Advice for novices in Mayrhofen

A snowHead

Me and my Partner are here in February 2025, we have both been on a ski holiday before (Zell am see) but are still by no means experts!

I’m just looking for any helpful suggestions on runs that would be suitable for us, where we can develop our skills without worrying about being out of our depth!

We are stopping in the Der Siegeler hotel, so any help on with lifts and busses we need to get to certain suitable areas would be much appreciated! I have already noted down the
AHORN area, 1A through to 4a as a good one to start with.

Thanks!

A snowHead

Hi as you have suggested Ahorn is a great place to start with, a decent day to get your ski legs.

Following that Penken will have enough to keep you occupied. My favourite area is Ratskogel some great Reds and Blues accessed of the 150 TUX from the bottom of the bowl next to the fun park which can be skied to on a Blue 29 or Red 32/33. Reds 60 and 64 from the top to Heidi's are great runs and not intimidating, although I accept this is subjective, so start on this side with all the Blues 67 63 and 62. Getting back on Red 66 can sometimes be tricky as the top section is steep-ish often with moguls and busy. If that's not your cup of tea take the gondola back.

Reds 10 and 15 from the top of Horberg are lovely Reds when the conditions are good, 10 is wide and fairly long getting you back to the bowl with an option to bail out onto Blue 11.

I think your hotel will have a bus stop close by on Durst, Line A which runs through the town via Ahornbahn and Penkenbahn although Penken will be walkable and so will the Ahorn on the way home which is down hill and past a few hostelries.

I'm sure others will add their two-penketh have a great trip.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Really appreciate the detailed response!

Just a quick question regarding the 150 TUX, does blue 29 take you to directly where we would then get on that?

So from the town we would jump on the Horbergbahn to blue 29, ski to the 6SB Korren lift and go across to the 150tux?

Or am i completely wrong snowHead

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Or does blue 29 take you directly to the tux?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

No problem at all. Yes Blue 29 with bit of poling at the end on the bowl floor will get you to the 150 TUX.

The best way for you would be take the Penkenbahn then either turn left and ski the short Blue 25 taking the 6SB Penken Express chair. OR head straight across to the Kombibahn. As the name suggests its alternatively a chair and gondola and might be useful getting 'home' should the runs back be busy or cut up.

They both end up at the same place and you can pick up the head of Blue 29 Kaisermandel has a bit of early apres

You'll need to Register first of course.

Ha ha just checked the map always advisable as from the top of the Penken Express I take the Red to the TUX and I've given you a slight bum steer so apologies and here's a correction...

The first bit is fine but the end of Blue 29 turn right and ski a small easy section of Red 31 it's a shared slope at this point to 8SB Tappenalm chair and instead of taking Blue 14 back along the bottom, ski straight alongside the T Bar and head right at the bottom.

Blue 14 is a short easy run and worth having a run depending on your timing getting over to 150 TUX

Once again apologies and I would say that if you are OK on decent Reds and conditions are good getting on Red 32 to the 150 TUX takes out the steeper section of Red 33 might be doable.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Just hop on the free train and go to Kaltenbach. Much simpler and easier for low end skiers.

After all it is free

@DcfcWill96, Der Siegler is a good choice, Mike's sports bar is on the ground floor and a popular spot, especially when the 6 Nations are on. You might even see my other half at work opposite in the Europahaus, which is also where the tourist office is. There's an English lady Amanda that works at the tourist office, so if you need any advice she'll be able to help with no language issues.

Agree with @Uncle Rico about the Rastkogel area, 63 & 67 are good runs, and the view along the Tuxertal to Hintertux are beautiful. 51 down to the 6er Katzenmoos is nice also, feels quite quiet over there too.

If you want to get to Rastkogel i'd go up the Penken if I were you, otherwise you're having to jump on the bus to the Horbergbahn and it's not worth it, when you can ski from Penken down blue 29 to the Tappenalm lift and over to the 150er Tux. Some advice, take the 150er Tux back down from Rastkogel as well, the red 66 run isn't very easy and could quite easily knock confidence, maybe build up to it during the week.

