Tempting deep snow slopes and unspoilt downhills invite to enjoy freeride skiing. On the Stubai Glacier this trend sport is vigorously boosted with the new Powder Department. Snow safety, a great variety of lines and numerous freeride possibilities make the Stubai Glacier in the Tyrol a top freeride area in Austria.
The advertising motifs in winter sports are dominated by skiers and snowboarders who lonely make their turns in the fresh powder snow.
Such images stay in the mind and encourage a steadily increasing number of winter sports enthusiasts to seek the experience off the secured pistes. Instead of completely negating this, the issue is actively dealt with at the Stubai Glacier as part of the "Powder Department". The offer for the freeride community consists of two main areas: Mapped runs and safety management.
13 freeride runs in the open ski area that are listed on an off-piste map and are available as GPS-tracks
Route videos demonstrate the route details visually
We are partners of the Freeride City Innsbruck.
The Stubai Glacier makes high-alpine terrain which offers plenty of space for fantastic runs accessible. Access of these areas demands for experience and training and for a appropriate behaviour.
A specifically desinged off-piste-map shows 13 freeride runs in the open ski area. The downhills can also be accessed as GPS-tracks on your smartphone. They are integrated in the Stubai App. This way also people, who are not insiders, have the opportunity to enjoy rewarding downhill rides.
A printed version of the POWDER DEPARTMENT OFF PISTE MAP is available at the base station‘s ticket counter, at the Neustift ticket office, at the Eisgrat information and at the glacier’s Intersport shops.
Fresh snow or rain always increases the risk of avalanches.
The first nice day after snowfall is particularly prone to accidents!
It is often easy to trigger fresh snowdrift accumulations.
Rapid, marked warming and/or strong sunlight increase the risk of avalanches.
Low visibility (fog) makes orientation and the assessment of the avalanche risk more difficult.
BEFORE GOING FREERIDING, THE FOLLOWING THINGS MUST BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION:
If you are not sufficiently informed on alpine dangers and avalanches, please book a training session with a pro (e.g. certified mountain or ski guide) before going into the open area on your own. More information:
You leave the secured ski area when riding on the Powder Department Runs! The runs are NOT prepared, NOT secured from avalanches (and other alpine dangers) and are NOT checked. The Powder Department Runs are – since they are open ski area - not declared open or closed.
You act exclusively at your own responsibility and are outside of the area of liability of the lift operators, which offer only the open, prepared pistes and ski routes and assume no liability whatsoever.
Freeride Runs should only be entered with a certified mountain and ski guide.