Ski-Snowboard Salzburg, Hochkönigs
The last Salzburg, Austria, ski-snowboard day was at Hochkönigs
The Salzburg region contains 22 major ski resorts with skiing and snowboarding on 1100 miles of trails and, under Ski Europe's guidance, we finished at Hochkönigs.
On Day Seven of our ski vacation with the ski tour company Ski Europe, after a day off to explore Salzburg, the bus delivers us to Hochkönigs.
Hochkönigs reputes itself to be the "best kept secret" in Salzbergerland. Some secret. Here are:
- 37 lifts
- 90-plus miles of trails connecting three towns
- seemingly infinite off-piste terrain
- 40 kilometers for Nordic pistes
- winter walking and snowshoeing trails
- night skiing
- 3 toboggan runs
Being a "secret" is made even more odd by this: the resort stands only 40 miles from Salzburg, making it one of the closest ski areas to the city.
Empty Pistes
Perhaps one reason for Hochkönigs’ secretiveness lies in the fact that the number of number permitted onto the slopes is limited daily. No more than 10,000 are allowed and, while that number may seem a lot at first glance, it’s not.
And, on this bright, sunny day, fewer than 3,000 folks are skiing and snowboarding. That translates into plenty of room—augmented by wonderful snow conditions—to swoop down the wide trails in large, carved arcs, with nary a care in the world.
We’re led by our guide Renate Ecker, the resort’s marketing maven, who doesn’t blink when I demand the opportunity to plow into the first powder field I see. It’s short, but oh-so-sweet.
We give it two runs. Excellent. Now, on to other realms.
Once again, we’re trying to cover as much ground as possible, but reaching all three towns is an inherently impossible task. We’ve begun in Mühlbach and, by lunchtime have only worked our way halfway to Dienten.
Reaching Maria Alm, Renata tells us, will be impossible.
Especially since we indulge in one last lunchtime feast—this time eating outdoors in the warm sunshine.
Old Lifts—For Now
After lunch, we set out for Dienten. To do this, however, requires riding two of civilization’s the longest T-bars. These will be replaced, Renata assures us, in the coming two seasons. One set next season, the other the following year.
While T-bars are inexpensive to build and maintain, and they can function in winds then other kinds of lifts can’t, when they’re as long as these are, they provide their own kind of on-snow test for the legs.
Usually, it’s a relief to sit down on a lift. Here, it’s a relief to reach the top and get off.
Still More Unfettered Terrain
But, T-bars aren’t enough to deter our hearty group. As we descend an enormously wide, generously long trail towards Dienten, what do we espy? Another enormously wide, generously long trail rising in front of us across town on the other side of the road.
It’s like the bear who went over the mountain. He saw another mountain. We see another ski run.
We must ski it.
But, Renata implores us, we’ll be late for the bus.
No matter. It’s our own bus. It can wait.
And so, we ski down, doff our skis, cross the road, don our dkis, board a slow-moving lift (the better to rest our weary legs) and—holy cow! lookit that!—what should appear beneath us but an untracked trail with knee deep snow and skiable trees along on its edges.
One last powder dash before dying. Or, at least leaving for home.
And so it ends. Dashing through fresh snow between trees in snow to our shins (and sometimes knees). Perfect.
Not Quite Over
Well, it almost ends that way. There are still those two endless T-bars to ride, and several miles of runs to ski to return to Mühlbach.
And, when we reach the Mühlbach base? Yes, we’re late. But, somehow there’s still time to drink a couple of glasses of schnapps.
And, suddenly, the trip is over. Tomorrow will be spent on an airplane.
But today? Another brilliant day in paradise.
Related Articles: Skiing Austria - Salzburg; Ski-Snowboard Salzburg: Grosarl; Ski-Snowboard Salzburg: Saalbach; Ski-Snowboard Salzburg: Zell am see