Alternatively, ski Red 75 down and over to Eggalm, and then a bus back to Mayrhofen.

Blue 14 lapping the Tappenalm and Mittertrettlift are nice easy blue runs, but can be busy with beginners/ski schools.

If you want to explore the whole valley, you might want to consider jumping on the (free) train to Kaltenbach and skiing the area there linked with Hochfügen, there's some lovely wide blue runs there that will be nice.

Appreciate all the in depth replies! Made it a lot easier to get my head around (hopefully)!

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

@DcfcWill96, you don't say how you got on during your first week, but most people in only their second week are likely to be sticking to blues and not reds.

Are you having lessons? If so, the simplest thing is to note where your instructor takes you and repeat it later. They will select slopes that suit your current ability, while stretching you a bit. You can try small variations, or different lines that might be slightly steeper, while knowing that it is not going to be a major problem. And unlike in lessons, you can relax a bit more, take in the views, stop for drinks etc.

If not taking lessons, you obviously have more freedom on where to go, but with greater risk that you accidentally attempt something that is a bit too ambitious

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

There are a couple of circuits which can be navigated by confident beginners (a reasonable snowplough and ability to run flat skis on sections).

Route 1
1) From the top of the Kombibahn take 28 then bear left onto 29. Arrive at the Tappenalm chair straight ahead). Take the chair.

2) Lap piste 14 or take the Nordhangbahn

3) at the top of the Nordhangbahn you can go right but note the piste is a bit narrow in places.

Or

4) go left and head past the restaurants towards the drag lift in the distance. Cross the drag lift path and follow the track directly ahead e.g. travers the mountain don’t head down red 48

Note this is quite a good route to avoid queues at the end of the day around Larchwald.

5) keep going straight, past the Panorahma restaurant. You arrive back at the top of Penken and join top of blue 28.

Route 2

1) From the top of the Kombibahn take 28 then bear left onto 29. Arrive at the Tappenalm chair straight ahead). Take the chair.

2) ski down through the board park and head for the large Tux 150 gondola. There are steps below the gondola you can use. Don’t side step up the joining piste it’s not needed.

3) from the top head straight and ski 67 lapping the piste by taking Wanglespitzbahn

4) as stated by above you will need to take the gondola back which requires a tow rope.

On the Horbergjoch there are a few nice and not steep runs which arrive back at the Wanglespitz. There is a red and a blue but neither are steep.

Sorry for spelling mistakes!

snow reports

As an aside, I never understood why they didn't position the talstation of the 150er Tux about 50-100 metres closer to where the blue by the snowpark comes out. It can really be a bit of a PITA getting over there without a lot of speed behind you.

1st world problems I know...

Enjoy the cheesy apres in the Ice Bär at the base of the Penken!

@ecureuil

We got on okay, we both had 3-4 lessons in the U.K. before going away so we had the basics. After a week we could complete the blue runs relatively easy but by no means competent! We did a couple of the easy reds also. Eh oh!

You know it makes sense.

@ecureuil makes a great point re lessons.

If your budget allows I'd get some, and if you and your partner are at similar levels a couple of hours private for the two of you, post Ahorn, say two or three sessions, would be a good investment. It's not only about technique and building confidence, but for getting around the place and giving you a chance of hitting the most suitable runs with the best snow at the right time.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

If this is only your second week of skiing you would be well advised to avoid Red 66. Take the gondola

A snowHead

We have stayed at Mike's Sports Bar a few times and really like it, booked again for next March. Anyway, the ski bus stop is right outside. They have a ski room but we always leave our gear up at the Penken lockers to make life easier. Bus up in the morning and slow amble down in the evening starting off at the Happy End.

