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 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. A gondola lift connects the two ski regions. The journey takes about 15 minutes.

In Obergurgl, we recommend the slopes around the Gaisberg, the Festkogel, and 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 fun skiing at all levels of difficulty. We recommend the descent from the Wurmkogel to Obergurgl, which is about 8 km long and has 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, start at the Wurmkogel, and then change to Obergurgl. A visit to the Nederhütte in Obergurgl at the foot of the Hohe Mut is a great way to end the day.

Ski huts

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

The Nederhütte at the foot of the Hohe Mut – The menu is varied, the food quality is good, and 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’s hut at the foot of the pine forest on the Steinmannbahn – a cosy 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 hotel’s location – directly at the ski bus station and the Festkogel lift. The family Ribis runs the hotel with outstanding commitment and heart. The Granat Schlössl will be rebuilt in May 2014 and reopen in November as an apartment house.

In Hochgurgl, the Hotel Olymp. This classic sports hotel is right on the Hochgurglbahn. It is ideal for families with children. The rooms are spacious, and the food is excellent, served as 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 – is close to the centre, next to the Hotel Madeline. Pizza and pasta are recommended.
• The PicNic is proper in the centre, very cosy, and has an international menu. Pizza is to be preferred over pasta.

Perfect accommodation in Colfosco – Nature Hotel Delta