Ski & Snow

Pistes not to miss

With 146 kilometers of slopes, Sölden has plenty to offer for every skier. Blue skiers will be delighted with the wide, sweeping terrain on the Giggijoch and the Tiefenbach Glacier. For more of a challenge, the Rettenbach Glacier and the Gaislachkogl are the obvious choices. And just like any ski resort, Sölden has several pistes that you definitely need to ski while you’re here. Miranda from Snowplaza shows you the best pistes in Sölden.

Autobahn without speed limit

I have fond memories of my first time, years ago, standing at the top of this broad and lovely piste on the Tiefenbach glacier. We had to use tire chains to drive through the mounds of fresh snow on the way up – visibility was poor, but the snow was fantastic.

I spent almost the whole day on that run, and to this day, blue #38 remains one of my favourite slopes at Sölden. In the winter months it is easily accessible via the lift. If you want plenty of space to carve out beautiful turns on the freshly-groomed snow, make sure to get here early in the morning. his is also a perfect spot for beginner skiers to practise their technique. The Tiefenbach cable car will have you up the hill again in no time.

The early birds leave the first traces. Preparation for the first run at piste #38. © Ötztal Tourismus, Miranda Muller

Red like Rotkogl

Interested in something a little steeper? The broad red piste #11 on the Rotkogl offers fall-line skiing almost all the way down and a nice view of the valley to boot. Again, the earlier you get here, the better the skiing will be. At the bottom of the piste, you can opt to descend further down into the valley, take the Stabele lift to the Gaislachkogl or ride the Langegg up again for one more round. This is one run that you can easily ski a few times in a row.

Signs mark the steep piste. © Ötztal Tourismus, Miranda Muller

Full steam down at Giggijoch

If you thought the Giggijoch was only for beginners, think again. At the top of the Roßkirpl lift, 2.744 meters above sea level, awaits black piste #14, a steep run with a total altitude loss of almost 500 meters.

Because the piste is quite wide, it is also suitable for intermediate skiers, but this descent was once known as the “Mafia’s Run”. In the times when the piste was not prepared so well, the unforgiving snow sent a good half of its victims flying. Luckily, today the grooming is up to scratch and most skiers are able to carve a bold path down this once-infamous slope.

Pistes for the to-do-list

In addition to the three runs we mentioned above, these runs are also a must-do:

• Blue #13: A broad and approachable piste which is particularly suitable for beginners and carving enthusiasts
• Red #1: A gem of a piste off the top of Gaislachkogl, the broad red piste #1 offers a good variety of terrain and a gorgeous view
• Black #25: Even on busy days in high season it is often quiet here! Queues at the lift are negligible, so you can work those leg muscles

Guest author Miranda Muller – editor-in-chief at Snowplaza.

Guest Author Miranda Muller

Miranda Muller is Editor-in-chief at Snowplaza and the alps are her second home. Skiing, snowboarding, hiking or mountain biking – she loves it all. For a period of time Miranda lived in Trentino and worked as a ski instructor in the alps.

Let’s go to Sölden!

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