NOTE: You may notice that some of the photos below depict totally different human beings than what you may have seen before, here. I noticed many months ago an avid SnowBoardDad blog reader and an even more avid Alpine traveler was sharing the info I post about and tagging me to help out others online who were trying to find their next Alpine snow trip. Plus I met him after finding a backpack of his in Hintertux 🇦🇹 and re-uniting him with it 😂.
Welp, I invited him to come on over to the blog and contribute to the growing amount of snow spots traveled on this site and he thankfully obliged! He’s officially my first Guest Contributor and I’m happy to have him jot his own ramblings on the brave task of taking kids and a spouse into the mountains as a foreigner to Europe.
Meet “The Alpen Dad”
Our favorite Family-oriented ski resort is located only 3 1/2 hours from the Stuttgart region and I’m here to tell you about it…
…but first, an introduction:
Dec 2023: We have lived in this area for the last two years and endeavor to spend as much time as possible on the slopes. As the family travel planner, slope guide, snack pack mule, and driver, I am excited to share our adventures and experiences with you. I will share our triumphs, failures, tips, and tricks for getting the major production of successful family skiing going, and the unpredictable obstacles that make every trip an adventure.
As my buddy Johnny Muir said “The Mountains are calling and I must go“. Thanks for sharing this chairlift with us and now onto a personal favorite for my inaugural collaboration post with Snowboard Dad in Europe…. Kuhtai, Austria!
After 20 years of snowboarding, I switched to skiing, and I now get outclassed every trip by our twins.
As stated in the opening few lines, our favorite Family-oriented resort, Kühtai, is in the Tyrol region in Austria. About 3.5 hours’ drive from Stuttgart, we fell in love on our first trip during the previous winter and repeated the trip this past December. In fact, this was the first place we ever went when we first arrived in Germany, and it amazed us from start to finish.
What we love about Kühtai (and will tell anyone who listens): it is a small resort that has a little bit of everything for everybody….and it is very affordable. If you have been to the Western resorts in the United States and have been accosted with $27 hamburgers and $18 chili bowls, you are in for a treat, here. On our first day, we ate on the mountain for a family of four: three bowls of soup, two beers, and two apple juice glasses came to a grand total of 34€ 🤯.
There is a small umbrella bar at the base of the Alpenrosenlift with a burger food truck for those quick drink and food needs. We call these “Patience breaks”, ‘cuz skiing with a family of 4 can be….tense. If you want to be more frugal, naturally one can always pack food in order to save some cash.
There is a wide range of runs from advanced to beginner’s hills (with T-Bar for you snowboarders) that will keep everyone in the family engaged. The majority of the runs are groomed, well-marked, and wide enough that you can spread out even when the crowds show up. As you look at the trail map, the “left side” caters to the beginner to intermediate. This side is where the ski schools, blue runs, magic carpet, and snow playground are all located. The ski schools are highly regarded and have rave reviews. Learn from my hard lessons, if you want kids to enjoy snowsports get them good equipment and professional instruction.
The “Right” side of the mountain caters to more intermediate/advanced skiers. Here the runs are steeper and faster. The snowpark, freestyle area, and snowcross are located on this side. The Gaiskogelbahn lift serves a couple black runs as well as an off-piste area. We nicknamed the lift ” Racecar Chairlift” due to these really cool black and yellow heated sport seats that take you up. If you want to take a break from skiing but are not ready to call it a day, there is a toboggan/sled run easily accessible to cap off your day. A sled can easily be rented for a couple of euros for this feature.
Everyone we interacted with was very nice, personable, and super helpful. While this may seem like an insignificant point, it is not the default at many larger-scale resorts. To the point where the personnel at Gerber Sports rental shop asked if we would like to leave our stuff overnight at no cost while the kids tried out larger rental skis. Our rental was included in the hotel package with AlpenRose hotel ( more on that below!). We had the kids try out Atomic 120cm skis and Atomic Hawx Jr ski boots as both continue to grow like weeds. The rentals are high quality and recently stocked, so you don’t have to worry about five season war hammers strapped to your feet. The last plug: hot wax jobs for adult skis were 10€ and were ready for pickup before the lifts opened. One location is at the Dreiseenbahn lift and the other is in town, so easy access for any rental or service needs wherever you may find yourself.
As a bit of a hidden gem, lift lines are nearly non-existent, and the lift system is modern and efficient…so skiing both sides of the valley is a cake walk.
There are plenty of options for hotels to stay at in this small town, several rental shops, a couple of nice restaurants, and one small grocery. Our favorite is Hotel Alpenrose . A true ski-in ski-out hotel, kids’ game room, indoor pool, and plenty of parking outside and underground are all amenities, here. It really makes the trip for us. Check the website for deals; it is common for 3-day trips with half-board (breakfast & dinner) to include lift tickets and ski rentals are for an amazing price (almost shockingly so). Meals are buffet style, have options for the pickiest of eaters, and don’t disappoint.
Being a small mountain I would recommend a 3-day trip; I think any longer and you might ski it out (benefits of fast lifts with little crowds). However, depending on how many days you put on your ski pass, you get access to Höchoetz just down the road you can drive or bus to and explore.
Ski schools are centrally located in the town and easily accessible. This is one of the only chairlifts we have been to in Europe that has lifties helping little shredders get on, which helps alleviate anxiety for all. Fair warning, the central ski schools are located near the Startbahn lift, a significant incline walk from the Dreiseenbahn/Alpenrosenlift chairlifts. I would recommend driving or taking the bus, as walking up with little ones will wear them (and you) out. There is plenty of free parking and if you stay at participating hotels you can get the Welcome Card for free which includes the bus service, otherwise it is about 1.30€ one-way.
Kühtai is one of our favorites and is a core memory for us, as it was the first time any of us were on the first chair of the day. Just keep in mind, lots of runs and lots of fun can run even the most dedicated down to a good ol’ snow nap.
Hope this inspires you to adventure into Austria and provides a starting point for your family ski trips.
“The Mountains are calling…”
the alpen dad
The Snowboard Dad in Europe 