Extreme Skiing: Five High Slopes in Switzerland and Austria

Many ski lovers tend to choose resorts with particularly high and long slopes, which allow them to enjoy long and attractive descents in exceptional surroundings.

The German Ski Association (DSV) recently compiled a list of five regions in the Swiss and Austrian Alps that have slopes with the greatest difference in elevation.

1. Zermatt: 2337 metro

Located in the canton of Valais in southern Switzerland, the elegant resort attracts not only the rich and famous, but also true ski lovers. It is located at the foot of the Matterhorn or Monte Cervino (4478 metres). The highest point of the ski slope is about 3,899 meters. The slope reaches the Aosta Valley in Italy. A day pass in Zermatt costs around €85 ($97).

2. Kaprun: 2261 meters

Kaprun is a municipality in the district of Zell am See in the Austrian state of Salzburg. From the picturesque village you reach the Kitzsteinhorn Glacier, which takes lovers of winter sports to an altitude of 3,029 meters. The longest continuous descent of the glacier is five kilometers long and 1,051 meters high. The ski area is part of the giant Alpin Card network, to which Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang Fieberbrunn and Schmittenhöhe in Zell am See and Kitzsteinhorn Kaprun belong, with about 270 kilometers of slopes.

3 – Maureen: 2174 meters

The Swiss ski resort of Mürren, in the canton of Bern, has it all: the longest distance from Schilthorn to Lauterbrunnen drops 2,051 meters from its starting point. “A felt slope in the legs”, DSV highlights in its publication “Ski & Berge” (Ski and Mountains). Since 1928, the so-called Hell Race (Inferno Race) for amateur skaters has been held there.

4. Davos – Klosters: 2034 metro

The Alpine resort of Davos, in the Swiss canton of Grisons, has a path that descends from 2,844 m into a ravine at an altitude of 810 m. More experienced skiers can overcome this height difference in one descent. The trail starts from Mount Weissfluh and ends 12 kilometers later in the village of Küblis.

5. Engelberg: 2,043 meters

The Engelberg-Titlis ski area is the largest in central Switzerland. Mount Titlis has a glacier that can be reached by the famous Rotair cable car, the only one in the world that rotates 360 degrees on itself during the trip. The longest drop of 2,010 meters leads from the highest station to Engelberg.

dpa