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Auffach Ski Resort
You might hear Auffach referred to as the ‘Schatzberg village’, after its local mountain. This is where you’ll find the biggest collection of pistes in the Wildschönau Valley – lovely open, scenic terrain where intermediates can really roam.
But it doesn’t end there when you have the Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau lift pass in hand. On the other side of the mountain is Alpbach, which Auffach has been lift linked to since 2013. You also have access to the slopes of Niederau and Oberau (a bus ride away).
Your home for the week is a charming old village: the timber industry played an important role in local life from the 17th century, and evidence of this can be seen in the ornate trimmings of the Tyrolean houses. A Gothic church completes the scene, with rolling meadows and the Kitzbühel Alps forming the surroundings. Access to the slopes from the village is via the Schatzberg cable car, which gives Auffach the smoothest piste access of all the Wildschönau villages.
Reaching resort doesn’t take much hassle either, with Innsbruck airport being just over an hour’s drive. 16km away, Wörgl’s the nearest station if you’re travelling by train, and has bus and taxi links to the village.
Stats & FAQ
Location: Kitzbühel Alps, Austria
Established: 1967
Open: December - April
Downhill: 109km
View our detailed Auffach snow forecast or snow report and see all live webcams, piste maps, road and travel maps and lift pass prices. For a picture of historic snow conditions see the snow depths month by month with our Auffach snow history.
| Nearest Airport & Transfer Time: | |
| Innsbruck (INN) | 82km, 1h15 |
| Salzburg (SLZ) | 137km, 1h40 |
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| Top Altitude: | 2128m |
| Bottom Altitude: | 828m |
| Resort Altitude: | 875m |
| Longest run: | 7km |
| Slope Orientation: | N S |
| Vertical Drop: | 1300m |
| Skiable Vertical: | |
| Night Skiing: | Yes |
| Glacier: | No |
Snow Report
Web Cam
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| Downhill Runs: | 109km |
| Beginner slopes: | 28% |
| Intermediate: | 58% |
| Advanced slopes: | 14% |
| Lift Pass Price: | €221.50 (adult 6 day) |
| Nearby resorts: Niederau, Oberau | |
Skiing/BoardingSkiing in Auffach
The general nature of the ski area is wide, cruisey and above the tree line. If flat light sets in, head for the pistes in Niederau, which are more sheltered by trees.
If you’re skiing or snowboarding for the first time, the Wildschönau Hochtal Ski School and Toni’s Tirolean Ski School provide lessons. There are gentle beginner slopes at the mid station to practice on.
Where the Schatzberg really shines is for intermediates, with wide slopes on the north facing side where you can get your rhythm back before skiing the 7km home run (the longest in the Wildschönau). Don’t miss the fall line piste towards Inneralpbach, which really lets you work on technique.
Advanced skiers have the Hahnkopf black piste, with more testing terrain over in Niederau and from the Hornlift above Alpbach. After a good snowfall, there are some brilliant powder runs – get a guide to show you the off piste on the Wiedersberger Horn above Inneralpbach.
Freestylers have the snow park on the Thalerkogl slope, where there’s a range of jumps and rails and a 130m halfpipe.
Auffach Apres Ski
On the mountain, Gipfö Hit is a good stopping point for drinks and food in traditional Austrian style. You’ve also got the lovely big sun terrace at the Koglmoos at the middle-station and at the bottom of the home run, Grutt’n Bar has live music on Thursdays and serves cracking pizzas.
Most of the facilities in the area are outdoors based. They include tobogganing (available at all centres but the longest run 5km/3 miles long at Auffach), winter hiking (50km/32 miles of marked trails with guided hiking available), a sleigh ride, horse riding (two schools, one in Niederau the other in Mühltal with all breeds of horses, from ponies to Haflinger) or a tandem paraglide with an instructor. Organised farm to farm and hut to hut walks are staged regularly.
