The outdoorsy guide to Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau
Welcome to Ski Juwel Alpbachtal Wildschönau: It may have a bit of a mouthful of a name, but this charming corner of the Austrian Alps is a bit of a secret gem that I think deserves to be far better known. Spread out over four mountain peaks and two wide, snow-sure valleys, this magical slice of the Alps boasts crowd-free pistes, traditional villages and a relaxed vibe – and it’s only being an hour from Innsbruck airport.
In the middle of the Kitzbuhler Alps, Ski Juwel connects the picturesque valleys of Alpbach and Wildschönau together and is home to a string of nine photogenic villages. As a seasoned skier I find alpine resorts can feel rather like one another – but that’s not the case here. What comes across in these vibrant valleys is a real sense of joy among the locals in the mountains where they live, work and play – a sensation the Austrians like to call Lebensgefühl. And I guess I’m not surprised – imagine having sunny slopes on your doorstep as well as living in a community where your neighbours also love to ski, bike and hike year-round.
Sunny slopes in Ski Juwel
Lets go skiing – and in Ski Juwel, the slopes often top lists of the most beautiful areas for winter sports in the Tirol. Wiedersberger Horn in Alpbachtal and Schatzberg in Wildschönau form the core of the ski area, with cable cars at Markbachjoch and Reither Kogel completing a snow-sure winter sports area that spans a total of four mountains. This is a surprisingly big and far-ranging ski area, with 113 kilometres of slopes and 45 cable cars connecting them up. Beginners and families can chill out on gentle blue runs, while intermediate and advanced skiers will love tackling challenging reds, blacks, and off-piste routes. I loved the mesmerising views from Top of Alpbachtal – the highest point in the ski offers panoramic views of the Tyrolean mountains from a modern lookout tower. The resort also has two snow parks for lovers of tricks and jumps, including the Wiedersberger Horn Snowpark, which was designed as a playground for freestyle enthusiasts. Non-skiers are catered for too – there’s a rip-roaring tobogganing run and well-signposted winter hiking routes criss-cross the mountains.
Ancient towns and… turnip schnapps?
If you’re not a fan of sprawling identikit modern resorts, you’ll love the old-fashioned yet relaxed vibe of these high valleys, dotted by old farmhouses and picture-book villages. The main Ski Juwel centres are Niederau, Oberau, Auffach and Alpbach, but all of the villages are well worth staying in or strolling through – Alpbach is often named Austria’s most beautiful village for its unique wooden architecture, Rattenberg is Austria’s smallest town and Thierbach is the highest village in the Wildschönau. Niederau has both easy beginners’ slopes and demanding valley runs as well as a thrilling toboggan run, so it’s great for older families.
If all that adventure has left you peckish, Ski Juwel’s relaxed restaurant scene will do you proud. But I think the best eats are at altitude – there are 25 ski huts and mountain restaurants to warm up in with a gluhwein. I stopped for a mid-ski break at Gipföhit, a traditional wooden hut that was packed to the rafters with happy pink-cheeked skiers refuelling with hearty Austrian fare – think dumpling soup, goulash and Tiroler Grostl (a delicious potato, bacon and onion fry-up). And if you’re feeling brave, copy the locals and order a Krautinger. The Wildschönau is the only place in Austria where Krautinger schnapps is distilled – and yes, it’s made from turnips! This locally loved liqueur tastes far better than it smells, and it’ll definitely warm you up from inside on a chilly day. Back down in the valley, I stayed in picturesque Oberau, crowned by a 250-year-old Baroque church.
The Landhotel Tirolerhof is a great base for exploring the best of Ski Juwel – rooms are cosy and many have big views of the white-capped mountains. This relaxed hotel would be a wonderful stay for families – perhaps because it’s run by one. Martin Erharter and his family give every guest a warm welcome and know Ski Juwel inside-out. The restaurant serves up classic mountain fare and downstairs there’s also a wonderful new spa, complete with a pool and no less than three different saunas, all perfect for relaxing tired ski legs.
While Oberau is a bus ride to the main slopes, you are right next door to the Drachental Family Park with a mini slope that would be perfect for children trying skiing for the first time, plus a modern Alpine rollercoaster, the Drachenflitzer, for adventurous little ones. While Ski Juwel isn’t somewhere I’d come for crazy après ski, it’s still a great place to relax of an evening. The Tirolerhof hotel’s own bar, the Stadl, in a cosy hut is great for a beer or two and the hotel also overlooks the delights of the Dragon Winter Night, which takes place every Thursday in winter. More of a party than a ski show, the Winter Night is a weekly gathering of locals and visitors complete with a great band, mulled white wine served from a cauldron hung above a roaring fire, fire dancers and even a friendly dragon doing a conga line with local kids. You can’t get much more Lebensgefühl than that.