A snowHead

The main Horberg red is lovely and on the gentle side of red - it was the "new" area in about 1985 when the skiing was basically only the slopes on the Penken. The reds on the back of the Penken are steeper by comparison, but I think you need to ski one to get to the Horberg (though just noticed blue 29) - unless you take the bus to the Horberg gondola - which used to the clever way up the mountain when the Penken was just served by a cable car. Queues could be massive. The area from the top of the huge cable car - the 150 -is gentler in general than the back of the Penken. The red back - 66 looking at the map - has a couple of sections that will get quite bumpy (you can take 150 down)

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Would you recommend taking the red instead of the blue (29)? If so which number is the red? Just to make sure I’m on the right path!

Thanks!

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

You'll need to Register first of course.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

is it a road all the way or only after it splits with 28?

Anyway at the bottom of 29/31 the 8SB Tappenalm takes you a very easy blue (14) - the maps are very confusing as it's not half way up the 6SB Scheekar lift. That one takes you up the Horberg which used to be the highest point years ago. Red 10 and Blue 11 are really nice. The 6SB Gerent loops it. Red 15 off to the side is somewhat steeper, but if you are looking for nice runs to put on repeat for a little while, 10 and 11 could be it. I don't remember Red 13 from my latest visit (just preCovid).

Again, if you have to bus to get to lifts, have a look at going to the Horbergbahn - saves using 29 or 31

After all it is free

@DcfcWill96,
Take ski lessons. Wherever the instructor takes you are the runs to suit you.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

That’s given me lots of help regarding suitable runs! Hopefully have my head around it all by Feb!

In regards to lessons, we did consider this but we would like to do our own thing, and feel we are at a reasonable enough level to navigate the blues and easier reds! (Hopefully)

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

I don't really look at numbers much but for your first day you'll probably just take the lift up to kasermandl then the blue path down and swing a left down to tappenalm. Play on this for a bit and maybe then swing off and schuss down to 150tux to play on rastkogel where almost all is wide and fairly gentle for some confidence building.
Back up that short hateful rope pull and up larchwald and then probably happy enough to do the reds back down to tappenalm again. Then little refreshment at kasermandl and down the bumpy red to the top penken station.
That's always my first day anyway

snow reports

Honestly, Mayrhofen is quite hard to navigate. Why don’t you have a private lesson on your first day. The instructor will take you on suitable runs on the Penken, and help you navigate. Then the Ahorn is great for practicing and confidence building and you won’t get lost. Mayrhofen was my second ski trip and I wouldn’t have managed it without help. It’s a brilliant town, sure you’ll have lots of fun.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Seems madness to not have at least one lesson after only a week on skis! Especially in a big ski area. Might be different in somewhere with limited number of runs, or majority blue runs, but an instructor would give you some technical top-ups, but also be able to give you guidance on where to go/which runs suit you/which to avoid.

A snowHead

I started 35 years ago and planning having my first lesson in zell am ziller in January.

A snowHead

Don't forget, at the end of a strenuous day, pop into the Ice Bar for a lovely quiet drink and a wind-down, to catch your breath and catch up with friends. Helpfully situated at the bottom of the Penkenbahn gondola.

wink

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Then run to the Scotland yard to get the dart board corner

You need to Login to know who's really who.

I'm just back from a week in Mayrhofen - I wish I'd seen this thread before I went!

I thought (compared with other resorts) there was a big difference between blue and red. All the blues (apart from 14 and 63) were roads, and they are not fun to ski! They all had too many people on them who probably should have used different routes, therefore freeing up the blues for the people who need to use them (I know everyone is entitled to use whichever run they like, but it just makes the roads even harder for beginners to ski on if they've had loads of people on them). There was then a big step up to the reds - red 10 was probably the tamest, and maybe 25/27 too, but some of them were pretty steep!

That said, there were quite a few runs I really enjoyed - 55 down from the top of Nordhangbahn was my favourite, also 10, 33 (despite being taken out at speed by a boarder!), 31 as a 'home' run to the Horberg gondola, and everything over on the Rastkogel side (66 back was a highlight too).

Given the prevalence of reds, and the lack of any 'hard blue' or 'easy red', I would most definitely get at least one lesson in. No way would I have been able to ski any of the reds (bar 10 maybe) after only one week. An instructor can show you the easiest way down some of the longer reds, and also tell you which ones NOT to attempt.

