Gletschergebiet Sölden

Gletschergebiet Sölden
In the footsteps of the World Cup racers

Every year the (ski) world at the start of the season on the glaciers above Sölden. It is the moment when the alpine cracks meet for the first time and the respective performance levels for the coming World Cup winter are set. Sometimes it is a false start because the weather is not quite on its side. But it is often clear that at this time of year it is usually nicer at the highest altitudes than on the foggy plains. After the long silence caused by Corona, last autumn loudly organized fan groups from all over Europe paraded through the streets again and created the usual carnival atmosphere. But even as a pure TV star, the Rettenbachferner is an experience - and there is always something to learn from the skiers for your own technique. But what changes every year in Sölden is the slope. Because of the melting glaciers, the race track on the World Cup slope gets steeper every year. The gradient has now reached 64 percent in places. This is a challenge for the occasional skier, because there are only a few options for bypassing the slope. On the other hand, before the start of winter, some work was done – not necessarily to the delight of conservationists – to keep the World Cup slope skiable.

While the World Cup racers While the early morning race slopes are a thrill for the more adventurous skier, the less stamina-sapping, slick white is more enjoyable for the more leisurely skier. It is at its most beautiful at this altitude when the sun is moving towards its zenith. The comfort zone of the glacier ski area is the Tiefenbachferner, which can be reached via a ski tunnel. It is not just snowboarders who feel particularly at home here. Endless carving turns can be made, and the fun lies in the speed. It is important to take into account the not so few other carvers and many weaker skiers and boarders. Towards the end, the route passes the huge snowmaking pond and takes the 8-person gondola to the highest point, where the 20-meter-projecting BIG3 viewing platform, 60 meters above the ground, offers a wide view of the mountains - and across to the Pitztal Glacier, which is not far away. The connection between the two glacier ski areas is in an increasingly concrete planning phase.

Like on glaciers As is often observed, the slopes are similar. This is also the case here, where the drag lifts on the Mutkogl fall into the "more of the same" category. Of course, deep snow is always tempting in the vast terrain, but in glacier regions such adventures are best avoided because the snow-covered crevasses are treacherous. Nevertheless, you can't leave it alone. And accompanied by a young but glacier-experienced ski instructor, this was also responsible. But where there are barriers, they must be strictly observed! Where the racers plunge down the black piste 31, there is a dramatic glacier break on the left as seen from below. We stayed relatively close to the race piste and circled around the large crevasses just to the right as seen from above. A brilliant deep snow slope, but it is really only advisable to ski on it accompanied by very experienced experts. Otherwise the Rettenbach glacier is similar to its brother on the other side. If you are looking for slopes that are not too hard, the best thing to do is to follow the position of the sun. The ski connection via the "Golden Gate" from the established ski area to the glacier (3,249 meters) is unique in Sölden. The long circuit can be completed in about four hours.
In mid-winter, there is no fun park in the Sölden glacier world. But before things really get going on the Giggijoch in winter, a temporary park on the Tiefenbach glacier allows you to try your first jumps and tricks.