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Resort Guide

Suitability	Resort height: 620m
Families:		[Yes]
Glacier:		[No]
Beginners:		[4]
Intermediates:		[5]
Advanced:		[3]
Snowboarding:		[4]

Hopfgarten is a large and attractive ski village, a small town in fact, reputed to be the sunniest in the Kitzbuhel Alps. Developed from a centuries old farming community, skiing takes place on the local Hohe Salve mountain, known as the "queen" of the local region.

A gondola from the edge of the resort lifts skiers to near the top of the treeline at the "Middle station" (1200m) where a selection of chairlifts opens up the terrain above. As an added bonus Hopfgarten is located on Austria's largest lift-linked skicircuit, the Skiwelt, which connects it to other resorts including Soll and Westendorf

There is a new link to Westendorf, and two larger area passes are available which open up the possibility of skiing over to Kitzbuhel (via a short bus connection) or, with longer trips, skiing more than 700km (440 miles) of piste in the larger Kitzbuheler Alpen Region (a rental car or public bus service is required to reach all areas with this).

Beginners

The small and dedicated Hopfgarten Schischule has a good reputation, with English speaking instructors, and there are nursery slopes right by the village with a dedicated lift. If snow cover isn't good at village level you can find more snowsure nursery slopes up on the mountain, easily reached via the gondola.

Intermediates

Intermediates will enjoy the skiing around Hopfgarten the most, with most of the local slopes graded easy or intermediate. There is also a great sense of travel as you ski on to neighbouring resorts through the well connected lift network.

The resort is well placed to access the neighbouring area of Kelchsau, a small and isolated centre with a handful of lifts serving easy and intermediate runs a short ski bus ride away. The newly created giant ‘Kitzbuhel alps’ ski area links the SkiWelt to Kitzbuhel's skiing.

To be able to ski both areas, make sure you have the full Kitzbuhel Alps pass, which gives a third option of the Schneewinklel around St. Johann also included in the ticket.

Advanced

The Skiwelt has more than 20km (13 miles) of black runs and the area is renowned for its off piste powder skiing after fresh falls – you can sign up for guided tours with the ski school. Local runs to check out include the long black descent down from the Hohe Salve.

Elsewhere on the Skiwelt the Eiberg and Silleralm pistes are both highly rated whilst the Almbahnm run (number 98) is generally regarded as the best racing piste on the pass, with a 150m vertical over its 600m length. You can also have fun on the Tanzbodenbahn piste (number 99) which features a 150m long electronic speed check section over a 40 metre vertical.

Snowboarding

The SkiWelt contains several terrain parks and features, including a snow park with three half pipes at Söll and another park with an 80m half pipe above Brixen in Thale. There is yet another park above Scheffau and a large park, the 'Boarders Playground', at Westendorf which incorporates another half pipe.

There are plenty of excellent sectors of the SkiWelt away from the parks that are great freeriding terrain, whether in open powder bowls or bouncing between the trees. The high speed lift network makes getting around easy.

Other Activities and Facilities

There are three toboggan runs near the resort, horse-drawn sleigh rides are possible and there are extensive cleared winter walking trails. Paragliding, snowshoeing and bowling are also possible in, around and above the resort.

Resort facilities include an outdoor ice rink with curling lanes and there's a fitness centre as well as a hairdresser and a library. There are several swimming pools nearby including the Kaiserbad spa and pool in Ellmau, the panoramic pool in Söll and the wave adventure pool in the local town Wörgl, which is also a reasonable shopping option if you need a greater selection than the limited choice in Hopfgarten.

Après Ski and Dining Out

Hopfgarten has about 15 bars and restaurants, as well as two night clubs, most of them in the larger hotels. The atmosphere can be lively, especially at weekends.

Dining options are primarily classic Tirolean mountain food but there is an Italian choice as well as the Chinatown Chinese. The best restaurant in town for high calibre cuisine is s´Platzl.

The Skiwelt region also has an unusual program to help single skiers get to know each other. Participants can wear stickers announcing they are single 'ski bunnies' and meet at selected mountain restaurants on the circuit, then re-connect via the website.

Families

Hopfgarten has non-ski nursery provision for children aged one to three operating from Sunday to Friday from 9am to 4pm daily, and can be booked for anything from an hour to six days with lunch. The nursery is conveniently located at the bottom station of the Hopfgarten gondola lift. Older children can join ski school from age four.

Accommodation in Hopfgarten

• Sporthotel Fuchs - 4 star,
• Unterbrau - 3 star,
• Unterbrau - 3 star,

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