Hochkönig, Austria: Skiing and Winter Experiences – Ski Club Of Great Britain

Ski Locker Join us 01 / 11 / 26Maria Alm, Dienten and Mühlbach each bring something different to the Hochkönig region. Maria Alm has a traditional village centre and a striking pilgrimage church; Dienten sits beneath the Hochkönig massif, while Mühlbach’s history is rooted in copper mining. Together, they offer three different starting points for exploring this part of Austria’s SalzburgerLand.The skiing connects them into one 120km area within Ski amadé. There are gentle pistes for beginners, more demanding runs for experienced skiers and enough variety to explore different parts of the mountain over several days.The Königstour, or King’s Tour, is Hochkönig’s signature ski circuit. It links six summits over 35km of pistes, with 7,500m of cumulative descent.Along the way, views of the Hochkönig massif open up across the route. Royal thrones at panoramic viewpoints provide a place to stop for photographs and take in the scenery.The Königstour makes for a full day on the mountain. Confident intermediates can tackle the circuit, with mountain huts along the way for a lunch stop.For those who want an extra challenge, the Ski Challenge Hochkönig adds a competitive element, encouraging visitors to explore the area and track their achievements.Freestyle skiers can head to Kings Park snowpark, while families have the Family Run, Funslope Schönanger and Skimovie course to try.In Maria Alm, the Simmerllift opens for night skiing on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 6.30pm to 9pm, with a Night Show adding to the evening programme.For a look behind the scenes, visitors can ride along in a piste basher or join the Bergbahnen Inside Tour to find out more about how the lifts operate.There are early starts to consider, too. From February, selected lifts are scheduled to open 30 minutes earlier, while three Fridays in March will feature Sunrise Skiing followed by breakfast on the mountain.Families planning a spring trip can also make use of the Family Spring Deals. From 13 March 2027, children up to 15 ski free when a parent purchases a four-day ski pass. Mountain huts are an integral part of skiing in Hochkönig, serving everything from Austrian classics to dishes made with regional ingredients. Kasnocken and freshly prepared Kaiserschmarrn are among the staples, best enjoyed with a view from a sunny terrace.The Culinary Königstouren put a different spin on the traditional mountain lunch. Rather than settling in for a full meal at one hut, skiers move between several, with a starter at one stop, the main course at another and dessert further along the route.New for winter 2026/27 is the Culinary Königstour in Pink, which combines the hut-to-hut dining experience with support for the Pink Ribbon initiative of Salzburg’s Cancer Aid organisation. Hochkönig has more than 85km of prepared winter walking trails, winding through snow-covered forests and valleys beneath the mountains.In 2026/27, Hochkönig’s winter long-distance hiking experience returns for a second season, with four routes that fan out from a central starting point and loop back at the end of the day. The trails take in snow-covered forests and open plateaus with views of the Hochkönig massif. Elsewhere, visitors can try snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, ski touring, ice skating and horse-drawn carriage rides.Hochkönig has more than 85km of prepared winter walking trails, winding through snow-covered forests and out onto open plateaus with views of the massif. In 2026/27, Hochkönig’s winter long-distance hiking experience returns for a second season, with four circular routes exploring the surrounding landscape.Other ways to enjoy the winter landscape include snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, ski touring, ice skating and horse-drawn carriage rides, as well as tobogganing. The toboggan run at Jufenalm stretches for more than 2km, while the descent from Kopphütte covers 3.63km.During Advent, each of Hochkönig’s three villages has its own Christmas traditions. In Maria Alm, the pilgrimage Advent features a labyrinth of lights beside the church. In Dienten, Advent singing and visits from St Nicholas and Krampus keep local customs alive, while Mühlbach’s village Advent combines light installations with mystical stories, as well as a special underground Advent event in a historic mining tunnel. From 12 to 24 December 2026, Skiing into Christmas brings festive activities to the mountain huts. Homemade specialities, torchlit walks, concerts and live music feature in the programme, with the Christkind arriving on skis to hand out sweet treats.From 5 to 28 March 2027, Hochkönig will host the second edition of March Glow³ – a three-weekend festival combining skiing, music and food.The programme includes Early Morning Skiing, mountain sundowners, dinner in a gondola, a retro and dirndl ski day, Frozen Cinema and Frozen Glow Night. It offers another reason to visit in March, when longer days create more time for skiing and evenings out.Discover more at hochkoenig.at Call us: 020 8410 2000Email us: [email protected]View all contact options© 2026 Ski Club of Great Britain® Limited. Registered in England No. 4312167. All rights reserved.source