If you are dreaming of a perfect ski trip in Austria with breathtaking alpine views, well-groomed slopes for all levels and a charming lakeside town to explore, skiing in Zell am See should be on your radar. Schmittenhohe ski resort is right in Zell am See with easy access to the slopes that are ideal for families.

Sometimes planning a ski trip can feel a little overwhelming, so I’m here to help. This ski guide will walk you through what you can expect when skiing at Schmittenhohe with tips on lift passes, ski rental options and fun trails to explore. Let’s dive in.

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Schmittenhohe Ski Resort

Schmittenhohe ski resort is right in Zell am See, Austria. There are two other ski resorts nearby, Kitzsteinhorn and Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn. Of the Zell am See ski resorts, Schmittenhohe is the most convenient.

There are lifts that take you up the mountain directly from the town center and from Zell am See Süd. When skiing in Zell am See, Schmittenhohe offers gorgeous views of Lake Zell and is the second largest resort in the area.

When we planned our ski trip in December we stayed in Zell am See, so that we could easily access Schmittenhohe. Before our trip, we did learn, however, that Schmittenhohe is not always snow sure. We got really lucky during our ski trip with snow.

But, is Zell Am See snow sure? Well Schmittenhohe might not be, but the nearby Kitzsteinhorn is in a glacier and has snow year round. We also noticed that many of the pistes at the nearby Saalbach were open before Schmittenhohe.

This means if you plan a trip to Zell am See to ski and would really like to zoom down the trails at Schmittenhohe, a trip in January or February might be a better time of year for your holiday if you want to guarantee snow.

Skiing In Zell Am See Ski Pass

One of the aspects of a ski trip to Zell am See that really attracted me was the variety of skiing in the area. When you visit there is one ski pass that covers all three ski resorts in the Zell am See area.

You can purchase day passes of the Ski Alpin Card at Schmittenhohe ski resort, Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang or Kitzsteinhorn and you can ski at all three resorts on the same pass.

You can also buy multi-day options of the Ski Alpin Card if you don’t want to worry about getting a pass each day. There is no big discount for purchasing the multi-day pass, so it is more about convenience than anything else.

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Zell Am See Ski Pass Price

During the main season, adult tickets cost €76 euro per day which is about average for a European lift ticket. Children 6 and under are free as long as they are with a paying adult. Kids between 7 and 16 are only €38 and youth that are between 17 and 19 get a discounted rate as well and only pay €57 for the day.

This is very affordable, especially for families and if you are comparing the prices to skiing the United States. Depending on the size of the resort and where in the U.S. you ski, a single-day lift ticket could cost up to $350 dollars per ticket.

There are multi-day Ski Alpin Card passes that can be purchased as well. The discount for these passes are only a few euros, so only purchase them if you know for sure you will be skiing these days in a row and want the convenience of not going to the window or kiosk to get a pass in the morning.

Honestly the line was never long when we purchased our day passes in December. One person in front of us was the longest line we ever experienced.

If you only want to ski a short day, you can also purchase your Ski Alpin Card after 11:30am and pay €63 for the partial day.

Zell Am See Ski Map

How big is the ski area at Zell Am See, you might ask? The Schmittenhohe ski resort is the second largest in Zell am See with 77 kilometers of pistes to enjoy. If I was to compare this to a ski resort in the United States, I would say it is not large but not small either. Somewhere in between. However, if you total all three resorts together, there is 408 kilometers of trails to explore!

Here is the ski trail map. There is a pretty even mix of blues (beginner), red (intermediate) and blacks (advanced).

Also, here is a link to the ski lifts that also tells you if they are open or not.

Schmittenhohe Ski Resort Season

Skiing in Zell Am See begins when the snow arrives. Usually the ski season at Schmittenhohe begins in December and ends in mid-April unless snow arrives early. Of the last 5 ski season, the earliest Schmittenhohe opened was November 29th and the latest was December 24th.

Ski Hire In Zell Am See

If you need to rent skis while skiing in Zell Am See there are a few options. We rented our skis from Rent 2 Ski in Zell am See Süd. The quality of skis and snowboards we rented were great and the guys that work there were so friendly and helpful. I would highly recommend them.

I even started our trip with skis and realized after the first day that I needed to switch to a snowboard. They were super helpful and we easily switched everything out with no problem!

The biggest rental company is Bründl Sports. They are located right at the base of Schmittenhohe which makes it very convenient to rent the skis, but it can also get busy in there.

Funslopes, Kid Slopes And Ski Parks

Schmittenhohe is home to the Funslope XXL. If you are skiing in Zell Am See with kids this is a must-ski track. The Funslope XXL is a 1.3 kilometer trail that boasts tunnels, wavy bumps, twists and turns, high-fiving giant hands, and fun obstacles! My kids love these trails! Reach this exciting piste by taking the Hochmaisbahn lift to the top.

In addition to the Funslope XXL, Schmittenhohe has a fun kid ski area for the little ones. If you are skiing with little kids, be sure to check Schmidolin’s Dragon Park where the kids can ski with a dragon! This children’s area is a fun spot for obstacles like tunnels and wave tracks that are perfect for younger kids.

For the adrenaline junkies, make your way to the snow park at Schmittenhohe. What I like about this snow park is that it is divided into a beginner and a more advanced area. My kids love to hit a rail or small jump every once in a while, but if they are too big they get too scared. Which is totally okay with me. 🤪 This one has some fun options they are willing to try!

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Sledding

At Schmittenhohe ski resort you can do more than just skiing and snowboarding. There is also tobogganing options to enjoy. For a family friendly option, the 1 kilometer long trail from Köhlergraben is a good place to start.

If you are looking for a little more excitement, a couple of nearby tobogganing runs include a 3-kilometer run at Kohlschnait or the long 14 kilometer run at Bramberg am Wildkogel. In addition, there are also a few different tobogganing runs at Saalbach ski resort.

Viewing Platforms And Panoramic Views

Lastly, for breathtaking views of the surrounding peaks and Lake Zell, there are a couple of great viewpoints you will want to seek out at Schmittenhohe ski resort.

Kaiserblick Panorama Platform

The first viewpoint, pictured above next to Levi’s helmet, is Kaiserblick panorama platform. Here you can take in beautiful Lake Zell and gorgeous Austrian mountain peaks.

You can reach the Kasierblick viewpoint by taking the Schmittenhohebahn lift. It’s right at the top!

Sonnkogel Panoramic Viewing Platform

There is another viewpoint at Sonnkogel. You can get there by taking the Sonnkogelbahn lift to the top. Take in the view or dine at the restaurant.

If you aren’t skiing you can also reach this viewpoint by hiking there. Hike from the trassXpress lift all the way to Sonnkogel and back by following the green 28 signs. The entire hike gives you beautiful views of the snowy alpine peaks.

In addition, if you take this hike, you will also be able to stop at the Kasierblick viewpoint mentioned above!

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