Hochoetz Ski Resort Austria
Hochoetz ski resort is a small fish in a big shoal of resorts in the Tyrol's Oetz valley (Ōtztal). Usually playing second fiddle to the larger resorts of Soelden, Obergurgl Hochgurgl & Kuhtai, Hochoetz provides a quiet, sheltered, family-friendly alternative that won’t break the bank balance.
Hochoetz can be accessed via a gondola from the main valley town of Ötz, or from Kuehtai via free ski bus to the lovely mountain village of Ochsengarten & then gondola to the upper mountain. Either way, a comfortable ride to the Panorama Restaurant at 2,020m altitude and the meeting point of at least 9 ski lifts is assured.
Pros & Cons for Hochoetz Ski Resort
Pros
- Quality snow & reliable snowpack.
- Excellent family-friendly facilities & ski area.
- Good variety of piste trails for beginners & intermediates.
- Interesting backcountry freeride opportunities.
- Bad weather alternative to surrounding higher altitude ski resorts.
- Lift pass & free ski bus interlinked with Kuhtai.
- Easy to get to from Innsbruck, Oetz or Kuhtai.
- Value for money lift pass.
- Quality on-mountain huts.
- Fun après ski at the summit & down at Oetz.
- Wonderful, affordable, traditional accommodation & dining in the town of Oetz.
Cons
- Relatively short skiable vertical off most lifts.
- Limited advanced piste trails & off-piste.
- Limited ski-in ski-out accommodation.
Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)
- Small ski resort that may or may not hold one's interest for more than a day or two. However, it is well-positioned for day trips to a multitude of sensational nearby resorts.
- Lacks expensive high-end accommodations.
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lifts & Terrain
The Hochoetz skiing & snowboarding terrain is perfectly suited to anyone that loves family-friendly on-piste cruising in a sheltered resort with excellent snow quality. All terrain is north-aspect, but its gentle nature allows it to see some sun even in mid-winter. The resort’s longer trails extend from above 2,200m all the way to Ochsengarten (1,540m) allowing for quality runs of around 700m vertical for up to 5km in length. The next longest skiable vert over 600m to the lowest part of the resort in the trees at Oetzerburg. Advanced riders are kept interested with the short trails & routes off the Wetterkreuzbahn, but the skiable vertical is less than 400m (ish). The off-piste is ok, with a few tree-skiing options, but is generally low angle. With some skinning, there are worthwhile backcountry routes to seek out beyond the resort boundaries in the higher alpine zone, but alas we had no time to do them.
Check out the ski trail map for Hochoetz below.
The ski lifts are a mix of mostly new, but a few ancient. The vast majority were put in this century, which for a small resort is awesome. The newish Ochsengarten gondola comfortably serves a large swathe of terrain, as do the next youngest lifts, the Wetterkreuz & Brunnenkopf chairs. All the beginner surface tows are relatively recent additions, which is nice to know for anyone sending their children on lessons. The old Acherkogel Sektion II double chair is an ancient relic from the 70s. It serves a lovely run & off-piste trees, then provides a relaxing journey back up the hill! New from season 2022/23 is a six-seater express chair replacing the Kühtailebahn triple.
Interlinked Lift Ticket with Kuehtai & Ski+City Pass
All Hochoetz lift passes are valid in nearby Kühtai. A free ski bus links the resorts from the gondola base station at Ochsengarten.
See the Hochoetz-Kuehtai ski trail map.
Hochoetz already has a good value ski lift pass, however the resort has recently become part of Innsbruck’s Ski plus City Pass area which includes 13 ski resorts ranging from the small, like Nordkette, Oberperfuss & Patscherkofel, the in-between like Axamer Lizum & Schlick 2000, up to the larger such as Stubai Glacier & Kuhtai (the highest resort base in Austria). A Ski+City pass is for a minimum 2 days & allows unlimited access to all 13 ski & sled resorts, plus a wide range of attractions in the city of Innsbruck.
See the Ski+City Pass resorts map.
Where is Hochoetz Austria?
Hochoetz ski resort is perched above the town Ötz (or Oetz) in the Ötztal, Tyrol state, Austria! Access to the resort is from Oetz or the high village of Ochsengarten. Ötz is only 55km west of Innsbruck. Accessible by train & bus via the Ötztal Bahnhof railway station, the resort is remarkably easy to get too. The Hochoetz gateway airports are Innsbruck (INN), Munich (MUC) or Zurich (ZRH).
The Powderhounds recommend taking the train & bus from the airports to Hochoetz, but for those with larger groups or who just cannot abide public transport, the most efficient mode of travel is a private transfer. Rather than taking a transfer from the airport, money can be saved by transferring from the local train station at Oetztal Bahnhof. Search & book all private transfers to Oetz.
Ötztal Bahnhof is only 7km north of Oetz & provides excellent train access from Innsbruck, Munich or Zurich. From Innsbruck, multiple train departures per day take between 23 & 40min to Oetztal Bahnhof station, depending on the service. From the station, the route 4194 buses run at least 9 times/day up the Oetz valley all the way to Obergurgl via the town of Oetz. Travel time is 16min to Oetz. A limited number of route 4196 buses run from Oetztal Bahnhof via Oetz to Ochsengarten.
Search & book train tickets to Ötztal Bahnhof. Purchase bus tickets from the driver when boarding the bus.
Driving to Hochoetz is easy via the A12 motorway to the Oetz valley. There is plenty of free parking at Oetz for day trippers. Get rental cars from Innsbruck airport.
For more information about travelling around the Austrian Alps in winter, see our Travel in Austria page.
Hochoetz Accommodation
Hochoetz comprises a two main villages. In the valley at only 820m elevation, is the lovely town of Oetz. Whilst its quite low altitude can mean it is bereft of snow during the fringes of winter, the town has good value, traditional accommodations with walking distance of the gondola. The town has all services & quality restaurants, plus transport links to all the ski resorts in the area. Oetz can makes a great base to ski the entire region, particularly if one has a car. Up on the mountain is the quiet, but desirable, Ochsengarten. Ochsengarten has a regular ski-bus connection to Kuehtai; another accommodation option.
Search & book all Hochoetz ski accommodation.
Further up the valley in Lägenfeld is the amazing Aqua Dome Hotel, which makes a soothing lodging option if day-tripping to all the local Oetztal resorts.
Ski Rentals
Ski rentals are available in the valley township of Oetz. Receive a discount when you search & book via our Hochoetz Ski & Snowboard Rental page.
Reviews
The Powderhounds reviewed Hochoetz in 2019 and found it to be fabulous for family groups looking for a safe yet interesting ski location that won’t break the bank. Click on the review link in the left column (or top of the page if on a mobile) to read it!
See how Hochoetz compares to the rest of the European ski resorts on the Europe ski resort ratings page.
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