Val Senales: Kurzras, Hochjoch

The ski area is located at the head of Val Senales, in the Ötztal Alps, and stretches between Kurzras, at 2,011 metres, and the 3,212-metre Grawand. The landscape is the rugged and spectacular setting of the high mountains: glaciers, peaks rising above 3,000 metres and wide, vegetation-free slopes, with a panorama from the Iceman Ötzi Peak platform encompassing numerous Italian and Austrian peaks.

The ski area offers 42 km of alpine ski slopes, served by 11 lifts. The runs link the glacier areas of Grawand, Gletschersee, Finail and Hintereis with the Teufelsegg, Roter Kofel and Lazaun sectors, before reaching Kurzras again. The various areas open progressively during the season: in autumn and late spring, skiing is concentrated mainly on the higher-altitude slopes, while during the central winter months the entire ski area is normally available.

The slopes are suitable for skiers of all levels, but Val Senales is particularly well suited to intermediate and advanced skiers. The numerous red runs, the more demanding slopes of Teufelsegg and the Leo Gurschler training slope offer interesting gradients and generally firm snow. The glacier is also an important autumn training centre, frequented by ski clubs and national teams.

The most distinctive descent is the Schmugglerabfahrt, the Smugglers’ Run, which descends from the glacier towards Kurzras for approximately 8 km, overcoming more than 1,200 metres of vertical drop. It is a long, panoramic route, with sections of varying difficulty, allowing skiers to cross much of the ski area in a single run.

Beginners and families will find gentler slopes in the area around the Glocken drag lifts, near the cable-car base station, and on the slopes in the Lazaun sector. There are also magic carpets, a snow carousel and a dedicated children’s area. The Lazaun gondola reaches an altitude of 2,430 metres in about four minutes and serves two intermediate runs, as well as the 3.3-km-long toboggan run.

The main connection with the glacier is the Kurzras-Grawand Glacier Cable Car, completely renovated and reopened in December 2023. The 80-passenger cabins overcome approximately 1,200 metres of vertical drop in less than six minutes, taking passengers directly from Kurzras to the highest point of the ski area. The modern Lazaun gondola dates back to 2017, while some fixed-grip chairlifts and drag lifts are still found in the higher areas: slower lifts, but functional for glacier skiing.

The high altitude helps preserve the snow, but also means an environment exposed to wind and rapid weather changes. On the coldest days or when visibility is poor, the glacier slopes can be challenging; when the skies are clear, however, the quality of the scenery and the opportunity to ski above 3,000 metres are the resort’s greatest strengths.

The facilities also include high-altitude cross-country ski trails, the Lazaun toboggan run and a dedicated ski-touring route approximately 7 km long, with almost 1,200 metres of vertical gain. Val Senales is also associated with the history of Ötzi, the Similaun mummy discovered not far from the Tisenjoch, and with the ancient transhumance of sheep across the Alpine border.

Val Senales is recommended for those looking for technical slopes, substantial vertical drops and an authentic high-mountain atmosphere. Its dimensions cannot compare with those of the large Dolomite ski circuits, and evening life in Kurzras is rather quiet, but its exceptionally long season, high altitude and variety of runs make it one of the most distinctive resorts in the Alps.