Hintertux is located in the Zillertal Valley, Tyrol province in Austria. Elevation difference: 1500-3250 m. The total length of the slopes is 86 km, of which: 23 km are blue, 49 km are red, 14 km are black. The skiing season is year-round: 18 km of slopes are open in summer. The huge Hintertux glacier is interesting, first of all, for experienced skiers. For snowboarders, a fun park with a half-pipe (120 m) has been built on the Olperer peak. There is also the opportunity to ski off-piste.

Hintertux is a place where you can easily ride with a world-class snowboard star, it is a place where various national alpine skiing teams train. First of all, the resort is suitable for extreme sports enthusiasts, as it has one of the largest freeride areas.

The pride of the resort is the Betterpark, which is located at an altitude of 3200 meters above sea level. The park has three lines, each of which is distinguished by various obstacles, one of which has a 100-meter pipe.

The resort has over 70 kilometers of snowshoe trails. At an altitude of 2100 and 2660 meters above sea level, there are restaurants that not only offer delicious dishes, but also offer panoramic views of the mountains.

A vacation in Hintertux means visiting one of the most beautiful ice attractions in Austria.

The resort has an ice cave, the depth of which is 30 meters. The temperature here is always stable – 3 degrees below zero, and the ice never melts.

Another pride of the resort is the frozen wall, which is an eternal glacier. A special cabin with a capacity of 15 people takes everyone to the top of the wall (over 3,000 meters above sea level). Also interesting to visit is the Spannagel cave, 10 kilometers long.

Tours to Hintertux are unforgettable impressions, a wonderful mood, as well as fresh air and beautiful ski slopes for every taste.

How to get to Hintertux

Not far from the glacier are the villages of Vorderlanersbach, Juns, Madseit and others. But it is not difficult to get to Hintertux from any other ski area in the Zillertal valley. From Mayrhofen a bus to Hintertux leaves from the bus station once an hour. Travel is free with a ski pass, you can get on the bus in ski boots. The journey time is approximately 45 minutes. There is a bit of a serpentine.

Therefore, we buy the most convenient plane ticket from Ukraine to the nearest city in the Zillertal valley – Munich. From Munich we get to Mayrhofen by train, the journey time is about 2.5 hours. If there are many of you and / or with large luggage, we recommend ordering a transfer directly from Munich airport to the hotel in Mayrhofen.

Prices 2019 for Hintertux

The cost of a ski pass for 3 days is 147.50 euros. If you have a ski pass for 5 days (or more) in any other ski area in the Zillertal valley, then it is valid for the Hintertux area. In 2019, the cost of a ski pass for 5 days is 221 euros, for young people (up to 21) – 177 euros, for children (up to 15 years). – 99.5 euros.

There are not many hotels in Hintertux or Mayrhofen, so we recommend booking your accommodation in advance here or on Booking.

Climbs in Hintertux

You need to climb to the top of 3250 m in funiculars-cabins with three “transfers”. Even in the cabins you can feel how much the wind is getting stronger, but the visibility is still bearable, and you can admire the stunning views of the glacier and the picturesque cliffs below the cable car.

Hintertux Ski Trails

The red trails that start at the summit are very beautiful: wide, flat, long. From the summit, at an altitude of 3250 m, you can go down directly to the village on the red trail. Its length is 12 km, the height difference is 1750 m.

There are many more interesting slopes in Hintertux than in other resorts with glacier skiing areas. There are several really difficult black runs on the glacier itself and good difficult off-road below. Access to the glacier skiing area is provided by three rows of lifts from the village of Tux. This pretty Alpine settlement with two thousand locals, stretched for several kilometers along the Tuxertal valley, is located at its very end at an altitude of 1300 – 1500 m. In the lower part of the village, two gondola lifts provide access to two more skiing areas – Eggalm (20 km of slopes, highest point of skiing 2300 m) and Rastkogel (14 km of slopes, highest point 2500 m). The most famous is the longest trail in the region (12 km with a difference of 1750 m), along which you can descend from the glacier to the village. Also interesting are the black descent into the Schlegeisthal valley and the red trails in the area of the slopes of the Kaserer and Leimstange mountains. For beginners, the descents from the Tux Joch pass, 2313 m to the Sommerbergalm restaurant, 2080 m, are recommended.

In case of bad weather on the Hintertux glacier, you should not be upset. The local superskipass allows you to ride 650 kilometers of trails in the Tuxertal and Zillertal valleys, and the free ski bus will quickly take you to the desired region.

Duration of the ski season

You can ski on the Hintertux Glacier all year round. Another thing is that depending on the season, you can do it with different degrees of comfort and different consequences for skiing or snowboarding. In the summer months, the slopes are not as well maintained as in winter. Therefore, the snow cover leaves much to be desired.

However, in the spring, for example in March-April, the sun warms the surroundings of Mayrhofen more actively than in January. As a rule, the ski slopes are already broken “into porridge” at 12-13 o’clock in the afternoon. But for those who want to ski from dawn to sunset, there is a great solution to the problem. This is, of course, the Hintertux Glacier, located on the top of the mountain of the same name, some 19 kilometers from Mayrhofen.

