Maria Alm ski resort guide & reviews Ski area, apres-ski, things to see & do in Maria Alm
Resort reviews
Skiing in Maria Alm - a picturesque ski resort with 150km of local terrain which is perfect for beginners and intermediate skiers and ideal for family ski holidays.
Set amidst the stunning mountains of the "Steinernes Meer" (Stone Sea) in the North and Grasberge mountains in the South, Maria Alm is an idyllic, family friendly holiday resort with just over 2000 residents and just 80km south of Salzburg.
Après-ski
For a small resort, the après-ski in Maria Alm can be lively and there is a good party atmosphere with live bands in many of the bars both on and off the slopes. There is also a wide selection of cafes, restaurants and a few shops.
For more variety, the main town of Saalfelden is just a few kms away.
| Key information (local area) | |
|---|---|
| Altitude | 820m |
| Top lift | 1820m |
| Family | |
| Beginner | |
| Intermediate | |
| Expert | |
| Piste (km) | 150 |
| Longest run | km |
| Off piste | |
| Cross country | 40 km |
| Season | Dec - April |
| Snowboard parks | 4 |
| Heli Skiing | ✘ |
| Summer skiing | ✘ |
| Glacier skiing | ✘ |
| Babysitting | ✔ |
| Creche | ✔ |
| Apres ski | Relaxed |
Maria Alm, Hochkönig ski area guide
Ski holidays in Maria Alm - part of the Hochkönig Massif ski area that includes the mountain villages of Hintermoos and Hinterthal and the lift connected resorts of Dienten and Mühlbach. Together, they provide 150km of piste serviced by 33 lifts.
The Hochkönig area is part of the 25 strong collection of resorts that make up the Ski Amadé area with a massive 760km of pistes covered by 1 lift pass! This sounds like the ski terrain is far larger than say Les 3 Vallees which is true but the problem is that not all the pistes and resorts are linked - thankfully, there are ski buses to ferry you to the various lift stations.
Beginners
The local skiing in Maria Alm gives you plenty of gentle beginner areas and blue pistes.
Intermediate
The whole local ski area is geared towards intermediate skiers and if you like touring, the Ski Amadé area is heaven!!
One of the best tours is around the 5 peaks of the Hochkönig regions taking in the ski resorts of Muehlbach, Dienten and Maria Alm. Known as the Kings Tour, the route takes you through 32km of spectaculrt scenery.
Advanced
For the advanced skier, there is not much on-piste to challenge you with most of the terrain suited to intermediates. The off-piste is far better especially in fresh powder with many back-country routes on offer although as always, these are best explored with a local guide.
Cross-country
The Hochkönig Region offers 40km of cross-country ski trails that cater for everyone, from occasional skiers to pros. The biggest network of trails is in Maria Alm - some 30 km with a trail leading along the river and in to Saalfelden.
Snowboard
For snowboarders, there are 4 major parks featuring rainbow boxes, moguls hills, easy kickers, straight boxes and more.
Things to see & do in Maria Alm
If you don't fancy skiing or the weather is not that great, then there are plenty of other activities to keep you occupied. A popular local winter sport is Ice Stock where you slide ice stocks on the ice to either hit a target or cover the longest distance.
- 85km of winter walking and snow shoeing trails
- In-door swimming pool
- Night skiing
- Tobogganing
- Ice go-carting
- Parapenting
Featured ski chalets
There is a plenty of choice when selecting where to stay for your ski holidays in Maria Alm as it also has several smaller satellite villages, all with their own easy access to local amenities and slopes. Hinterthal is a small but pretty town with a lovely town square outside the church and a few local shops.It also has great walking routes and is easily reached on foot from Maria Alm. The other village is Mühlbach where time goes a bit more slowly. Relaxed and very welcoming with direct access to the local ski area.
See all holiday rentals
Our view on Maria Alm ski resort
We think Maria Alm is an ideal ski resort for family ski holidays combining winter sports with relaxation and wellbeing. A few tips and suggestions...
- If you are looking for a day out and something a little out of the ordinary, you can head over to Dachstein and try cross-country skiing on the glacier up at 2700m - a bit different from motoring around the valley floor trails at Maria Alm with spectacular views of the surrounding 3000m peaks
- While at Dachstein, one of the good fun places to check-out is the ice palace on the glacier where you can also look deep inside of one of the magnificent crevasses!
- Just round the other side of the Hunstein mountain above Maria Alm is the medieval town of Zell am See sitting on the shores of Lake Zell. In winter there is some great skiing and in summer, you can ski on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier
If you like being in a stunning mountain valley, similar ski resorts to Maria Alm include Zell am Ziller and the international resort of Mayrhofen, both located in the magnificent Zillertal Valley.
