By Marina Leunig Jan 24, 2012, 3:06 GMT
Mayrhofen/Kaltenbach, Austria - The Zillertal valley is not only home to Austria's steepest ski piste but also has dozens of apres-ski bars as well as a total of 668 kilometres of ski slopes for the avid winter skier.
There is plenty of off-piste activity too while the valley in Tyrol can still claim quieter corners where the traditional Alpine way of life still holds sway. Zillertal is home to 55 mountain peaks with an altitude higher than 3,000 metres, making it an ideal destination for winter sport tourism even though the area's population lived mostly from agriculture and summer tourism until the mid 1980s.
Hans Kammerlander, 84, was mayor of the municipality of Gerlos, which has a population of just 800, for nearly 20 years and was responsible for the construction of the area's first ski-lift.
Today, Zillertal boasts six skiing areas with 94 kilometres of expert slopes (marked in black), 398 kilometres of slopes considered as intermediate in difficulty (marked in red), and 175 kilometres of slopes suitable for beginners (marked in blue). Skiers have the choice between Fuegen and Hochfuegen, Hochzillertal, the Zillertal Arena, Penken and Ahorn, as well as the area around the Hintertuxer glacier.
The broad downhill slopes offering stunning views of the surrounding area are perfect for families and beginners alike and are interspersed with steep sections and narrow pistes for the more accomplished skiers. There is such a variety of skiing options that it's impossible to predict what a winter holiday in Zillertal will entail.
In 1967, Kammerlander, who was deputy mayor at the time, built the first two-seater ski-lift at Isskogel in Gerlostal. 'We wanted to make it easier to get to the mountain summit for skiing,' he explains.
Kammerlander's example was soon followed in the neighbouring areas of Zell am Ziller and Kaltenbach but Zillertal only really began to take off as a winter tourist destination from the 1980s onwards. There are now 172 ski-lifts in operation in Zillertal with more and more skiers going off-piste on their descent as freeriding grows in popularity. The Hochfuegen area is perfect for freeriding, according to ski and mountain guide Georg Fankhauser.
Skiers who take the Wedel express to the summit are rewarded by superb views and a ride on undisturbed powder snow down into the valley. Freeriders can also find virgin deep snow areas at Isskogel, skiing from the summit down through sparse forests and past the Krummbachrast. For the less adventurous skiers, there are around 170 kilometres of piste.
Blue-marked slopes are in abundance from the Gerlosplatte on the edge of the Zillertal Arena and around Koenigsleiten, making this area perfect for families with young children and beginners. The quiet municipality of Stumm with its population of 2,100 people is situated in the middle of the valley and is considered home to one of the most beautiful villages in Tirol thanks to its church, castle and numerous traditional Alpine houses. 'I wish it was quieter,' says Fankhauser even though apres-ski parties are noticeably absent from the village.
The welcoming village of Hippach is located a few kilometres further into the valley and is also very quiet despite having a few more shops to offer tourists than Stumm. Skiers looking for parties and a bit more action need to travel to the ski area of Penken near Mayrhofen, which has made it a popular destination for British, Dutch and Polish holidaymakers.
Compared to other areas, Penken is loud and crowded with the area's mountain cars capable of catering for as many as 40,000 skiers per hour. The reason Penken, Mayrhofen, Hippach and Finkenberg get so crowded is because they can be skied.
The Harakiri with a gradient of 78 per cent is Austria's steepest piste and can make even the most experienced skier go weak at the knees. Snowboarders and freestyle skiers, meanwhile, entertain themselves in Penken's fun park. The Ahorn, which is also reached from Mayrhofen, is a more comfortable experience thanks to its broad pistes, which have earned it the name 'Leisure Mountain.'
Skiers looking for higher altitudes generally make their way to the Hintertux glacial area, where experience is necessary despite the slopes having a blue rating.
Modern winter tourism and age-old tradition don't seem to be mutually exclusive objectives in Zillertal as much of the area's agricultural economy is still flourishing, according to Hans Kammerlander.
'Tourism has brought us almost nothing but prosperity,' he says, although he admitd that the environment has been put under strain by the increase in motor traffic. 'The older visitors say it isn't as pleasant as it once was.'
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