Plan Your Trip Austria Outdoors - Austria - page 68

freestylers for its fantastic terrain park. Even if snow lies thin in the valley, it's guaran-
teed at the nearby Hintertux Glacier ( Click here ) .
Zell am See-Kaprun
The lakeside resort of Zell am See ( Click here ) and its twin Kaprun ( www.zellamsee-kaprun.com ;
Zell am See-Kaprun, Hohe Tauern National Park; 6-day pass €225) share 138km of sunny slopes. Pistes
tend to be more of the tree-lined and scenic kind, making this a sound choice for novices
and families. Even if the snow coverage is thin on the lower slopes, there's fresh powder
and a terrain park at the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier to play in. The après-ski in Zell am See's
car-free old town is lively but not rowdy. The entire region affords gorgeous views of the
glacier-capped Hohe Tauern range.
Silvretta-Montafon
The iconic arrow-shaped peak of Piz Buin (3312m) dominates the Silvretta- Montafon
( http://winter.silvretta-montafon.at ; Vorarlberg; 6-day pass €212.50) ski area. Tucked away in the south-
east corner of Vorarlberg, this serene and beautiful valley's low-key resorts appeal to
families, cruisers and ski tourers. Besides 246km of slopes to play on, there is off-piste
fun from sledding to winter hiking.
Silvretta Arena
Ischgl ( Click here ) is the centrepiece of the Silvretta Arena ( www.silvretta.at ; Tyrol; full-region 6-day
pass €257) , comprising 238km of prepared slopes and 71 ultramodern lifts. High slopes
above 2000m mean guaranteed snow, mostly geared towards confident intermediates,
off-piste fans and boarders. The resort has carved a name for itself as a party hot spot,
with big-name season opening and closing concerts, and pumping (borderline sleazy)
après-ski. For those seeking a quieter vibe, Galtür, Kappl and Samnaun (Switzerland) are
nearby.