Mölltaler Gletscher

The Mölltaler Gletscher ski area is the only place in the whole of Carinthia where you can ski on a glacier. Few people realise that this highly attractive, year-round ski area is the same distance from Poland as Kitzsteinhorn, which is so popular with Poles. It has superbly groomed pistes with a total length of about 16 km. By Austrian standards, Mölltaler Gletscher is a relatively young resort. This ski area, very popular today, only took off a few years ago, when the Mölltaler Express was built: an underground funicular with an impressive length of 4,800 m. It carries passengers quickly and efficiently up to an altitude of 2,200 m. The next stage is the Eisseebahn gondola up to 2,790 m. Unfortunately, the gondola is the weak link of the whole lift system on the glacier. It closes in stronger winds, which in effect shuts down the entire glacier. In that case, holders of the Top Ski Kärnten Silber ski pass can fall back on another ski resort nearby. The natural terrace at the top station of the Eisseebahn offers a panorama of the whole Mölltaler glacier, or rather the Schareck, as the glacier is actually called. All the pistes marked out on the glacier lie spread out in front of you. The view is a little like an airfield, because the pistes run across the full width of the glacier (more than a kilometre in total). From here you continue on two chairlifts. The second of them is the Gletscher Jet, a very modern, recently opened six-seater chairlift with bubble covers. It takes skiers right up to just below the summit of the Schareck (3,122 m). From here you can admire one of the finest panoramas in the Austrian Alps. Towering over the surrounding peaks is Austria's highest mountain, the Grossglockner (3,798 m). The pistes of Mölltaler Gletscher will please both beginners and experienced skiers. Particularly interesting is the 7 km piste running from the very top down to the valley station of the Schwarzkopf lift. Long runs also lead from the summit to the Bergstation at 2,879 m. Easy pistes take you all the way down to the edge of the glacier. For cross-country skiers there are only 5 km of trails on the glacier, and they are difficult. There is more choice around the small town of Flattach (15 km of trails), in the valley below the valley station of the Mölltaler Express, or in Obervellach, a little further away (40 km of trails). Mölltal offers snowboarders plenty of attractions, in particular a snow park with many features and a snowboard school, as well as numerous snowboard events and competitions during the season. The best place to look for accommodation is Flattach in the Möll valley, the small town closest to the valley station of the funicular. Besides skiing on the glacier, you can try other sports here too. In the evenings several bars, restaurants and a hotel disco are open.