The Devil's run is a tease - clearly viewable from so many places that it had to be done (once), and my husband did the Harakiri too (that one wasn't for me). The short black (65?) on Rastkogel was lovely.

Whilst I enjoyed 77/78 over on Eggalm, I very much did NOT enjoy 75 to get there from Heidi's Hutte. We both said a firm 'never again' to that one. Absolutely horrendous.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Hello Snowheads.
I've been reading this thread with interest as I'm off to Mayrhofen for a week in early March with my brother
Whilst we're pretty confident on most reds and venturing onto black runs we're definitely going to take a private lesson.
Does anyone have any recommendations on good schools/instructors or is the standard fairly decent generally?
Also rather than starting a whole new thread are there any tips for the Zillertal area generally? We're actually staying in Ramsau so would definitely be keen to check out the other resorts too.
One quite specific question is are there boot lockers at the gondola/lift bases so don't have to wear ski boots for ages on a bus?
Thanks in advance for any help Eh oh!

You'll need to Register first of course.

@Seanyb1702, no need to start another thread, use this one here:

https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=170407&highlight=

There are lockers at a lot of the gondola's, and at Kaltenbach, there's also lockers at the top in the hire shop there.

Not sure if your hotel includes evening meals, but Ramsau isn't hugely blessed with restaurants, but you're only a couple of minutes walk over the river to Hippach where there's more restaurants. I can recommend the Christlwirt for nice food, typical Austrian style.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

I've used the lockers at the base of the penken which were pricey but so handy. There are some at the top aswell but limits you to starting at the top of the penken every day. Next week I've booked ski hire at Ian Kilgours so using depot at the shop while I'm in mayrhofen.
Doing first 3 days in zell am ziller and booked in group lessons there so can update that in a week or so.

After all it is free

Take lessons. The more you get bad habits inbuilt, the earlier you will plateau and be frustrated that you can’t do more stuff. Or you’ll pay 4x the cost of lessons to shake them off. Trust me, I bought that extremely expensive T-shirt.

@Seanyb1702 We stayed in Ramsau - at the Alpenhotel Ramsauerhof. If that's your hotel (likely if you booked through Crystal!) then I can give you some more low down (all good). If not, shout up if you've got any other Ramsau-specific questions... We had a couple of nice meals out but were half board for 5/7 nights, so didn't need much variety.

To your other points - the ski-bus from Ramsau is super-efficient (esp from that hotel). Takes 10 mins, goes every 15 mins. Runs bang on schedule. We (8 of us) all had seats on every trip, with no issues.

We hired skis from the shop at the Horbergbahn (where the bus drops you). We stored them there every evening (no cost). Again, very efficient. We used that gondola every day because 2 of the group were in ski school (meeting point at the top of the gondola). If we'd wanted to go to Zillertal Arena (or the glacier, or Ahorn), we'd have taken our skis back with us to get a different bus (bus to Zillertal was also very convenient, as was the train).
We didn't store our boots there, as you need a locker for that and they were €60 a week, and the hotel had a good boot room (and being dropped off at the hotel meant we didn't have to walk anywhere).

Lesson-wise, it will probably be handy as an orientation exercise as much as anything else. I always like it when an instructor tells you which pistes they believe are best suited to you, and any you may find more challenging. I'm generally happy on reds, and tacked the Devil's Run (black 12) and a couple of other short blacks, but def not the Harakiri... (see my post up-thread for which runs I favoured, and which I wouldn't do again!)

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Thanks for taking the time to reply.
I am indeed staying in the Alpenhotel, so it's good to hear the buses are efficient.
What I meant about the lockers was if we went to Zillertal or Hintertux for a day we can just wear normal shoes, then change once we get to the lifts and stash them for the day. But it seems like that's not an issue, which is good news.
I've never been to Austria at all, let alone skied there, so really looking forward to the trip!

Help!!

Advice for novices in Mayrhofen

snowHeads Forum Index >>> The Piste