Ellmau: piste guide
The piste map remains hopelessly over-ambitious in trying to show the whole SkiWelt area in a single view. And the signposting is poor and confusing.
Most slopes are heavily wooded, with a mix of short runs at altitude and much longer ones to the villages.
Extent of the slopes
The old funicular railway on the edge of the village was replaced by a 10-seater gondola in 2016. This takes you up to Hartkaiser, from where a fine long red leads down to Blaiken (Scheffau’s lift base station). Here, one of two gondolas takes you up to Brandstadl. Immediately beyond Brandstadl, the slopes become rather bitty; an array of short runs and lifts link Brandstadl to Zinsberg. From Zinsberg, long, south-facing pistes lead down to Brixen, where a gondola goes up to Choralpe in Westendorf’s area. Part-way down to Brixen you can head towards Söll, and if you go up Hohe Salve, you get access to a long run to Hopfgarten.
Ellmau and Going share a pleasant little area of slopes on Astberg, slightly apart from the rest of the area, and well suited to the unadventurous and to families. One piste leads to the new gondola for access to the rest of the SkiWelt. The main Astberg chair is midway between Ellmau and Going.
Fast lifts
The main access lift is a fast funicular. Fast chairs are increasingly common on the upper slopes.
Snow reliability
With a low average height, and important links that get a lot of sun, the snowmaking that the SkiWelt has installed is essential; the Ellmau-Going sector now claims 95 per cent of slopes are covered and it is used well. Snowmaking can, of course, be used only when temperatures are low enough. The north-facing Eiberg area above Scheffau holds its snow well. Grooming is excellent.
For experts
There is a ski route from Brandstadl down to Scheffau and a little mogul field between Brandstadl and Neualm, but the main challenges are off piste.
For intermediates
With good snow, the SkiWelt is a paradise for those who love easy cruising. There are lots of blue runs, and many of the reds deserve a blue classification. It is a big area, and you get a feeling of travelling around. In good snow the long red runs to the valley – down the Hartkaiser funicular, for example – are excellent. The main challenge arises when ice and slush can make even gentle lower slopes tricky. For timid intermediates Astberg is handy.
For beginners
Ellmau has an array of good nursery slopes covered by snow-guns. The main ones are at the Going end, but there are some by the road to the funicular. The Astberg chair opens up a more snow-sure plateau at altitude. The Brandstadl area has a section of short easy runs.
Snowboarding
Ellmau is a good place to learn as its local slopes are easy.
Cross-country
The SkiWelt area has a total of 196km of trails, including long and challenging ones, but trails at altitude are lacking.
Where to Ski and Snowboard
This guide is taken from Where to Ski and Snowboard, edited by Chris Gill and Dave Watts. Chris now produces Where to Ski guides to individual countries. Find out more and receive an exclusive book discount.
