Zell am See – Kaprun

Zell am See – Kaprun
Cool from Ice to Lake

Rasch can discover the region's attractions after an ascent to the highest regions. If you take a deep breath on the Kitzsteinhorn's Gipfelwelt 3000, you can look - on fog-free days - 2,300 meters down into the Zeller See, which is often not blue in mid-winter but at least partially frozen over, and the adjacent Schmittenhöhe, which can be recognized by the dense network of lifts. There is a lot of space in between, which is filled by the Tauern Spa Kaprun, among other things, which can be recognized by the rising water vapor. You can read in detail how the Kitzsteinhorn presents itself in our "Glacier" chapter. But we'll tell you how to get up there in a particularly attractive way, because an additional route was created just before Corona: the 3K Kaprun-Kitzsteinhorn-Konnection. Although the new cable car did not create any new slopes, it did connect Kaprun directly to the Kitzsteinhorn. Added to this is the experience of nature and new perspectives as you float over a completely unspoilt valley in the two specially designed Explorer gondolas - and sometimes with expert guidance. In winter, the finale of a glacier day is the wide Maiskogel descent down into the valley.

The Maiskogel is an often underestimated alternative to Kitz in stormy weather anyway. The small Kaprun ski area is not much more than a wide, fairly even slope that is at its best in the lowest section on the right, unless there are slalom poles calling for training. In any case, in mid-winter it is often a good idea to enjoy the slopes one level below the glacier. Down in the valley, when you look from a bird's eye view of the 3000m peak, Zell am See, which is known for its small-town life, looks like a doll's town. Zell and its lake, in perfect harmony with the Schmittenhöhe ski area, which is gentle and wooded compared to the striking Kitzsteinhorn, is the gentle alternative. You can switch between the ski areas by ski bus anyway and the lift passes are valid. The same applies to the neighboring Saalbach ski area thanks to the Alpin Card.

Ski'n'Brunch is the name of a new idea for guests of the Schmitten. In this version of the "First Line", small groups and even accompanied by ski instructors go up on some days from 7 a.m. During the day there are even five different ascents to the Schmittenhöhe, affectionately known as "Schmitten", from Zell am See and Schüttdorf. Since last winter, this has been adorned with a completely redesigned summit panorama restaurant. The 10-person areitXpress gondola has been a much faster way up from Schüttdorf for the last three winters. The trend towards the "more communicative" 10-person gondolas is also taking hold here. If you don't want to have a conversation, you can use the WiFi. Once you have reached the top of the Schmitten, which is a knoll, the shorter descents await on the "back side". They offer the best chance of powder snow and small deep snow variants away from the piste. You should still be able to find some in the spring, especially between the Ketting and Kapellenbahn.

The Sonnkogel is a rather underrated alternative to the slopes. From the rear car park in the valley, you don't take the TrassXpress or Schmittenbahn, but the "Sonnenalm" cable car on the right. The area lives up to its name, which is particularly positive on cold days, but sometimes affects the condition of the slopes. The 3-seater chairlift that has been in place since 1984 will be replaced by a combination lift from this winter. In winter, only the 6-seater chairs with heated seats will be used. So you still don't have to unbuckle your seatbelts.

The Glemmtal is calling. The hearty descent halfway up into the Glemmtal has long been a delight. The lower section I to Viehofen has also been a reality for four years. The construction of the zellamseeXpress creates an attractive connection from the Schmittenhöhe to the Saalbach Ski Circus. The valley station in Viehhofen with its spacious parking spaces is a delight for day visitors arriving from the north. The new section added 25 cabins, which are equipped with heated seats and WiFi. And, like the upper section, some were equipped as Schmitten Jukeboxx gondolas. The rich sound of the disco gondola, which can be programmed via smartphone, takes you up in high spirits.

Other sounds come from the hut: "There is too little singing, too little listening to the inner voice. Yodeling, a lure with a final cheer as an emotional cry of the soul." This is how Tom (37) describes it, who calls for the yodeling school as a yodeling teacher. After that, assuming you are sufficiently abstinent when it comes to oiling your voice, it's time for the final descent. The direct TrassXpress (14) is the hardest thing the Schmitten has to offer, with a gradient of up to 70 percent. Perhaps that's exactly why better skiers prefer the TrasseXpress to start on the Schmittenhöhe. The descent remains crisp, because it only gets sunny for a few hours at a time in winter at the end of the valley.

After such a yodeling interlude it is a good idea to take a closer look at the town of Zell am See. Here you can learn about many traditional crafts - and use them for shopping. A good example is Tobias Zant, who can wrap you completely in leather like a football. By the way: The long deer leather trousers cost well over 1,000 euros - and require patience to finish. Of course, you can also find deer in culinary terms - or as a relaxing alternative to the slopes. Thumersbach on the opposite shore of the lake is ideal for this for a day. All in all, a highly recommended side step if you want to take a day off during a ski week. In Thumersbach you can "hike up the deer" yourself, because on the former Ronachkopf ski mountain a slope is being prepared especially for ski tourers and snowshoe hikers with impressive views of Lake Zell and the Hohe Tauern. The route is around 2.5 km long and overcomes 500 meters in altitude to the Enzianhütte. It's best to combine the tour with a stop at the large game feeding (up to 200 animals!). Nature and the environment are also very important in other areas of the region. Not just with the ecological piste element on the Schmitten or the first e-ski bus in Kaprun.