Hintertux Glacier Snowboarding Guide — When to Go, What to Ride

Hintertux is the one that’s always open. Three hundred and sixty-five days a year, weather permitting. There’s a small but devoted scene of skiers and riders who chase summer turns here in July and August, and there’s also the regular winter resort — wider, busier, and with a proper village base. It’s the most flexible mountain in Austria, but you have to know what you’re showing up for.

When to go

June through August is summer glacier season. Park is open, the freeride camps run their pro weeks, and the snow is harder than you’d think — overnight refreezes hold the surface together until late morning. Lifts close around 12:30 most days because by then the snow has gone to slush. Mornings are cold even in July; bring layers.

September and October are the in-between. Early autumn is the quietest time on the glacier. Locals come up to ride before the lower lifts open. Conditions are usually excellent.

November through April is full season. Lower lifts open in November, the village comes alive, and Hintertux becomes a regular Tirolean ski resort with the bonus of glacier reliability up high.

May into June is spring on the glacier with low-altitude lifts winding down. Slushy, sunny, cheap.

The single best week of the year for most riders: early November, after the first cold snap but before the village opens. You get the glacier to yourself.

Terrain

Hintertux runs across three terrain “worlds”: the valley base (Sommerbergalm to Tuxer Joch), the middle mountain (Tuxer Fernerhaus area), and the glacier itself.

Glacier — the upper section is open year-round. Mostly groomed, mostly intermediate terrain, with one long top-to-bottom run that drops nearly 1,500 vertical metres in winter when the lower lifts are running. The Gletscherbus 3 is the iconic gondola.

Park — Betterpark Hintertux is the only park in Europe that runs year-round, and that single fact shapes the entire scene. Pro camps, brand sessions, photo trips — if it’s June and a film crew needs park, this is where they are. The setup includes a beginner Easy Park, full M-L kicker line, a 22m XL kicker for events, and a permanent jib zone. The Spring Battle in March is the biggest park event of the European season, with full pro contest jumps and a public weekend on either side.

Freeride — there’s actual freeride terrain here, especially on the Tuxer Joch and the back side of the Tuxer Fernerhaus. Avalanche awareness required; conditions vary. Hire a guide for your first time.

Beginner — the Sommerbergalm area is fine for new riders during winter. In summer, beginner terrain is limited because most of what’s open is glacier piste at altitude.

Where to stay

Hintertux itself, the village at the head of the valley, is small — three or four hotels and a couple of guesthouses. The advantage is you can walk to the lifts. The disadvantage is there’s not much else there.

Lanersbach and Vorderlanersbach are mid-valley villages with the most options — chalets, guesthouses, mid-range hotels. The free Tux ski-bus connects everything in the valley, so staying mid-valley is genuinely fine.

Mayrhofen at the mouth of the Zillertal is 30 minutes by bus and is where you stay if you want a real town with bars and restaurants. You can ride the Mayrhofen Penken park lifts from town and shuttle to Hintertux on glacier days. This is what a lot of repeat visitors do.

Getting there

From Innsbruck airport — 90 minutes by car. The drive is up the Inntal autobahn, exit Wiesing for the Zillertal, then up the valley. The road is clear and well-maintained even in winter.

From Munich airport — 3 hours by car. Train option: train to Jenbach, then Zillertalbahn (a small narrow-gauge train) to Mayrhofen, then bus to the Tux Valley. Total time around 4 hours.

By bus — the Tuxertaler Bus runs from Mayrhofen to Hintertux every 30 minutes during the season.

Eating and drinking

On the mountain: Spannagelhaus is the historic hut, with views down the Tuxer valley and food that’s better than it has any right to be. Tuxer Fernerhaus restaurant is the practical lunch spot.

In the valley: Hohenhaus Tenne in Hintertux for après — proper alpine party energy. Stamperl in Lanersbach for traditional food. The bakery in Vorderlanersbach (Bäckerei Hofer) opens at 6:30 — useful for early lift days.

Underrated tip

Summer skiing is genuinely good in early August. The Spring Battle in March gets the press, but the August camps are quieter, the park is in better shape than people expect, and the price-per-day is roughly half of February. The catch: you’re done by 12:30, so the rest of the day is for the lake.

The Hintertux ice cave (Natureispalast) is inside the glacier and is open to visitors. Slightly touristy but worth a half-hour on a stormy day when you can’t ride. Booking ahead in winter; walk-up usually fine in summer.

If you’re a park rider

This is the calendar park rider’s home. If you want to ride park year-round in Europe, this is the resort.

Calendar highlights:

Spring Battle (March) — the biggest park event of the European season. Pro contest weekend, public sessions on either side, the XL line in peak shape, and the entire scene in town. Book accommodation early; prices spike for that week.
Summer camps (June–August) — quietest pro-park sessions in Europe. Mornings only (lifts close around 12:30 once the snow softens), but the snow is firmer than people expect because of overnight refreezes. Typical camps include Hintertux Pleasure Jam and various brand-specific weeks.
Autumn (September–November) — the second peak of the year. Camps return, pro shoots show up, conditions are excellent and the rest of Europe hasn’t started its season.
Mid-winter (December–February) — park is open and fine, but the focus shifts to the wider resort. Less of a pure park draw than autumn or spring.

Practical notes:

Bring extra wax. Glacier snow is gritty and slow, especially in summer. A fresh hot wax every 2–3 days makes a real difference.
The setup updates daily on the Hintertux Snowpark Instagram account. Worth following before a trip.
The Easy Park is the underrated thing here. Most riders dismiss Hintertux as “pro only” — wrong. The progression park is genuinely well-shaped and is one of the better learner setups in Austria.

If you’re a freerider

Hintertux has more real freeride terrain than most glacier resorts. The Tuxer Joch sectors and the back side of the Tuxer Fernerhaus open up on stable days. Hire a guide your first trip; the local guides know which couloirs are in.

If you’re a beginner

Winter only. The Sommerbergalm beginner area is fine but not exceptional. If everyone in your group is new to riding, Hintertux is overkill — go to a mid-altitude family resort instead.