Obertauern ski resort opens its ski season this Friday

Publication date

28 November 2024

Category

Skiing

Statistics

Obertauern is one of Austria's best ski resorts and has one of the longest ski seasons. This year, the first lifts and slopes open on Friday 22 November and skiing will be available until 1 May 2025. We've checked which slopes will be open at the start of the season, which events will be taking place and what ski pass prices are.

Ski opening at the Obertauern ski resort

Obertauern ski resort was already ready for the ski opening and the first turns last week. It snowed in September, but it cooled down enough in the last few days to make enough artificial snow to open the first machines and ski runs.

At the moment they have 30 - 40 cm of snow and on Friday 29 November they will open most of the slopes on the right side of the road and also the connecting slopes on the left side. Most of the major ski lifts will be open, with only Gamsleiten 2, Zehnerkarbahn, Seekareck and Hundskogel remaining closed.

Ski opening and concert by Scooter

The official ski opening with a big concert by German singer Scooter will take place on Friday 29 November, when the old hits God Save the Rave and Hyper Hyper will be blasting through the valley in the evening.

The highest Advent market

Next weekend, an Advent market with local products will be opened in front of the Obertauern Tourist Office, and will then be open every weekend until 22 December, on Fridays and Saturdays from 16:00 - 21:00, and on Sundays from 16:00 - 20:00.

Obertauern always has enough snow

Obertauern is located at a bend in the middle of Austria, so it receives snow from both north and south directions. Almost every winter they have more than 2 metres of natural snow, but as they also make a supply of artificial snow in November, skiing is possible until May.

It is a modern ski resort just an hour's drive from Salzburg. The ski slopes are at an altitude of between 1,630 and 2,313 metres, and there are high-speed chairlifts and cable cars to transport skiers.

There are 26 ski lifts and 100 kilometres of ski slopes in total, the most famous being the Gamsleiten 2 run, which at 45° is one of the steepest in Europe. 61 km of slopes are marked blue (easy) and 35 are marked red (medium), which means that
the ski area is very suitable for families. Alternatively, you can conquer all seven peaks in the area and tackle the Super 7 slope.

The ski resort also offers a lot of afternoon and evening parties, especially at weekends, starting on the terraces of the chalets and then moving to the bars and discos in the resort.

Night skiing is available at Obertauern on Mondays and Thursdays between 19:00 and 22:00, when the 4-seater Edelweissbahn is open.

Obertauern is also a great place for children, who can enjoy the flat and wide ski slopes, playgrounds, ski conveyor belts, and the ski mascot Bobby.

In addition, there is also house of fears, which you can ride through on skis  at Schaidberg slope.

NEW online purchase of ski passes

You can now buy ski tickets Obertauern online. You won't have to wait at the ticket office, and after ordering you will receive an email with a QR code and pick up your ski pass from the ticket machine at the ticket office.

You can buy daily, weekly, afternoon or hourly tickets.

Regular prices for Obertauern daily ski passes for the 2024/2025 season:

- Adults - 65 €
- Children (2009 - 2018) - 32,50 €
- juniors (2006 - 2008) - 49 €
- Seniors (1960 and older) - 62 €

More at - obertauern.skiperformance.com

Accommodation on the Obertauern ski resort

Obertauern is a small town with only 300 inhabitants, but it has more than 150 hotels and chalets that are arranged in such a way that you don't have to walk far from your accommodation to the first slope. You literally strap on your skis at the hotel or apartment and ski straight to the lift.

Three modern hotels are also owned by Valamar, the Croatian company well-known to camping lovers. For families, we recommend two of their hotels: the Places Valamar Obertauern and the Valamar Obertauern, which also have children's play areas, animation and a swimming pool. For couples, there is the Kesselspitze Hotel directly on the slopes - www.valamar.com

Cheaper accommodation is also available in the valley in Tweng, which is then connected to the ski slopes by a free ski bus (7 km).
More information about skiing at Obertauern - www.obertauern.com