A natural ice rink is formed on the summer outdoor pool in Oberau; the rink is open from 3pm to 9pm daily and skates may be rented. A unique attraction is the 'Slow train Wildschönau' - actually a land train, but the kids don't care about that. It makes tours to the spectacular Kundler gorge with ice-covered walls, and the Schonaugeralm. There are evening trips to the gorge when a sound and light show makes for a surreal experience; watch out for the huge Wildschönau dragon.
There are two libraries and two museums in the area. The first Wood Museum of the Tirol in Auffach contains interesting curiosities from the Wildschönauer history of wood and is housed in the wood carving store of Hubert Salcher in Auffach. In Oberau the Alpine farmers' museum "z´Bach" moved to an old farm house, in 1997, the building dating from the year 1795. The front rooms show more than 1,100 items from past centuries. Other historic buildings in Oberau include the Kellerwirt, part of the Abbey of Seeon and dating back to 1275. The Schellhornhof is an old farm house with wine cellar, house chapel, interesting fresco paintings and grain storage (first mentioned in 1416).
A second religious building in Oberau, besides its famous church, the Antonius Chapel is of octagonal design and was built in honour of Saint Antonius of Padua between 1706 and1708. Special points of interest include the Albertitafel (1763) and a niche containing a statue of Christ at the flagellation column in a frame designed in the best rococo style. The mine, which had been closed for 130 years, was re-opened in 1990. Access in winter is by advance reservation. Finally, excursions are possible to nearby Innsbruck as well as Salzburg and even over the border to Italy.
Best time to go
Best time to ski Auffach
Best time to visit & ski Auffach
Though this isn’t the highest ski area in the Alps, the north facing nature of the pistes on the Schatzberg and over in Niederau help preserve the snow as long as possible. There is artificial snow cover on 85% of the ski area to keep things topped up in the coldest months. If visibility is low, head to Niederau for the wooded slopes which should be easier to see your way around.
Peak Dates
A ‘musical advent’ has been the lead up to Christmas in Auffach in recent years, with brass bands and singers. See if Oberau’s Z’Bach Farming Museum is hosting a Christmas market again this year, or stop off at Innsbruck and Salzburg on your journey in / back for the famously festive city markets.
If you’re spending New Year in Auffach, head into Oberau on the 31’st where a huge great firework display usually takes over the village. Previous years have seen light displays on the Riedl piste with food and drink – and a free bus service between the villages.
Spend Half Term in Auffach, exploring the Ski Juwel area and enjoying the village atmosphere of the resort.
On recent years, children under 15 have been able to get free ski passes over Easter in Auffach, which makes this affordable ski region even more affordable.
Families in Auffach
We love the Wildschönau valley for families. If your youngsters need lessons, Toni’s Tirolean Ski School is a family run outfit offering private lessons where they’ll progress in double-quick time. There’s also the Wildschönau Hochtal Ski School, which has the Zwergland Kids club at the middle station with a magic carpet and ski carousel.
The local slopes are best suited to families who’ve already been skiing a couple of times. Cruise down wide red pistes, play around on the natural half pipe on the Gipfel slope or take turns on the obstacles at the snow park.
We’ve also seen some excellent family offers from the ticket office in recent years, like free lift passes for under 15’s on Easter week.
GroupsGroup Holidays Auffach
While this part of the Alps can’t hold a candle to St Anton, Auffach does have some of the livelier après ski bars in the Ski Juwel area. Meet up at Gipfö Hit or Koglmoos on the slopeside, or gather at the bottom of the pistes in Grutt’n Bar and share drinks and pizzas.
With the Ski Juwel pass, freestylers can spend long sessions at the snow park, while intermediates head far and wide across the area and powder hounds split the cost of a guide to explore the side and backcountry. Non-skiers coming along for the ride have the surrounding villages and their shops, cafes and museums to enjoy – not to mention 40km of winter walking paths.
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