Skiworld Ahrntal - Klausberg & Speikboden Ski Resorts Italy
Klausberg & Speikboden ski resorts form the impressive Skiworld Ahrntal located between the Dolomites & the Austrian border. Beautiful villages, spectacular mountains, massive skiable verticals of up to 1,500m, runs up to 8km long, modern lifts, plus a range of non-ski activities make the region an exceptional winter destination. We have stood by and observed the ever-improving lifts & infrastructure at both the main Skiworld Ahrntal resorts and reckon now is the time to check them out fully. Good to know is that the 'Ahrntal' is also known by its Italian form as the 'Valle Aurina'. Two smaller ski areas are also part of the Ahrntal, Rein in Taufers & Weissenbach, but each is of only passing interest to us, and we suspect, to you as well.
Skiing & Snowboarding, Lift & Terrain
The Ahrntal skiing & snowboarding terrain is split evenly between both Klausberg & Speikboden with just over 40km of pistes at each, on a mostly north-aspect. The longest runs, given the huge top to bottom vertical, are indeed long. A thigh-quivering 7½km & 8km respectively will test the most hardened amongst us. Off-piste it’s hard to tell until we get there, but we expect the ridges surrounding the upper alpine zones of each ski area will be glorious on their day, and possibly some tree skiing when the snowpack is deep and low.
The ski lifts at Klausberg & Speikboden can only be described as super-modern & hyper-efficient. Klausberg’s 11 lifts include 4 x gondolas, the oldest of which was installed in just 2006. The 4 chairlifts are a little older but serve relatively little of the terrain in the overall scheme of things. Three surface conveyors are for novices.
At Speikboden, the 8 lifts include two modern gondolas, plus three high-speed chairlifts (one each of the 4, 6 & 8-seater varieties). 3 new surface conveyors handle the kids & novices.
Check out the Skiworld Ahrntal Klausberg-Speikboden Ski Trail Map below.
Lift Passes
Lift tickets are at the more expensive end of the spectrum for Italy, but this is not really part of Italy is it! Well it is, but it isn’t, so prices are more like that for the better Austrian ski resorts. And you don’t get a super-modern lift system for nothing you know….
Pass pricing is split into 3 periods - Value, Premium & Platinum. Value season day passes are up to €14/adult/day cheaper than the highest priced Platinum season pass rates. Value season includes most of December, most of January and a good chunk of March too.
Despite all infants under 6yr getting a free lift, any child under 8yr with a paying adult also gets a free pass for the same period.
Of interest to some perhaps, is that the ski resorts are also part of the newly established Südtirol Skiarena, which is an expanded & updated iteration of the old ‘Ortler Ski Arena’. Well-priced season passes are valid in 18 ‘independent’ ski areas across the South Tyrol region.
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Where is Skiworld Ahrntal, Italy?
Skiworld Ahrntal is in the Valle Aurina of South Tyrol in northeast Italy. The two main ski resorts of Klausberg & Speikboden are 10km apart, with Klausberg the furthest up the valley. The main village at Klausberg is Steinhaus (a.k.a. Cadipietra). The main villages near Speikboden, Mühlen in Taufers (a.k.a. Molini di Tures) & Sand in Taufers (a.k.a. Campo Tures) are not at the base of the ski resort but are connected by ski bus to the lifts at Costa di Tures.
The closest gateway airports are Innsbruck (INN) (for travellers from within Europe or the UK) and Munich (MUC) (for everyone else!). Milan Malpensa or Venice airports can be utilised too. Innsbruck airport is around 133km (2½hr drive) from Klausberg. Munich airport is around 330km (4½hr drive) from Klausberg.
The closest major city is delightful Brunico (a.k.a. Bruneck), just 27km by road (35min drive) south of the furthest ski area, Klausberg. Brunico has a convenient railway station which connects to Austria via the Brenner Pass or Bolzano and on toward Verona, Venice & Milan. In the opposite direction the train links into Austria’s East Tyrol at Lienz and beyond.
From Brunico train station, the route 450 bus takes 33min to get to the ‘Cabinovia Monte Spicco’ bus-stop for Speikboden, and a further 15 to 16min to get to either the ‘Wenger’ or ‘Steinhaus, Cadipietra’ stops for Klausberg. A short walk across the river is required from either stop to the Klausberg gondola valley station.
During the ski season, a ski bus (free for ‘Guest Pass’ holders staying in the region) links the main villages in the valley (from Mühlen to St Peter) & the ski areas together. In the morning buses come every 5 to 15min. In the afternoon there are departures every 15 to 20min.
Skiworld Ahrntal Accommodation
The Ahrntal (a.k.a. Valle Aurina) accommodation options for skiing Klausberg & Speikboden are as wide-ranging as one’s imagination (& budget!). Multiple villages at the ski lift base areas, as well as at other valley locations, plus the nearby city of Brunick (Brunico), provide every possibility, but most are edging toward the higher end of the market. Any location in the valley is connected to the ski lifts by ski-bus.
Near the Klausberg ski lifts, Steinhaus (a.k.a. Cadipietra) village has direct access to the gondola and a valley ski trail. Plus there are numerous hamlets nearby with excellent hotels, apartments & chalets
As mentioned earlier, near Speikboden, the villages of Mühlen in Taufers (a.k.a. Molini di Tures) & Sand in Taufers (a.k.a. Campo Tures) are not at the base of the ski resort but are connected by ski bus to the lifts at Costa di Tures.
Search & book a place to stay via the Ahrntal (Valle Aurina) Ski Accommodation Listings.
Activities
Skiworld Ahrntal has host of long sledding trails streaming down from the mid-mountain to various valley locations. Other local activities include winter-walking & snowshoeing trails taking in viewpoints, frozen lakes and numerous superb mountain restaurants.
Nearby Ski Resorts
Skiworld Ahrntal is close the to the Dolomites ski resort of Kronplatz and hence many others in Dolomiti Superski region.
Reviews & Contact
The Powderhounds will review Klausberg & Speikboden next season. More information about this European ski resort will come after our visit. Stay tuned for our sparkling repartee, new photos & insights.
See how Skiworld Ahrntal compares to the rest of the Italian ski resorts on the Italy ski resort ratings page or compare to the rest of Europe on the European ski resort ratings page.
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