As the only glacier in Austria catering for riders throughout the whole year, Hintertux is the perfect destination for early-season enthusiasts and late-season slush lovers. With a peak altitude of 3,250 m, Hintertux Glacier lies deep in the valley of Zillertal, Austria, offering exquisite riding opportunities as it’s linked with the other resorts down the valley, including Tux, Finkenberg and Mayrhofen, which forms the Ski- & Glacier World Zillertal 3000. The Ski- & Glacier World Zillertal 3000 provides roughly 206 km of slopes, all of which can be accessed with the Zillertal Superski pass. The resorts are linked by bus and, in some cases, by lifts and pistes too.
With breathtaking landscapes and a seemingly more relaxed atmosphere than in most luxury resorts, Hintertux is the perfect place for a break. The friendly village vibes and the lack of posh party places are a breath of fresh air, and you quickly realise this place is about enjoying what the mountain has to offer.
The runs are varied, long, and slightly more challenging than at most other glaciers, but the wide pistes and groomed terrain make them easier to manoeuvre. Intermediate and advanced riders will most definitely enjoy exploring the mountain—on and off-piste. Hintertux is also a snowsure resort, which at times makes it quite crowded, especially when other resorts lack snow. The glacier is also barrier-free, allowing visitors to reach the panoramic terrace at 3,250 m height with a pram or wheelchair directly from the station down in the valley.
As icing on the cake, Hintertux also has the highest terrain park in Austria, which includes a halfpipe, a jib line and a jump line – with options for all levels.
At the bottom of the resort, complete beginners will find a few good runs to practice their turns on. The glacier also offers a variety of good ski-school options at reasonable prices. However, those who aren’t complete beginners but still lack the ability to fully control their board might find Hintertux slightly daunting: in order to access the other beginner-friendly slopes, you have to have mastered the art of riding a T-bar.
“Hintertux has such a good terrain park both in fall and spring. And, if you visit Hintertux in spring, you’ve got a good chance to ride powder and should definitely check out my favourite run at the resort. The peak is called Lärmstange, and just below that, you can do a top-to-bottom run. It’s a pretty easy run, without any sketchy or steep terrain.”
Werni Stock, professional Snowboarder
Hintertux is known for its perfectly groomed, long, wide pistes that offer versatility alongside some challenge. Most of the resort is north-facing, which is often a guarantee for good snow but, in many cases, also wind, so if you’re looking for more comfortable riding conditions, head over to the south-facing Schlegeis chair lift.
Park riders who want to mix things up will appreciate the versatility of Betterpark Hintertux: a halfpipe, a jib line and a jump line. The snowpark caters to different levels of riders with a regular and advanced kicker line and a variety of rails, boxes, and tubes. Bear in mind, though, that the park is only open from September to December and April to June.
Freeride enthusiasts who don’t care for tree runs but hunt for open powder fields will appreciate the backcountry riding Hintertux has to offer. However, these runs can be rather challenging, and you might want to consider hiring a guide to show you around to avoid risking coming across crevasses in the glacier.
Make sure to check out the inside of a crevasse and climb down the Natural Ice Palace. The entrance is located at the top station of the Gletscherbus 3 lift, where visitors can go down about 25 meters into the ice using a combination of steps and ladders.
If you fancy a break from hitting the slopes, you can book a guided tour to visit the Spannagel Cave, Europe’s highest-altitude publicly accessible cave, which is over 10 km long.
There are a few options for getting to Hintertux. You can either fly to Innsbruck (90 km), Munich (210 km) or Salzburg (190 km) and then rent a car and drive to the resort (don’t forget the tyre chains). If you want to avoid car rentals, you can also take the train from Innsbruck HBF to Jenbach and then the Zillertal Bahn from Jenbach to Mayrhofen and then jump on a bus that’ll take you from Mayrhofen to Hintertux. On top of that, plenty of private transfer companies operate the route from Innsbruck/Munich/Salzburg airports all the way to Hintertux.
Depending on what type of accommodation you’re after and where you want to be located, there are plenty of options. If you have a car, you can look for accommodation nearby in Tux or slightly further away, like Finkenberg. If you want to be within walking distance from a lift, Bergfried Hotel offers comfort and wellness at a 5-star rate and welcomes snowboarders with open arms, as the hotel is owned and run by Werni Stock and his family. For the ones who fancy something more low-key and the possibility to cook at home, rooms at Fernerblick Apartments are equipped with a kitchen.
If you’re after traditional Austrian mountain food, Bergfried Alm offers a cosy, family-friendly atmosphere, 400-year-old wooden rooms, and typical Tyrolian dishes made with love and regional products—the food here is really tasty.
Another great option for food is Swings in Lanersbach, where you can find anything from pizza and burgers to Thai food on the menu.
If you fancy a beer or two before heading down the mountain, Sommerberg Arena is a great place to start the Apres action. After that, head down to Hohenhaus Tenne, located directly at the base station of the Hintertux Glacier lifts. This typical Austrian apres bar offers live music alongside an Austrian ambience.
SIGN UP for the Snowboard International newsletter for competitions, news and all that is good from the world of snowboarding...
