While these days the Hahnenkamm thrilled visitors with the world-famous Streif downhill run and the slalom on the Ganslernhang, there is a hidden gem on the south side of Kitzbühel under the television transmitter on the Kitzbühler Horn, which many locals affectionately refer to as “Our Glacier”.
It was no coincidence that KitzSki did not invite visitors to its extensive ski area, which stretches from Kirchberg in Tyrol to Mittersill in the state of Salzburg, for its “Journalists’ Day” in January, but instead presented a gem unknown to many participants: “We know that even many Kitzbühel experts have never been to the Horn in winter”, KitzSki board member Christian Wörister confirms the background. Anyone standing in the town can see the dramatically sloping Streif route from many points on the north side. If you turn south, the transmitter on the striking horn attracts attention. But there are hardly any snow-covered slopes to be seen below, which is not only due to the dense forest in the lower area, but also to the power of the sun.
How dramatically the view changes when the gondolas of the Kitzbüheler Horn cable car take you up. A circular alpine pasture covered in snow opens up further and further. After the Alpenhaus mountain station, experienced skiers can head straight for the Brunelle 6-seater lift, which is only a few years old, to reach the summit at 2000 meters. The Brunelle turns out to be an extremely wide, perfectly groomed run with exciting crests that is worth enjoying more than once. If you turn left after a few hundred meters from the summit house - which is highly recommended for a lunch stop - you carve into the Raintal valley, where a gondola lift, also from 2017, takes you back up. There you can enjoy a spectacular panoramic view from the free-standing Kitzbüheler Horn.
The challenging runs from the Horn have now been ticked off for now. Apart from the slightly lower, black-marked piste 11 "Hornköpfl direct", which was closed when we visited, and the not far away moderately difficult pistes leading away from the Hornköpflhütte. But what remains is the family paradise with action for all ages - such as the SnowX run. In the valley with a few farmhouses, two magic carpets, the Eggl drag lift and the chairlift lead back to the Alpenhaus and the other 2-seater chairlift leads to the Hornköpflhütte. Apart from the latter, this is a children's, beginners' and fun paradise..
Anyone who is not visiting the ski area as part of a longer stay - for whom the comprehensive KitzSki card is definitely useful - can use the exclusive Horn Special, which is now also available as a 2- and 3-day ticket. The total of 17 kilometers of slopes - plus a few kilometers of cross-country trails are usually also groomed - can be purchased for one day for 52 euros (adults), 25 euros (young people) or 15 euros (children). In addition, there will be an early bird ski day on January 31, 2025 at the Kitzbüheler Horn from 6:30 a.m. at no extra charge.
What remains at the end of the day's skiing is the descent that winds its way down into the valley, often ending at the middle station of the Horn cable car and the lowest part being taken down into the valley by cable car, with the Gamsstadt and the Hahnenkamm slowly coming closer.