The Red Bulletin February/March 2020 (UK)

Promotion
Obertauern
Austria’s powder
playground
With pristine slopes,
off-piste powder and
the snowiest ski area
in Austria, Obertauern
is set to become your
new favourite winter
destination
A
U
S
T
R
I A
Freeskier Tobi
Tritscher produced
his first Homerun
film in Obertauern
last year
Austria is famed for its beautiful
mountains and amazing snow
sports. Every year, visitors from
across the world travel here to
enjoy the country’s incredible
slopes and mountain lifestyle.
As every snow sports
enthusiast knows, an essential
part of any winter adventure
is heavy snowfall on the pistes.
Which is why Obertauern is
proud that of all Austria’s
leading snow destinations, it
is number one for guaranteed
snow. All winter sports
destinations wish they could
promise heavy snowfall and
pristine slopes year after year;
however, due to unpredictable
weather, it’s often hard to tell
whether you will be met with
green or white hills on your
annual ski trip. The region of
Obertauern is a little different,
however, as the guarantee of
snow in the region was proven
by ski tourism researcher
Günther Aigner in 2016, with
an average maximum snow
depth of 264cm. Thanks to the
unique weather conditions in
the Tauern mountains, snow
clouds coming from the north
as well as from the south bring
a white splendour to Obertauern
for almost seven months, with
the first snow falling in October
and lasting till May.
The region has attracted
some pretty impressive
admirers. World-renowned
freeskier and Red Bull
PlayStreets veteran Tobi
Tritscher is known to frequent
the off-piste hills of Obertauern,
calling it his own “backyard
playground”. Tritscher’s film
series Homerun, in which
the Austrian skier rips down
incredibly powdery mountains,
was filmed entirely on
Obertauern’s snowy peaks,
showing the full potential of
this special region with its
amazing snowfall and varied,
snaking routes.
Visitors to Obertauern have
plenty to explore. The centre of
the town, located at 1,740m, is
in the middle of several pistes
that wind out and cover the
mountain slopes up to an
altitude of 2,313m, allowing
visitors to ski in and out from
any location. The legendary
Tauern round includes 26
modern cable cars and ski lifts
that connect approximately
100km of slopes, enabling you
to explore all the pistes.
With popular snow park
The Spot available for
snowboarders and freestylers,
the more challenging
Gamsleiten 2 slope for the
bravest and most skilled riders,
and the Tauren Tour running
for all levels of rider from small
children to adults, everyone
will discover a holiday they love
in Obertauern.
78 THE RED BULLETIN