Hopfgarten

Hopfagarten in Brixental is a resort that forms part of Austria’s largest linked area known as the ‘Ski Welt’ and is located just 50 miles (80km) from Innsbruck. Collectively the resorts that make up Ski Welt have over 250km of marked out pistes and lots more off-piste terrain. The area is linked across a series of mountain slopes by a staggering array of 94 lifts which are mainly chair lifts. Getting around all the areas will take some careful piste map reading, as you can easily get lost around here. The best thing is to plan the lift you want to get to and follow the signs, as if you try to follow piste numbers it’s a nightmare.

Like all the resorts of the Ski Welt, Brixental, which sits across the valley floor from the good resort of Westendorf, is a low laying resort with a high point of 1674m. In the past there has been a problem with a lack of real snow, however, the area has over 135km of snow-making facilities which helps to keep the runs open when the real stuff is in short supply. Brixental is a spread out affair and depending on where you stay, it may mean having to catch the ski bus to reach the slopes, not all the accommodation is close the runs.