You have to go there – skiing in Obergurgl and Hochgurgl

The ski region Obergurgl / Hochgurgl calls itself the diamond of the Alps. Not without reason—even in the snow-poor winter of 2013/2014, there were acceptable winter sports conditions here at the end of April, with snow depths of up to 1.50 meters, at an altitude of around 3,000 meters.

General:

Obergurgl and Hochgurgl are located at the end of the Ötztal, close to the main Alpine ridge. Obergurgl lies at an altitude of 1900 meters and is considered the highest church village in Austria. Hochgurgl – an end of the retort village founded 50 years ago – is located at an altitude of 2,200 meters, directly on the Timmelsjoch Hochalpenstrasse.

The ski area:

The ski region Obergurgl / Hochgurgl has 110 km of pistes (35 km easy, 55 km medium, 20 km heavy) of all difficulty levels. The two ski regions are connected by a gondola lift. The journey takes about 15 minutes. In Obergurgl we recommend the slopes around the Gaisberg, the Festkogel, and of course, the descent from the Hohe Mut. Advanced skiers enjoy the ski routes, which is only fun if there is enough snow. In Hochgurgl the slopes around the Wurmkogel offer skiing fun in all levels of difficulty. We recommend the descent from the Wurmkogel to Obergurgl with a length of about 8 km and a height difference of more than 1,200 meters. Due to the excellent connection to the bus network, all trains can be reached within 10 minutes.

Tip: Especially in the spring, it makes sense to start the day on the Hochgurglbahn and start at the Wurmkogel, then changes to Obergurgl. The visit to the Nederhütte in Obergurgl at the foot of the Hohe Mut is a great way to end it.

Ski huts

In the ski resort, you will find numerous ski huts for every taste. My favorites are:

The Nederhütte at the foot of the Hohe Mut – The menu is varied, the quality of the food is good, the staff is friendly and accommodating. The ski lodge offers fast and free Wi-Fi. The highlight is the Nederlumpen band, which provides 3x a week for an Après Ski Party in a class of its own.

Davids hut at the foot of the pine forest on the Steinmannbahn – a cozy hut with a large panoramic terrace. The location is known for its spare ribs.

The Hohe Mut Alm at 2,670 meters altitude. A hut with a fantastic panoramic view of the Ötztal glacier world. If you do not want to sit outside, enjoy the top conservatory. The food is good, free Wi-Fi is also available. You can either ski down the ski route or the red piste to Obergurgl.

The Top Mountain Star hut on the Wurmkogel at 3,080 meters altitude. A visit to the location is a must. Here you come less because of the food, but because of the panorama—it is unique. Then enjoy a descent over 1,200 vertical meters into the valley.

Arnolds Schirmbar – not a hut, but a great meeting place for a drink or snack in the heart of the Hochgurgler ski area. Directly at the stations of the Wurmkogelifte and the connecting lift to Obergurgl, with sun terrace and fantastic view.

However, there are also negative experiences—the restaurant at the Wurmkogel middle station is mentioned as an example—bland food, unfriendly staff, and long queues at the cash registers drove me very quickly.

Accommodations

The ski region Obergurgl / Hochgurgl has about 100 accommodations of every comfort and price category. I tested in Obergurgl:

the Hotel Granat Schlössl. A small family-run hotel with breakfast. I especially liked the location of the hotel – directly at the ski bus station and the Festkogel lift. The family Ribis runs the hotel with great commitment and a lot of heart. The Granat Schlössl will be rebuilt in May 2014 and will reopen in November as an apartment house.

In Hochgurgl, the Hotel Olymp. A classic sports hotel, right on the Hochgurglbahn. Ideal for families with children. The rooms are spacious and the food is excellent in the form of a buffet. Only the indoor pool is quite small and immediately overcrowded after skiing. Very nice is also the sun terrace with Toni’s Almhütte – very rustic and ideal for a Champions League evening.

Booking.com

Restaurants

Around 25 restaurants offer culinary delights for everyone. I would like to emphasize

the pizzeria Belmonte – a nice Italian restaurant with delicious pizza and pasta. The Belmonte is always very busy and does not accept reservations.

the Pizzeria Romantika – close to the center, next to the Hotel Madleine. Pizza and pasta are recommended.

the PicNic – right in the center, very cozy with international menu. Pizza is to be preferred over pasta.

Perfect accommodation in Colfosco – Nature Hotel Delta