Solden Skiing & Snowboarding
Soelden ski resort is an engorged behemoth that skites about how big it is, but the fact is, it's true! Two glacier ski sectors, lifts spinning for skiing for nearly 8 months of the year, the biggest inbounds skiable vertical & longest run in Austria are just the start. Incredible modern & efficient ski lifts, plus a gobsmacking & huge off-piste accessible directly from those same lifts are waht we crave and what Solden provides. The list goes on. And yet, skiing at Sölden doesn’t quite tick all the ‘big’ ski resort boxes. Perhaps it is just that there are too many people on the pistes (especially noticeable on the journey to and from the very popular Rettenbach & Tiefenbach Glaciers), but there are ways around it.
Detailed information on skiing & snowboarding Sölden Ski Resort is coming soon. In the meantime....
How to Avoid the Crowds at Soelden Ski Resort
The key to skiing great powder at Sölden is like just about anywhere else in the world, but it is worth repeating here:
1. Start at first lifts. The main feeder gondolas from the valley open at 8am - be there or be disappointed!
2. Ski here midweek and out of peak season, so you avoid the worst of the tourist crowds and the powder hungry locals that are mostly working during the week.
3. If it is your first time in the region, get a guide for a day and be quite specific with them about what you expect out of the day. If they want to start at 9am, tell them ‘No’. Meet them at 7.45am and get on those early lifts. Day will end earlier, but so what.
4. Watch the weather and ski the margins of the storms. Use the bluebird powder day to ski tour away from the resort. The options are huge in this valley and the adjacent Pitztal.
5.Remember that your multi-day lift pass (3-days or more) includes Gurgl & Kühtai-Hochoetz. They deliver a lovely change from Sölden.
Check out the ski trail map for Solden below.
New Lifts & Pistes
Already an incredibly modern lift system, given the amount of skiers on the mountain at busy times, there is always room for improvement. A major choke point for skiers heading up to the glaciers in the early part of the day will be improved for season 25-26 with the replacement of the Einzeiger quad chair with a new 8-seat, high-speed hooded chairlift, nearly doubling uphill capacity.
Similarly, at the usually busy lift base of Giggijoch, the Silberbrünnl quad chair will also be replaced with new 8-seat, high-speed hooded chairlift, hopefully reducing lift lines.
A fantastic new development is the extension & additions to the valley pistes #7 & #21. The plan involves connecting the two pistes allowing for easy descents to anywhere in the valley, plus removes the need for beginners to ski some steeper sections. Will certainly improve movement on the hill.
Beyond the 25-26 ski season, future plans include the replacement of the 40yr old Gratl double chair with a modern 6-seater, and to replace the important Langegg 6-seater chair with a new 10-seat gondola; increasing uphill capacity, improving comfort, decreasing travel times, and shortening the often-dangerous lift queue at the bottom.
Lift Passes
Day tickets at Sölden during high season (or locally known as 'Peak' season) are amongst the most expensive in Austria when purchased on the morning from the ticket window (cash desk!). If purchased online at least 5 days prior to use, a standard day lift pass can be up to 22% cheaper - a huge saving! The pricing is further separated by the time of year & includes (from lowest to highest priced): 'Pre-season' (Sep/Oct), 'Autumn' (Oct/Nov), 'Spring' (May), 'Low' (Nov/Dec & April), 'Main' (early to mid-Dec, early Jan to mid-Feb & mid-Mar to end April), and 'Peak' season (Christmas/New year & mid-Feb to mid-March).......phew!
Good to know also is that lift passes of 3-days or greater duration are also valid in the nearby ski resorts of Gurgl (Obergurgl-Hochgurgl), Hochoetz-Kühtai & Vent.
From season 25/26, Epic Pass (& Epic Australia Pass) holders can get up to 5 unrestricted days lift access during the winter season in this massive ski resort. To access the lifts, you will need to go to a ticket window with your Epic Pass and photo ID and will be provded with a local lift pass for as many days as you wish, up to a total of 5-days.