On the Alpine glaciers in search of the last snow that gives excitement
Austria. In the heart of Tyrol, skiing and great views at the Stubai Gletscher
A 45-minute drive from Innsbruck, at the bottom of the Stubai Valley, the Stubai Glacier is one of the European benchmarks for high-altitude skiing in the entire Alpine region. It is so because of its size - it lies between 1,750 and 3,200 metres above sea level and is the largest glacier ski area in Austria - and because it offers one of the longest seasons for downhill sports, from October until late May (this year's season closes on Sunday 17). According to local ski instructors, between late winter and early spring is the best time to ski, and the reason is in the quality of the natural snow: abundant (at the moment, the white blanket exceeds 240 cm at 3,000 metres) and powdery, ideal for long 'carves' on smooth and open tracks with a backdrop of views that more than compensate for the absence of fir trees. The ski area has about thirty slopes for a total of about 100 kilometres of trails served by 26 lifts, including the futuristic 3S Eisgratbahn cableway, capable of carrying over 3,000 passengers per hour, and the chairlift that takes you up to 3,300 metres, the highest point of the Stubai Gletscher ski area and the starting point of some freeride itineraries. One of the most iconic experiences of this destination is the Top of Tyrol viewing platform, built at 3,210 metres: a short steel staircase leads to one of the most spectacular observation points in the Alps, with a 360-degree view of more than one hundred Alpine peaks and a gaze that on a clear day reaches as far as Catinaccio, Sassolungo and Marmolada.
