Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn might not be a name that rolls off the tongue, but it does give you some idea of just how vast this Austrian ski area is. As the name implies, it’s an amalgamation of four resorts, which combined make a super-resort boasting an incredible 270km of pistes, served by 70 modern lifts, making it one of the largest lift-linked ski areas in the world.
So what's it like to ski in the Skicircus? Between them, these four resorts have everything you could ever want from a skiing holiday – from off-piste gnarly enough to host the Freeride World Tour, to mellow beginner slopes, and everything in between. Known collectively as the ‘Skicircus’ because the ski lifts are arranged so that you can ski around the valley like you’re in a circus ring, skiing in the Skicircus allows you to rack up some serious ski miles without straying too far from the lifts.
Add in a variety of culinary experiences in 60 cosy, mountain huts, high-quality accommodation and some enjoyable off-slope activities and wellness centres, and you really have got a ski area for everyone.
Here are seven reasons to visit the vast and varied Skicircus area this winter:
Perfect playground for families at the Skicircus
Skicircus is an Austrian winter paradise for families with children. Little ones, mini racers and young carvers will feel at home in the Skicircus where 140km of the pistes are blue slopes, just waiting the entire family to enjoy!
The Skicircus ski resorts have excellent ski schools which have a designated children’s area and ski kindergarten. Top qualified ski instructors ensure a playful start to your skiing adventures in Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn. The experience of first turns in the snow, and the first ascent with the lift will put a smile on the faces of both parents and their children.
Whether making the first turns on the wide pistes, or enjoying the amusing Funslopes & Snowtrails, taking a stroll in the forest, a winter hike up the mountain, or tobogganing on a starry winter night, the new KIDS WINTER CHALLENGE rewards all active winter adventurers. Kids can punch the coveted symbols onto their play pass and on presenting the completed pass at the Tourist Office, will receive a cool medal.
Oh, and did we mention, in the evenings, you can take a horse-drawn sleigh ride, or go walking with llamas?
A freeride paradise
Fieberbrunn's extensive deep-snow slopes and exciting backcountry spots attract the world’s elite to the Freeride World Tour in Fieberbrunn every year. The comp takes place on the gnarly north face of the Wildseeloder, a 610 vertical metre descent which includes pitches of 70 degrees. Of course, in an area this size – it crosses into three regions and two Austrian states, Tyrol and Salzburg – that epic face is just the start of it.
With numerous off-piste possibilities combined with a breathtaking backdrop of the Kitzbüheler Alps, endless freedom is assured here. The Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn also has its own Freeride Park, countless freeride routes of varying grades of difficulty, info-point, LVS search fields & checkpoints along with a specially tailored avalanche warning report.
Ski the longest ski circuit in the Alps in the Skicircus
Up for a challenge? Well, they don’t come any bigger – or longer – than the ski circuit of the Skicircus, known to locals not as a challenge, but as ‘The Challenge’. To complete the route, you’ll need to ski 65 kilometres of downhill runs, ride 32 lifts, and clock up 12,400m of altitude difference – that’s almost one and a half times the height of Mount Everest. Fit skiers can expect to complete it within seven hours. Reckon you’ve got what it takes?
Guaranteed snow in the Skicircus
Is the Skicircus snowsure? This snow-rich region on the Tyrol-Salzburg border is famous for the consistency of its snowfall, but the Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn takes nothing for granted. Summer 2020 saw construction start on the brand new Rosswald Reservoir in Hinterglemm, a facility that now holds 230,000 cubic metres of water to feed the ski area’s extensive system of snow cannons.
A vast variety of food
With more than 270km of trails and 70 lifts, it’s hardly surprising that the Skicircus has a huge variety of mountain restaurants – no fewer than 60, in fact. These range from 300-year-old, rustic alpine huts, to shiny, modern buildings offering fine dining. There is, quite literally, something to suit every taste, budget and palette here – and that’s before we’ve even mentioned the restaurants off the hill.
So, whether it's haute cuisine or local staples you're after, take your taste buds on a journey in the Skicircus. We recommend not missing out on Kaiserschmarrn, a delicious scrambled pancake, often served with stewed apples or plums.
Skicircus for everyone
The fun doesn’t stop when you take off your ski boots – and you don’t even have to put them on in the first place to enjoy your holiday in Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn. Romantics will love a cosy sleigh ride or snowshoe walk. Those in search of adventure can try the Treetop Trail - the highest of its kind in Europe. This 2km circuit showcases pristine forest and even features a 200 metre-long ‘Alpine Golden Gate Bridge’.
Snowtubing is always a winner, as well as tobogganing on the Reiterkogel (3.2 km) and the Spielberghaus (3.0 km), or a few circuits on the ice-rink or a game of curling. Cross-country skiing is great for those in search of solitude and being at one with nature. And for something different, try the unique experience of night skiing on a floodlit piste.
Don't miss the Audi FIS Ski World Cup in the Skicircus
From the 16th - 24th March 2024, the final of the Audi FIS Ski World Cup will take place on the Zwölferkogel in Saalbach Hinterglemm. International athletes will compete for the last World Cup points of the season on the future 2025 World Cup course. The eagerly awaited season finale will be the dress rehearsal for the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships Saalbach 2025, so there is plenty to see, both this season and next!
To book your trip for some spring skiing and to watch one of the best spectacles on snow, go to saalbach.com
And there’s more...
As if the slopes on offer in the vast Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn weren’t enough, you can also further increase the ski area with the Ski ALPIN CARD. This super ski pass includes access to the Schmittenhöhe in Zell am See and to Kitzsteinhorn Kaprun, giving you a whopping total of 408km of pistes, and 121 ski lifts. Whole new worlds to explore!
Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn in numbers
3 regions
2 states
270km of pistes
70 lifts
60 mountain restaurants
To find out even more about what this outstanding ski area has to offer, go to skicircus.saalbach.com
