Serfaus Fiss Ladis Skiing & Snowboarding
Why Serfaus Fiss Ladis is relatively unknown outside of Europe is beyond us. Perhaps they don't care, or perhaps they don’t want to share the wonderful alpine terrain with any else? Regardless, if you are reading this, you will probably get the impression that you definitely should explore this place at some point in your ski life.
Terrain
The magnitude of the ski terrain at Serfaus Fiss Ladis is hard to fathom until you have been there & seen it for yourself. It seemingly goes on and on and on and on. And whilst the majority of on-piste trails are perfect for beginners & intermediates (common across Austria), what we were so impressed by was the large swathe of terrain preferred by powder hounds (both on and off piste) that is left relatively untouched for days after the last snowfall. Genuine advanced terrain on Lazid (2,351m) & Pezid (2,770m) at one end, plus Zwölferkopf (2,596m) at the other end, provide some of the funnest turns on black pistes in the Alps. Fresh powder lines next to these runs is all but guaranteed. Other black pistes, like #160 off the spectacular 2,828m Masnerkopf, are way steeper than they first appear, but more heavily frequented by those less advanced in handling it. Lovely steep fall line skiing on-piste is always a treat in the Alps but if you are not into that, take heart in the massive amount of intermediate terrain.
For novices there are two main learn-to-ski areas. The busiest one is just above the village of Fiss and accessed via the gondola to Ladis. Getting off at the ‘mid-station’ at Sonnenburg one can ski easy slopes just below. This is a good place to start if your accommodation is in Fiss or Ladis, or if the weather up the mountain is feral. The better place to learn when the weather is clear is the nest of surface conveyors, tows, and features around the mid-mountain station of Komperdell. The perfect novice & family area, access is direct from Serfaus village via the Komperdell gondola. Novices/beginners should not venture into the terrain beyond Komperdell toward Lazid as there are very few easy options connecting lifts & terrain. A smaller novice/beginner area is also at the Ladis base area.
We will expand on the ski terrain & lifts in the near future (read our review for more in the meantime).
Trail Map
Before you visit this incredible resort, start salivating over the ski trail map below. Note that the trail map seriously understates the size and distance between the various sectors in the resort. For example the distance from Lazid summit to Masnerkopf is 6km distant ‘as the crow flies’.
Lifts
A thoroughly modern, comfortable lift system that is continually being modernised is what one gets at Serfaus Fiss Ladis. Anyone staying at the far end of the resort in Ladis may have some long, tedious journeys in the morning to get to the goods, but at least it is in the comfort of a gondola. Aside from that, some early morning congestion around the main lift hubs in Serfaus and above Fiss quickly dissipates as the horde disperses across the vast terrain. The one real ski lift chokepoint in the entire resort is the short chairlift back up to Komperdell from the bottom of Lazid at lunchtime or later in the day.
Lift Passes
Lift passes at the resort are quite simple to understand. Early in the season (from start of December) there are real bargains (particularly if one stays the night in one of the villages & has a guest Card) prior to the high season period around Christmas/New Year. After that the difference between high & low season day lift passes (with or without a guest card) are negligible in the greater scheme of things.
We will add more to this page when we find the time! Look at the photos above and/or read our review in the meantime....