The views of Hintertux are simply stunning, the Alps are impressive in their grandeur. The impressions received cannot be conveyed in words, you have to see it with your own eyes! The weather in Hintertux can be radically different at different altitudes. For example, at 2100 meters it is still warm and the sun is shining brightly, and at the peak point at 3250 meters you can be caught by the nose in a frost of minus 20 with a strong wind. So, you need to dress a little warmer for a trip to the glacier than, say, to Ahorn or Penken!

Mountains around Hintertux

If you are staying in Mayrhofen or its surroundings, we recommend going to ski on Hintertux, having previously watched the webcam on local TV in the morning while still in your room. Do you see “milk” on the TV screen? You should definitely not go there! The slopes will almost certainly be closed and you will not see anything or it will freeze. It is better to ski this day somewhere in the Arena or Penken, and go to Hintertux on a more or less sunny and fine day.

About glacier skiing. Where to ski in the summer

Features of glacier skiing

Summer glacier skiing has a number of features that you need to take into account in your expectations in order to get maximum pleasure and minimum disappointment:

High altitudes. Glacier skiing areas are located at altitudes of 2500 m above sea level and higher. Therefore, if you go to the mountains only 1-2 times a year, you may need a few days for acclimatization. The first manifestations of mountain sickness can occur during a rapid ascent or descent precisely in the altitude ranges between 2500 and 3500 m above sea level, so if you feel unwell, you need to reduce the time of skiing, rest more and drink sweet hot tea.

Lack of freeride. A glacier in summer means rare snowfalls, which means that you have to ski mainly on prepared trails.
Snow metamorphoses. Hard, packed ice snow on a glacier can quickly turn into slush under the influence of the powerful summer sun, so it is worth sacrificing sleep to enjoy the best part of the day. In addition, snow melted during the day acquires the structure of large liquid crystals, which freeze overnight and form an icy crust by morning. Such snow can scratch your skin in the event of a fall. Be careful if you decide to ski in a T-shirt. For the same reason, it is necessary to protect the sliding surface of your projectile. We recommend that you visit the workshop before your first trip and renew the protective layer of paraffin, which the master selects in accordance with the conditions that you need to tell him about.
Short skiing day. In summer, glaciers open access to their territory early in the morning and work part-time to preserve the quality of the snow cover and extend the season as long as possible. There are glaciers that even in summer work all day and close at 3-4 in the afternoon, but if you are not a fan of porridge from melted snow, then it is better to start skiing right from the opening of the resort at noon.
Small skiing areas. Glaciers have a fairly limited area. It is good if in the summer you can prepare 30-40 kilometers there. So, if you are used to relaxing at resorts with a total length of trails of 100 km or more, this option is not for you.

Temperature difference. The temperature difference between morning and daytime hours on glaciers can be more than 10 ° C, which means you need to have the right equipment. If you are sure of good weather, consider the option of SoftShell clothing. It will replace the membrane and fleece together, but at the same time breathes much better.
Bright sun in the summer in the mountains is especially bad. Don’t forget to take sunscreen and good sunglasses with you. It is advisable to have a mask with polarization, there is more sun, reflection from the snow and glare, respectively, too. Good ventilation in the mask is also an important point.

Hintertux (Hintertux)

Hintertux is a small village with six hotels, located at the very end of the Zillertal valley 20 km above the well-known Mayrhofen, right at the foot of the glacier of the same name. In 1968, it became the first year-round skiing area in Tyrol.

In the summer, there are only about 20 km from the Ski & Glacier World Zillertal 3000 area. But you will definitely have fun on them, they are maintained in excellent condition throughout the day. For this reason, there are a lot of athletes here in the summer, including world-famous skiers from different countries. So, if you are a fan of sports skiing, you will definitely be interested here.

The wonderful Betterpark snow park, which attracts snowboarders from all over Europe, is also open year-round.

The best time to ski is from opening to eleven. Later the snow starts to melt and only the upper ropes are free of snow. In early May, fog often appears here. Sometimes it is strong, but in most cases the visibility is enough for good skiing. There is also a plus in this: the slopes remain hard longer and do not get muddy even in the afternoon.

After skiing, you can go for a walk in the surroundings, go hiking, mountain biking, climbing, paragliding, tennis, golf and swim in the outdoor pool. There is not much variety at the top, but if you have a car, you can go down to Mayrhofen or visit the neighboring small valleys. It is very beautiful there and there are many options for easy trekking. A little further away there are many more interesting places, for example, the highest Krimml waterfall in Europe 63 km from Hintertux. And the mountain road through the Gerlos Pass is very beautiful.

The price of a daily summer ski pass is not much different from the winter one and is €45 per adult, €36 per teenager and €20.50 per child.

Photo of a fragment of the Hintertux ski area in summer