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Resort Guide

Suitability	Resort height: 1080m
Families:		[Yes]
Glacier:		[No]
Beginners:		[4]
Intermediates:		[5]
Advanced:		[4]
Snowboarding:		[3]

Bad Gastein is the largest of three ski resorts that make up the Gastein Valley, along with Dorfgastein and Bad Hofgastein. It is a large and usually busy resort with a year-round population of 15,000 helping to give it a lively atmosphere. The three resorts share five skiing areas above, and one of Austria's largest ski areas, most of which is lift linked.

Although a long established tourist resort, the modern ski area here began shortly after World War 2 when Austria's first cable car opened here. However, skiing takes equal billing with the healing effects of Gastein's thermal waters, for which the resort has been famous for at least 700 years.

This long history gives the resort a special feel, with buildings from the Belle Époque period amongst the traditional chalet style.

Beginners

The ski school offers courses beginning on Sundays or Mondays and meeting at 9.45am in front of Schneesportschule Gastein. There is a nursery slope in the village next to the gondola base station, or up on the mountain if there is insufficient snow at the base near to the end of the season. Learn to ski and board packages are available, which usually offer lessons, lift ticket and equipment rental at a discounted combined price.

Intermediates

Most intermediates will head for the largest connected ski area of Schlossalm - Angertal – Stubnerkogel where the runs range between 860 – 2,300m in altitude. There are lots of lovely long blues and reds with the Hohe Scharte Nord piste (marked on the map as run H1), at eight kilometres (five miles) long over the full 1,440m vertical especially recommended. It is one of the longest downhill runs in the Eastern Alps. The larger area pass Ski Amade is also available which covers more than 860km (540 miles) of piste at ski areas around the region, although you'd find it easiest to reach them with a hire car.

Advanced

Advanced skiers will find some challenging terrain at the area's highest ski area of Sportgastein. Popular routes include the four kilometre (two-and-a-half mile) descent from the top of the Goldberg lift (2.650 m). This heads down towards the Knappenbäuelsee Lake. After a thousand metres of skiing in deep powder snow, if conditions are right, you arrive at the base of the lift. You are advised to pay attention to the warning signs and the closures. The separate Graukogel area above the resort has long difficult downhill runs. Most of the runs lead through forests and therefore are sheltered from wind and allow good orientation on days when visibility is poor. Don't miss the FIS downhill run marked on the map as B 6 and B 3. This is also four kilometres (two-and-a-half miles) long and covers 880 vertical metres and is accessed by the Graukogel chair lifts I and II from the village. Black run B 3 was the World Cup run back in 1958 and B6 is left ungroomed in sections.

Snowboarding

Gastein's Snowpark fills the "Stubnermulde" sector of Stubnerkogel, served by the Burgstalllift and located directly above the resort. Accessed by the Stubnerkogelbahnlift it can be reached in one ride directly out of town. The park is one of the QParks, designed by the biggest player in snowparks in the German speaking European regions. There are around a dozen QParks in Austria and Switzerland.

Other Activities and Facilities

The thermal spa which made Bad Gastein famous is alive and well. The Felsen Therme Gastein spa with its outstanding architecture, receives a million litres of thermal water from 17 springs. Europe's most modern alpine leisure and health centre, it contains six adventure and health worlds, as well as the sauna world with its own bathing lake.

The experience ranges from mystic steaming scenic outdoor pools nestling in the snow covered winter countryside, to various types of saunas and steam baths, through to relaxing massages. Air temperatures range from 37.5 to 41.5 degrees, with humidity ranging between 70 and a 100 percent, as well as the healing radon content in the air.

Outdoor activities available include around 90 kilometres of cross country skiing tracks, 120km of winter walking paths, horse drawn sleigh rides, horse riding, toboggan runs, snowshoeing and ice climbing. Indoors you will also find bowling, indoor tennis courts, museums and a casino.

Après Ski and Dining Out

Badgastein has several dozen bars and restaurants and a reputation for lively evenings with several night clubs open to the small hours. Popular venues include Bergfex and Chill Out. Whilst in the area, don't forget to drink a mug of "Hunt Tea", a hot beverage consisting of black tea, fruit schnapps and rum. This special local drink is under the official protection of the European Union, enjoying special status as a "Typical Austrian Drink." There's an excellent choice of restaurants ranging from basic to gourmet. Most serve traditional Austrian cuisine of course, but there's also a Chinese and a Mexican.

Families

There's no non-ski facility for the youngest children but kids three and older can join the Miniclub Grüner Baum, a ski kindergarten operated by the ski schools and located at the base of the lifts. Children four years and older can join ski school which runs from 10am to 3pm Sunday to Friday. Minimum age for children to start snowboarding is nine.

Piste Map for Bad gastein

Accommodation in Bad gastein

• Alpenblick - 3 star, half board
• Cordial - 4 star, half board
• Cordial - 4 star, half board
• Elisabeth Park - 4 star, half board

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