1. Home
2. Ski Resorts
3. Austria
4. Schladming

Resort Guide

Suitability	Resort height: 745m
Families:		[Yes]
Glacier:		[Yes]
Beginners:		[3]
Intermediates:		[5]
Advanced:		[3]
Snowboarding:		[4]

Schladming is one of Europe and the world's leading ski resorts, a past host of the prestigious World Alpine Skiing Championships and will host them again in 2013 after beating bids from the likes of St. Moritz and Vail.

Originally a mining community, tourism grew increasingly important to the small town throughout the last century and today Schladming is a very pleasant destination resort with a pedestrianised centre containing a great range of shops and restaurants.

It is also a short transfer from Salzburg airport and has the unusual accolade of being the home town of Californian governor and infamous 'Terminator' Arnie Schwarzenegger.

The installation of new lifts over the past decade has created a four-mountain ski area linking the pistes on the Planai mountain directly above the resort with those of neighbouring Hauser Kaibling, above Haus as well as Hochwurzen and the Reiteralm above Pichl and Rohrmoos.

The combined ski area covers about 120km (75 miles) of piste which is rather low by modern standards, however the slopes have 100% snowmaking cover and the regional pass encompasses the nearby Dachstein glacier which has skiing almost year-round.

For a still greater choice, the resort is part of the vast Ski Amade pass which covers more than 800km (500 miles) of runs in the wider region.

Beginners

There are no nursery slopes by the town itself, and beginners take the gondola up the mountain to the nursery slopes on the top of Planai, or lessons will be offered over at Rohrmoos which has gentle runs in the Valley, accessed by chairlift or ski bus from Schladming.

This is therefore perhaps not the most convenient way to learn compared to some altitude, doorstep ski areas, and learning to ski here is also expensive compared to smaller less-well-known resorts, but the tuition standards are high!

Intermediates

Wonderful terrain for intermediate level skiers with more than 60 blues and reds criss-crossing the mountains, most of them on classic winding trails cut down through the woods, although there are also some open powder fields at the highest point of the ski circuit at Hauser Kaibling . If you can't fit it all in during the daytime there's often night skiing from 7.30pm to 10pm.

Advanced

Most advanced skiers will want to tackle the two downhill race courses on the Planai and on Hauser Kaibling, where the Women's Downhill is staged, both are five kilometres (just over three miles) long.

These are amongst eight black runs in the area, which include a couple of great mogul fields on Planai. There are lots of great off-piste routes locally and at the Dachstein the famous "Edelgrieß" descent over a breathtaking 18 km (11 miles) down from the Dachstein Glacier to Ramsau.

So, in short, there's plenty here to keep advanced skiers happy for at least a week.

Snowboarding

There are two terrain parks on the circuit on Planneralm and Hochwurzen, the latter floodlit for night riding, with a third option of the near year-round terrain park on the Dachstein glacier, a bus ride away.

Popular areas for boarders include Snow Valley on Planneralm, a freeride haven. Hauser-Kaibling is a gateway to back-country freeriding with lots of secret spots to build kickers. Galsterbergalm is reputed to be the locals' secret freeride favourite.

Other Activities and Facilities

Schladming has a modern swimming pool complex and indoor sports facilities including indoor tennis and squash. Outdoor attractions include an ice rink, seven kilometre (four mile) toboggan run, curling, sleigh rides, horse riding and snowshoeing.

There are 90km of cleared winter hiking trails in the area and 150km of cross country ski tracks in the region. Excursions to Salzburg are organised although there are towards 100 shops in Schladming itself.

It's also worth a visit to the Dachstein glacier, whether as part of a day skiing there or not, as the cable car lifts you to the Sky Walk with a view through a glass floor for over a thousand metres straight down the rock face. There is also a stunning ice palace, blue saloon and Crystal Dome all carved in to the glacier ice.

Après Ski and Dining Out

Schladming has a lively après ski scene with about 30 bars and nearly 100 restaurants in the area. Popular bars once the lift close include Niederel's on Hauptplatz, the Hohenhaus Tenne, Siglu and Schirmbar Charly Kahr.

There's a much wider choice of dining establishments than is the norm at most Austrian resorts with Italian, Indian, Spanish and Mexican options to supplement the usual fondue and raclette serving establishments. The Kirchenwirt is, however, one of the better choices if you do go for a typical Austrian dinner.

Families

Schladming's pedestrianised centre, family-friendly ski slopes, wide range of restaurants and facilities like the swimming pool are all good news for families.

The resort doesn't have any non-ski childcare available however, but several of the ski schools operate ski kindergartens for children aged three and older. This 'Mini Club' and ski school for older children can provide lunch time cover if required for an additional fee.

Piste Map for Schladming

Accommodation in Schladming

• Clubhotel Rossl - 3 star, half board
• Ferienalm - 4 star, half board
• Gut Raunerhof - 4 star, half board
• Kirchenwirt - 3 star, half board
• Neue Post - 3 star, half board
• Sport Hotel Royer - 4 star, half board
• Sport Hotel Royer - 4 star, half board
• Stadttor - 4 star, half board
• Zum Kaiserweg - 3 star, half board

Search For Ski Holidays:

• Schladming
• Austria

Cheap Skiing In Schladming

• Andorra
• Austria
• Bulgaria
• Canada
• Finland
• France
• Italy
• Japan
• Norway
• Romania
• Serbia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• USA