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Austria's summer ski season in full swing

snow action team 22.07.2020

Austria’s summer ski season is in full swing. Pros, teams and regular punters are up on the glaciers making up for lost time after the COVID-19 crisis shut ski resorts early across Europe back in March.

That was then, this is now! Austria was one of the most successful EU states in tackling the virus, and has been progressively reopening businesses and borders. You can check their detailed updates in English here.

The Mölltaler Gletscher near Flattach is the only glacier in Carinthia, southern Austria. It’s a modest size ski area by Austrian standards in winter, but it’s one of their summer snow stars, offering a very respectable 406m of summer vertical. Yes, we know, that is more than most Aussie areas in winter! The resort tops out at 3122m.

Mölltaler Gletscher Austria summer ski map
Mölltaler Gletscher summer map © Mölltaler Gletscher

They groom a couple of wide runs over a kilometre long, with race lanes. Pretty much down the middle is the popular park set up, which attracts talent like the amazing Anna Gasser as below.

The ride up involves a fast funicular, the Mölltaler Gletscher Express, which whisks you up 1000 vertical metres from the valley station at 1222m to the base of the main winter ski area.

Then it’s another 560m vertical up the middle section gondola to the base of the summer skiable area. Here the Restaurant Eisee 2800m is open with a huge sundeck.

Not too shabby for summer! ©

Also, there’s an interconnected 48 bed youth hotel popular with visiting teams – so you can actually have ski in/ski out summer skiing in Austria too.

The slopes are open daily from 08:00 to 15:30. Last train down from the middle station with Gletscher Express is at 16:00.

Summer passes are only €37 if you book online with Gopass e-shop 7 days ahead, €41 on the day with Gopass, or €49 at the ticket window.

They guarantee summer snow and provide excellent race training slopes making it popular with teams.

Gear hire is available Friday – Sunday at the Glacier Station.

In winter and spring the area is popular for freeriding, with connections over to Ankogel Mallnitz with passes valid there too. In summer you share the ride up with hikers and sightseers.

Mölltaler Gletscher winter ski map
Mölltaler Gletscher winter map © Mölltaler Gletscher

Where is Mölltaler Gletscher?

Mölltaler Glacier is easily accessed via Lienz, the closest city, or you could come down from Salzburg also – or indeed up from the Dolomites in Italy over the Brenner Pass. There are over 1000 free car parking spots at the bottom station, or you can get the ‘Hiking Bus’ – timetable on the link.

More info/useful links

Resort website is here

Austrian Tourism info (including latest updates on COVID-19 restrictions etc) here