Moelltal Glacier Ski Resort Austria

The Moelltal Glacier ski resort is unique in Austria. It is the highest, most snow sure & longest operating ski resort on the south side of the Austrian Alps. The summit of nearby Sonnblick has a snow measuring station that records the area gets a whopping annual average snowfall of 20m. Whether this is still relevant today is another question, but hey, how bad can it be? Until recently Mölltal was a major centre for summer skiing but now will for around 9 months from early September to early June. Having observed the massive decline in the glacier firsthand in our visit during January 2024, we can understand why.

Skiing at Moelltal Glacier in winter can provide some wonderful alpine off-piste powder opportunities, often when other ski areas on the northern side have missed out, but it is not without issues! In terms of size, access, & facilities, it has some similarities to the excellent, higher elevation Pitztal Glacier in the Tirol however lacks Pitztal's 'wow' factor and massive freeride descents back to the bottom of the funicular.

Pros & Cons for Mölltal Glacier Ski Resort

Pros

• Open for skiing nearly 9 months of the year.
• Snow-sure southern Austrian location in winter.
• Quality snow on the pistes with all terrain above 2,000m elevation.
• Piste trails for all levels.
• Wonderful backcountry ski opportunities into Sportgastein.
• Fun off-piste skiing within the resort.
• Great value lift pass if purchased online up to 5-days in advance.

Cons

• Inbounds terrain & pistes feel surprisingly limited.
• High-alpine, above treeline terrain with minimal shelter in poor weather.
• Lift closures are common due to high winds & other factors.
• No valley ski run or routes - must download on the funicular.
• Cash desk lift pass pricing can be a disgrace when limited lifts are operating.
• Snow quality off-piste is often impacted by wind & sun.

Pro or Con (depending on your perspective!)

• No village or ski-in ski-out accommodation at the ski resort.
• Sunny south-facing slopes (unusual for a glacier area!).
• The glacier is rapidly disappearing due to warming overall conditions throughout the year.

Skiing & Snowboarding, Lift & Terrain

With over 1,000m of vertical and A lofty upper lifted point of 3,122m altitude, Mölltal Glacier should feel more impressive than it is. And whilst elements of it are impressive, the overall feeling one is left with when skiing is 'underwhelmed'. The 36km (ish) of pistes are all fine (very fine actually) and have a tasty spread for all abilities, but we are not sure how many of them actually exist throughout the season (refer to my review!). The 7km (ish) of variante ski routes are good fun and the off-piste is nice without being extraordinary. The signature off-piste terrain on the mountain is hard skiers’ right (usually under the rope) of the top of the Gletscherjet quad chair which leads into a broad powder bowl with a series of steepish chutes and then out across a broad basin to the bottom of the Panoramabahn Klühspies chair - a quality 600m vert off the piste. Check out the ski trail map below.

Moelltal Glacier Ski Trail Map

Moelltal's 9 ski lifts are a true mixed bag. The funicular to get up the hill is better than expected, rapidly clearing busy weekend morning line-ups at the base of the mountain and bring them up to the 'middle station'. The same cannot be said for the Eissee gondola. A classic 40yr old ‘6-seater’ that is only big enough for 4 adults with freeride gear. Thankfully, every 2nd or 3rd cabin has had its external ski racks modified to take a fat ski, but snow boards have to brought inside the cabin, which is no fun for anyone involved. The chairlifts that serve most of the terrain do the job. 2 quads and 3 doubles is a strange mix in a ski resort these days. Up to the summit, the Sesselbahn 3000 double seems utterly superfluous as it parallels the Gletscherjet quad almost exactly. The precarious perch of its supports on the ever-shrinking glacier is bordering on embarrassing. A few beginner tows, another double chair & slopes are around the mid-station. Of interest is the upgrade of a previously red intermediate piste (#9) to being a blue beginner piste for much of its length, making a safe connection between Eissee & the funicular. A short section of steeper, narrower piste near the bottom will test those of lesser ability, so it doesn’t quite achieve the goal.

Around the Alteck chair (our favourite on the hill), whilst only 300m (ish) of skiable vertical, is rolling terrain with pleasing variety and a few avalanche fences to weave between down lower. From the top there are options to traverse and climb a little higher to far skiers’ left and ride a nice steep face that ends on the #14 trail. Otherwise traversing skiers’ right leads to an easy Variante and beyond.

Backcountry routes include a classic descent north from the top of the Mölltaler Gletscher (local spelling) down to the valley station of the superb Sportgastein ski area in Salzburgerland. If unsure get a guide, as it requires good knowledge and a combination of transport (bus-train-bus) to get back to Molltal.

There are plans afoot to replace one of the double chairs (the 25yr old Panoramabahn Klühspies) with an 8-seater, high-speed detachable with a hood(!), and put in a new quad for beginners near the top of the funicular. The new Panoramabahn will be nice to have, as it serves a nice 300m+ of vertical and gets one back up to the main restaurant, but neither fundamentally changes the ski area. And replacing a double chair with an 8-seater is a fascinating exercise in future-proofing, or just wishful thinking.

Where is Moelltal Glacier Austria?

The Mölltaler Gletscher ski resort is in the Carinthia state of southern Austria. Located on the alpine divide between the peaks Sonnblick (3,105m) & Ankogel (3,250m), the Moelltal Glacier is also close to Austria's highest mountain, Grossglockner (3,978m).

The closest major city to the ski area is Lienz, 48km by road to the west. The nearest town is Flattach, 9½km southeast of the funicular base at the ski resort. Nearest gateway airports are Munich (MUC) & Salzburg (SZG). Access from the north side of the Alps is best via the car-train from Gastein to Mallnitz. Passenger trains to Mallnitz run regularly from the glorious city of Salzburg. If one doesn't have a rental car, a private transfer might then make sense from Mallnitz railway station to your accommodation, however there is a good local bus service as well.

The local ski bus runs regularly throughout the region, allowing easy daily access from as far away as Mallnitz (including the train station). if driving to the base of Möltal Glacier ski area, note that last few kilometres are on a narrow winding mountain road. Care should be taken with oncoming vehicles, particularly buses. There is ample parking at the funicular base.

Mölltal Glacier Accommodation

Accommodation at Moelltal Glacier is available in the valley at the hamlet of Innerfragant or the village of Flattach. Ski-in ski-out accommodation once existed at 2,800m elevation at the top station of the Eisseebahn gondola, but sadly it ceased operation several seasons ago. In Flattach, at a stop on the ski bus route, the Sporthotel Mölltal is a good local option.

Search & book here for Moelltal Glacier ski accommodation at Flattach.

For anyone with their own transport or prepared to take the ski bus (we did!), the village of Mallnitz provides a better lodging location. With transport links via train to Bad Gastein, plus the ski area of Ankogel nearby, Mallnitz has an excellent range of well-priced hotels, plus a variety of restaurants and activities.

Search & book here for ski accommodation at Mallnitz.

Review & More Info

The Powderhounds first attempted to review Mölltal Glacier in 2019. Lift closures due to high winds & some ridiculous lift pass pricing when the resort was only operating on an extremely limited basis put an end to our quest. We finally returned in late January 2024 whilst staying in Mallnitz & Bad Gastein. We enjoyed a cold, sunny day with some fresh, wind impacted snow.

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