediate piste trails.
- Fresh tracks available days after last snowfall in some sectors.
- Huge terrain to explore - 270km of ski trails.
- Lift pass valid in Zell am See & Kaprun-Kitzsteinhorn.
- Wonderful on-mountain dining & huts.
- Fabulously fun après, party & nightlife opportunities.
- Loads of ski-in accommodation.
- Train access available via Fieberbrunn, Leogang and/or Zell am See.
- Free car parking for day-trippers at Vorderglemm & other locations.
Cons
- Relatively low base & summit elevations vulnerable in ‘warm winters’ with associated snow quality issues.
- Becoming more crowded, even in low season.
- Prices are increasing proportionally to its popularity, particularly in restaurants & hotels.
- Hotel availability in the villages becoming difficult if on a budget.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Off-piste terrain requires a relatively low snow base to be skiable.
- Hotel standard in the resort is very high but comes with an associated expensive price tag & limited availability. it is possible to do easy day trips from other more affordable locations nearby.
- You can have too much fun here!
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
The statistics speak volumes - 70 modern lifts (a whopping 29 gondolas at last count), 270km of piste trails and over 1,300m skiable vertical. The area covered by the Skicircus Saalbach ski pass includes terrain for all abilities, across a gargantuan region, on all aspects, and in 5 different valleys. Skicircus Saalbach has invested heavily in lift infrastructure, adding new lifts regularly to replace older lifts & to efficiently link the vast ski area. Lift queues are generally short (if present at all) and move swiftly due to the high-capacity lift system.
See the massive Skicircus trail map below.
Piste trails, even ones marked blue, are predominantly intermediate in nature, but they are wide & in perfect condition. Take up the Skicircus Challenge - a demanding 68km, 12,000m vertical ski circuit showcasing the entire resort. It does tend to attract a crowd though, so follow your own nose & avoid those busy trails.
In the days following fresh snow, a vast off-piste awaits those that are hunting powder. Some challenging steeps and wide-open alpine bowls predominate, but if the snow is deep and low, many opportunities to freeride the meadows and trees down into the valleys present themselves. Beware the odd fence post & other assorted agricultural remnants!
Skicircus Saalbach is generally snowboard friendly with the major flat spots to look out for in a few sections on some of the high ridge traverses above Saalbach Hinterglemm.
The Skicircus is part of the Ski ALPIN lift area, with a Ski Alpin pass valid across the Skicircus, Zell am See & Kaprun-Kitzsteinhorn, creating a tremendously good value lift ticket & a huge, combined ski area of over 400km of trails that extends up to the glaciers on Kitzsteinhorn. Check out the Kaprun-Zell am See ski trail map.
For more information on ski lifts, terrain, lift passes & maps, see our Skicircus Saalbach Skiing & Snowboarding page.
Snow & Weather
With a highest point at just under 2,100m elevation, Skicircus Saalbach ski resort is a tad vulnerable to ‘warmer’ European winters. That said, its annual average snowfall in its upper alpine zones is unofficially (best guess from available data) around 5-7m per year - quite respectable for Europe. The resort has invested heavily in snow-making to make up for any natural shortfalls & all major pistes are covered by the system. The terrain at the Skicircus doesn’t require too much snow to be fully skiable. A natural snow depth of only 80cm will provide awesome cover for the off-piste. The times to visit are from mid-Jan into early Feb for best snow conditions, cold temperatures and less humans.
Where is Skicircus Saalbach Austria?
Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn straddles the states of Salzburgerland & Tirol in Austria, mid-way between the cities of Innsbruck & Salzburg. The Skicircus' super long name comes from it being a combination of three previously standalone ski areas - Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Leogang and the most recently interlinked Fieberbrunn. Now say the full name three times in a hurry!
Closest major international gateway airport is Munich (MUC), but Venice (VCE), Milan (MXP) and even Zurich (ZRH) are possibilities. The airports at Innsbruck (INN) & Salzburg (SZG) provide some international access from within Europe and the UK.
