Ski & Snowboard Touring in Rauris.

The Rauris valley runs south from the Salzach into the Goldberg group of the Hohe Tauern. At the bottom, the Rauriser Hochalmbahnen ski area has around 30km of mostly easy and intermediate piste. At the top, the valley head at Kolm-Saigurn opens onto the high peaks of the national park.

Two summits define the touring: the Hoher Sonnblick (3,106m), crowned by an observatory that has been staffed since 1886, and the Hocharn (3,254m), the highest peak above the valley. Both are long, high days with glacier terrain and big descents.

Lower down, side valleys give quieter, easier tours — which is why Rauris works for first-timers and experienced tourers alike.

The ski area runs from December to April. Touring is best from January to April — deep winter for powder, March and April for the big glacier summits with longer days and more stable snow.

We don't publish snow depths or forecasts on this page — they go out of date within hours. These are the sources we check ourselves: Windy for wind, freezing levels and storm tracking, and the resort or regional forecast for snow detail. On a guided trip your guide checks them, plus the snow on the ground, every morning before any plan is set.

Windy — Rauris / Kolm-Saigurn
Snow-Forecast — Rauris snow report

High, glaciated summits and long approaches through avalanche terrain mean the snowpack has to be right before we go big. The official avalanche bulletin for this area is published by Lawinenwarndienst Salzburg (the official Salzburg avalanche warning service) — read it every day you go out, and read the whole thing, not just the danger level.

⚠ Conditions change fast — this is for planning only. Always check the live bulletin and consult a certified local guide before heading out.

The guide reads the bulletin every morning and picks the objective for the day. Beacon, shovel and probe are mandatory; glacier tours add harness and rope.

Summit days are the maximum, not a promise. Conditions come first, then the level and wishes of the group.

In Austria, mountain rescue is run by the Bergrettung Salzburg (and its sister organisations in the other provinces). Raise the alarm on the Austrian mountain rescue number 140 or the European emergency number 112. Coverage is good in the ski areas and patchy in the side valleys.

Travel and medical insurance with mountain rescue and helicopter cover is essential and is not included in our trips. We recommend Austrian Alpine Club (Alpenverein) membership, which includes mountain rescue cover.

Salzburg (SZG) is the nearest airport, with Munich (MUC) the bigger hub further away. Rauris is about an hour and a quarter from Salzburg by road. By train, the nearest station is Taxenbach-Rauris, a short bus ride from the village.

Rauris village has family-run guesthouses, apartments and a few hotels. We arrange accommodation for our trips unless agreed otherwise.

Rental is available in the village. For touring, bring your own or ask us to arrange it, or use the DOWN demo if agreed in advance.

Touring: touring skis or splitboard, boots, skins, poles, ski crampons, beacon, shovel, probe, 30–40L pack, helmet (mandatory), goggles, layers, spare gloves, headlamp; harness for glacier days.

Austrian mountain huts are part of the experience: Kaspressknödel soup, Germknödel, Kaiserschmarrn and a Radler on the terrace. Down in the valley, most places do proper Austrian home cooking, and the Salzburg region has some excellent gastro-pubs.

Rauris was a gold-mining centre for centuries, and the valley still has its mining heritage and gold-panning history. The Gastein valley's thermal spas are a short drive away.