Pitztal – Jerzens / Hochzeiger

Pitztal-Hochzeiger
With Wanda and Kelly in the wide mountain range

On everyone's lips Benni Raich remains in the Pitztal, even though he has long since ended his career. As the "Benni Raich ski run" dedicated to him and an exhibition on the Hochzeiger show. Sometimes you can meet him there to enjoy the guaranteed snow (90 percent of the lifts are at over 2,000 meters). In terms of skiing, the valley is dominated by the Pitztal glacier, with the Rifflsee ski area directly connected to it. But Austria's highest glacier ski area, described elsewhere, stands for an almost endless season, but there are less frosty alternatives, and not just on stormy days. And in the Pitztal itself. The road to the Jerzens ski area branches off to the left into the valley. You drive up to 1,450 meters, then the ski area opens up in a wide ravine between the Sechszeiger and Hochzeiger, while in the background the Brechkogel, Wildgrat and Riegespitze each scrape the three-thousand-meter peaks. So it's positive that since last winter the Rotmoosbahn has been equipped as an 8-seater chairlift with weather protection hoods, heated seats and child-friendly safety bars. The route runs spectacularly towards Hochzeiger. The mountain station can be reached in less than five minutes. From here, more than 80 percent of the ski area's slopes can be reached. If you take the gondola to the middle station, another special feature opens up. Along the way, you can see houses on the left edge of the slope that obviously have more to offer than just hearty hut snacks. Both in the Hochzeigerhaus and in the Stalderhütte (including modern pine rooms in the building next door), you can spend your ski holiday completely removed from everyday life. And the sun terraces are also usually a point of attraction, because the location means the sun stays here for an above-average length of time. At about the height of these houses, the modern panorama cable car leads to the summit with its great views. That's why there's the Hochzeiger roundabout right at the top, where you can sit back and enjoy the 360-degree view. Skiers are spoiled for choice here. Maybe head over to the challenging slopes of the Hochzeiger? But no one should be put off by the black-marked run number 5. It's moderately difficult at best until it joins the Zollberg slope. The ski route in between requires a lot of courage. Run number 4 has a considerable gradient throughout and then there's a short giant slalom with timekeeping on the other side. Overall, there are areas that are more suitable for absolute beginners than the Hochzeiger. In return, they try to make the ski holiday affordable for the whole family. The young family ski pass introduced last year is also helpful here.
But it's not just the little ones who are catered for. With its cultural program, Pitztal is giving some of the bigger ones a run for their money. A Wanda performance in the snow, like the one offered at the start of the season at Hochzeiger, is something special.

Whoever overcomes will switch over to the Zirbenbahn on the Sechszeiger. There, the Zirbenfall run is signposted, which plunges into the valley directly below the chairlift. The terrain allows you to leave the slopes again and again. If you look straight down while looking around, you will find powdery passages between the trees, especially in the upper area.