Ski tours in Austria

The Salzburger Land enchants ski tourers with almost endless possibilities. The variety that can be found here in a small area makes it one of the best places for ski and splitboard tours. In addition to easy ski tours in the Salzkammergut mountains, such as those on the popular Wieserhörndl, ambitious tourers will find a wealth of possibilities here on the Hochkönig and in the Hohe Tauern. On our ski tour guide page for Salzburg you will find more than 1,000 tours of all levels of difficulty.

Styria is considered by connoisseurs to be Austria's secret ski touring stronghold. The Niedere Tauern, a large part of which lies in Styria, offers an almost unbelievable number of rewarding tours. Whether steep gullies or flat alpine meadows, whether fast-paced or leisurely - in Styria all types of ski tourers get their money's worth. In our ski touring portal for Styria you will find countless tours, including classics such as Rosenkogel and Dachstein, but also many lesser known tours.

The Rumplerrunde on the Hohe Dachstein is an impressive, popular and quite long ski tour with challenging climbing on the highest mountain in Upper Austria and Styria. This tour is garnished with a spectacular summit panorama and an extra-long downhill run!

Most of the tour is done from the upper Austrian side. Besides the Dachstein, however, the Upper Austrian Alps offer many other outstanding tours. Whether ski tours in the Pyhrn-Priel region, in the Salzkammergut or around Gosau, on our ski tours page we have countless suggestions for your next tour:

In Carinthia you will not only find the most beautiful lakes in Austria, but also some of the most beautiful ski touring areas. South of the main ridge of the Alps you can expect a lot of snow, especially after an Italian low. Then it's time to put on your skis and head for the beautiful valleys of the Tauern and Nockberge mountains. Here you will find tours around the famous Sadnighaus, in the Hohe Tauern National Park and also special ski tours such as the Nockberge Trail, a multi-day ski crossing from the Katschberg to Bad Kleinkirchheim.

Tyrol is without doubt the skiing El Dorado of Austria. For alpine skiers anyway, but also for tourers the province offers almost unlimited possibilities. Each mountain group has its own charm and tours with its own character. While beginner-friendly tours await in the Kitzbühel Alps, fans of alpine tours will find steep ascents and racy descents in the valleys along the main ridge of the Alps. In addition, there are numerous possibilities for ski tours on the pistes, and in the evenings you can also ski up to huts and alpine pastures. We have more than 2,000 tours in Tyrol in our tour portal – Have fun discovering!

Lower Austria's mountains cannot quite compete with those in the west of Austria in terms of altitude, but the mountains of the Ybbstaler Alps and the Rax-Schneeberg group are ideal for ski touring. In a small area, you can find tours of all levels of difficulty: from the steep gully on the Schneeberg to the beginner-friendly "introductory tour" on the Muckenkogel or the Unterberg. On our tour page you will find many more "delicacies" in Lower Austria, the somewhat underestimated ski touring region of Austria.

In Vorarlberg, Frau Holle often puffs her pillows particularly hard. The Bregenzerwald and the Arlberg region are known for their large amounts of fresh snow, which is why ski tourers here usually have somewhat wider slats on their feet. The abundance of snow is complemented by extremely beautiful touring terrain. The small province is therefore very popular in touring circles. On our tour page you will find more than 200 tours from the Bregenzerwald to the Silvretta.

The basis is well-maintained ski touring equipment. This includes skis or splitboard, boots, skins, crampons and poles. When it comes to clothing, it is advisable to put on several layers. In addition, a fully charged mobile phone (with offline map) and emergency equipment must be in your rucksack for every ski tour. The safety equipment includes an avalanche transceiver (LVS device), a shovel and a probe. You can only learn how to use this equipment properly by using it and practising. If you don't have any experience, we recommend that you attend a course. You should also take sunscreen, a first aid kit and enough food and drink in your backpack.

Good planning is the most important point of any alpine undertaking. Especially for ski tours, it is important to choose tours that suit the current avalanche situation and your skills or those of the group. Good time management is particularly important. Make a schedule and determine a time when you will turn back at the latest. Pay particular attention to the steepness of the ascent and descent. The outdooractive map offers helpful tools for planning with the winter sports layer and the slope gradient layer. By displaying the layers, you can include ski touring routes and the steepness of the terrain on your tour in your planning. This way you can avoid steep areas and increase safety on your tour.

Tours in open terrain, i.e. off-piste, require knowledge of alpine dangers. Above all, the avalanche danger must be taken into account on every tour. The scale ranges from 1 (low) to 5 (very high). In the detailed avalanche situation report, which you can also display as a layer on the outdooractive map, you will find a lot more information that can be helpful for your tour planning. We recommend that you attend an avalanche course to learn the basics professionally. Such courses are offered by alpine clubs as well as by ski schools and mountain guides.

In summary, ski tours are no more dangerous than other activities if they are well planned. Choose tours that suit the current conditions and your ability and turn back earlier if the conditions do not seem safe. After all, the best tour is the next tour!