By rental car it takes about 1½ to 2hr to reach the Saalbach from either Innsbruck or Salzburg. Private transfers are the fastest & most efficient mode of travel from the airports, but also the most expensive.
Public transport options are excellent via train stations at Fieberbrunn, Leogang and Zell am See. From either Innsbruck or Salzburg, the journey takes between 1½ & 2hr. Search & book here for train tickets to Leogang, Fieberbrunn or Zell am See.
For detailed information on the best ways to get there, see our Travel to Skicircus Saalbach page.
Saalbach, Hinterglemm, Leogang & Fieberbrunn Accommodation
SkiCircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn has every style of accommodation covered in about 10 different major and minor locations (yep at least 10 - this is a big ski resort). Much of the accommodation is 'ski in' or very close to it. Where to stay is always the big question and it largely can be answered by how much are you willing to pay and what sort of experience do you want?
Search & book here for all Skicircus Saalbach ski accommodation.
Staying near the centre of town in Saalbach is always fun and allows easy access to the lifts. Alternatively, quality full-service accommodation is available in the comparatively quieter villages at Hinterglemm, Fieberbrunn (in town and at the resort base) & Leogang (at both base areas). Other even quieter locations that still allow brilliant access to the lifts and pistes are down valley in Vorderglemm & Viehhofen, plus up valley towards Lengau. Of course, due to its proximity & linked lift pass, Zell am See makes an excellent central base to explore the entire Ski ALPIN lift pass area, including Kaprun-Kitzsteinhorn.
Search & book here for all Zell am See ski accommodation.
For more detailed information on the best places to stay, see our Where to Stay in the Skicircus page.
Ski Rentals, Lessons & Guides
Each village has a wide range of ski rental outlets. Receive a discount when you search & book from our Saalbach, Hinterglemm & Fieberbrunn Ski & Snowboard Rental page.
The ski area has a dizzying range and number of ski guides & instructors. If looking to head into the massive off-piste & are unsure about your abilities; off-piste ski lessons & guiding can make all the difference. For more information & booking, see our Skicircus Ski Lessons & Guiding page.
Facilities, Services & Entertainment
Skicircus Saalbach's four major centres and more than 60 mountain huts provide wonderful shelter, restaurants, and bars. A feature of the Skicircus, and something often overlooked at ski resorts, are the quality and quantity of on mountain toilet facilities located at the top and bottom stations of most of the major lifts, and slope side at some strategic locations (like above Saalbach). Other features of the resort are elevators to get to the slopes or up to lifts and excellent signage in a very large and complex resort.
Après at the SkiCircus is as good as anywhere in Europe. Anywhere, anytime, there is some alcohol related shenanigans (but civil & polite!) going on in Saalbach. Less so in the other villages.
For more detailed information see the Skicircus Facilities & Services page & Food and Nightlife page.
Other Activities
As expected in any self-respecting Austrian ski resort, non-skiers are well catered for in other winter activities. Interesting winter walking trails near Saalbach, particularly up to the Spielberghaus, the Lindlingalm above Lengau and the more isolated Rammernalm from Vorderglemm are the main fare (combines well with the food and drink!). Sledding (Rodeln) routes are available via lifts in Hinterglemm and Leogang, plus another snowcat assisted route out of Saalbach (extreme sledding!). Horse drawn sleigh rides go up to the Lindlingalm as well - if you are into that sort of thing. Sledding is much more fun.
For detailed information see our Skicircus Activities & Tours page.
Nearby Ski Resorts
Whilst we doubt you will ever get bored with skiing the Skicircus, the lift pass linked Zell am See & its neighbour Kaprun-Kitzsteinhorn, are near Saalbach. From Fieberbrunn and Leogang, the legendary Kitzbϋhel is very close & accessible via the train.
Review
The Powderhounds reviewed the Skicircus a few seasons ago & had an absolute ball. We returned in January 2022 with a fresh set of eyes and found it still be awesome, but with growing concerns mainly due to crowds and price. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read all the reviews.
See how the SkiCircus 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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