Untouched, fresh slopes, A spectacular sunrise and not a soul in sight – conditions that make the heart of every passionate winter sports enthusiast beat faster. Skiing pleasure doesn't get any better than this. But to achieve it, you have to get up early – in the depths of winter, still in the dark – and head to a ski resort that offers this kind of fun. The demand for early morning skiing is certainly there, which is why a number of ski resorts have jumped on the bandwagon and offer such "first runs" at least several times a season.
One of the pioneers This now traditional event takes place in Bad Kleinkirchheim, Carinthia, where you can carve your first tracks with Olympic champion Franz Klammer. In an exclusive group – a maximum of 50 participants – experienced skiers carve on selected slopes in Bad Kleinkirchheim from sunrise until around 9:30 a.m. Franz Klammer shares insider tips and tricks for the perfect carving turn. Together, the slopes are explored, and the affable ski legend also entertains with anecdotes. The ski guide attended one of these "Ski before 9" events and, like the other participants, thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a true fan event, which the legendary 1976 Olympic champion clearly had a lot of fun with. Numerous requests for photos and autographs were no problem for him – quite the opposite. "Skiing on fresh slopes first thing in the morning is especially fun," says Franz Klammer. In short: A thoroughly successful event, which concluded not only with a delicious Carinthian snack but also with a commemorative gift. Ski guide author Günter Fritz had his ski helmet signed and has been skiing a class better ever since. The price of €195 per person may seem a bit steep at first glance, but it includes not only the ski pass but also a truly excellent brunch and, above all, close contact with the 1976 Olympic hero. For many, participation is also a fantastic gift.
Exclusive morning skiing Under the slogan "Guga hö," which means "wide awake," an early bird ski tour is also offered in the Mostviertel region of Lower Austria – albeit without an Olympic champion as a guide. It takes place in Lackenhof am Ötscher, Annaberg, on the Gemeindealpe Mitterbach, and on the Hochkar, starting at 6:30 a.m. The cost is €119 per person, including a mountain hut brunch. Children up to 15 years old pay €72. Unlike most other early bird events, the lift ticket is valid all day. Groups consist of 10 to a maximum of 30 people. At Stuhleck in Styria, there are also three opportunities in February to hit the slopes with guides starting at 7:00 a.m. – including a deluxe breakfast. And all this for €54.
In the Montafon region of Vorarlberg, the Grasjoch cable car takes you up to the Kapell at 7:20 a.m. on Wednesdays. From the mountain station, wonderful runs await, and breakfast is served in the Kapell restaurant starting at 8:45 a.m. The Versettla cable car offers a similar experience every Friday, also at 7:20 a.m., for €56 plus a regular lift ticket. In Fieberbrunn, the "First Line" experience is available every Wednesday from the end of December 2025 to mid-March 2026 for an exclusive, small group of 30 people, starting at 7:30 a.m. In the Alpbach ski resort, the Wiedersbergerhorn cable car departs on Saturdays in March at 7:00 a.m. A First Line day ticket for adults is required; however, the mountain breakfast is not included in the ticket price. In Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, the "First Track" experience is offered every Wednesday starting December 11, 2024. The start time varies very early depending on the season. The cost is €100 including a mountain breakfast starting at 9:30 a.m. A ski pass is required. In the SkiWelt Wilder Kaiser, skiing starts at 7:30 a.m. every Friday and Saturday from mid-February to early April. On the Schmittenhöhe, the top event "Ski'n' Brunch" takes place every Thursday at 7:00 a.m. in January and 6:45 a.m. in February. Participation costs €65 per person plus a valid ski pass. In Großarl, the event is called "Skikeriki – Skiing at First Rooster's Crow and Sunrise" – every Wednesday from late December to early April at 7:15 a.m., including a delicious breakfast, for €57 (children €31). Each participant must have a valid ski pass, and good skiing skills are required. To ensure a special experience, the number of participants is limited to 30. In Obertauern, First Track Skiing costs €99 without a ski pass and €169 with one. The experience also includes an exclusive guided tour by locals who will share their insider tips, a fantastic alpine brunch, and a surprise goodie bag. In Lech, the "Long Train" early start awaits every Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. from the Rüfikopf cable car for €47, including a Veuve Clicquot breakfast at the Schlegelkopf Restaurant (only in combination with a valid ski pass).
Special cases These are ski resorts that regularly open their lifts earlier than the average mountain railway: for example, in Hochzillertal. There, guests can head up the mountain as early as 7:30 a.m. to carve their turns on the fresh slopes before everyone else – and all without any extra costs. Unless, of course, you book the VIP gondola package, which includes a glass of sparkling wine in the gondola and a breakfast brunch at the Kristallhütte: cost for two people: €225. The Gerlitzen in Carinthia is similar, where the lifts regularly open at 8:10 a.m. And in spring and during school holidays, the Kanzelbahn lift even starts running shortly before 8:00 a.m. if needed. Generally speaking, the number of participants for morning skiing is limited, and often, but not always, a regular day ticket is required in addition to the early-bird ticket – which usually includes breakfast. And, of course, only selected lifts and slopes are open initially. Registration is almost always necessary.
SPECIAL EVENTS AND OFFERS
| Bad Kleinkirchheim | Early morning skiing with Franz KlemmJanuary 6th & February 3rd at sunrise |
| Mostviertel | Guga Hö – Morning skiing, at 6:30 a.m. Göstling-Hochkar: 24.01.2026 Lackenhof-Ötscher: 21. 02.2026 Gemeindealpe Mitterbach: 14.02.2026 Annaberg: 17.01.2026 |
| Silvretta-Montafon | Grasjoch Bahn, St. GallenkirchEvery Wednesday from December 24, 2025 to March 25, 2026, at 7:20 a.m. Versettla Railway, GaschurnEvery Friday from December 26, 2025 to March 27, 2026, 7:20 a.m. |
| Arlberg, Lech, Oberlech, Zürs | Rüfikopf cable carevery Wednesday at 7:30 a.m. |
| Obergurgl | Starting in February 2025, every Friday at 7:30 a.m. |
| Serfaus Fiss-Ladis | „"First clue"“ every Wednesday from December 17, 2025 to April 8, 2026 |
| Zillertal, Hochzillertal | HochfügenCat-Skiing, Saturdays from January 11th to March 22nd, 2025, 7:30 am HochzillertalEarly morning powder fun, daily from 7:30, VIP gondola premium early bird Zillertal ArenaGood Morning Skiing, every Thursday and Sunday in March, from 6:55 a.m. Mayrhofen, AhornbahnDaily early morning exercise starting at 7:30 Hintertux GlacierWednesdays from the end of March to the end of April, 7:30 a.m., Hintertux valley station |
| Skiwelt Wilder Kaiser | Friday and Saturday from February 13th to April 6th, 2026, 7:30 am, SkiWeltbahn, Sonnenlift, Choralmbahn, Alpenrosenbahn 1 & 2, Talkaserlift |
| Ski jewel Alpbachtal & Wildschönau | Saturdays from the beginning of March, Wiedersbergerhorn cable car, from 7:00 a.m. |
| Stuhleck | Early BirdFebruary 15th, 21st, 28th, 7:00 AM, Celebrity Train |
| Schmittenhöhe | Ski'n' Brunch: Thursday in January, 7:00 AM, February |
| Obertauern | First Track at 7:15 a.m.: December 30, 2026, January 29, February 12, March 12, April 2, 2026 |
| Großarl | Skikeriki, every Wednesday from 7:15 a.m. |