Sportgastein is the Gastein valley's most high-alpine ski area and one of Austria's most snow-sure winter destinations. Surrounded by peaks rising above 2,600 metres, Sportgastein offers a natural experience that's unusual in this part of the Alps – open, glacier-like terrain, steep rock faces and a feeling of standing right in the middle of the vast mountain landscape.
It's a place where the weather, terrain and light create an alpine feeling that resembles Switzerland more than the traditional Austrian valleys. This is where skiers come who want snow security, freeriding, big vertical drops and wide, high-alpine pistes.
Sportgastein isn't just part of the Gastein area – it's its crown jewel.
The skiing – high-alpine, snow-sure and powerful
Skiing in Sportgastein is completely different from the rest of the Gastein valley. Here you're at an altitude of over 2,600 metres, with large open spaces, long descents and terrain suited to both advanced piste skiing and serious freeriding when conditions allow.
Highlights in Sportgastein
- Over 1,000 metres of vertical drop on several runs
- Wide, high-alpine terrain with no trees
- Very high snow security from December to April
- Excellent conditions for off-piste
- One of Austria's best areas for ski touring and avalanche-controlled freeriding
The lift system is smaller than in the classic alpine resorts, but the area thrives on quality rather than quantity. Here you get pure high-alpine skiing in its most concentrated form.
Who is Sportgastein for?
Sportgastein is a destination for skiers who want more than nice pistes. This is a place for those seeking:
Experienced skiers
The terrain's altitude, steepness and exposure mean Sportgastein is appreciated by skilled skiers who love big open spaces and long lines.
Off-piste and freeride
The area has several marked freeride zones and is known for its snow conditions. When the avalanche situation is stable, Sportgastein is one of the best freeride spots in Ski Amadé.
Skiers who want to experience something "bigger"
The high-alpine landscape creates a feeling that you're much higher up in the Alps than you actually are.
Travellers staying in Bad Gastein
Sportgastein is reached by ski bus from Bad Gastein. It's a perfect excursion during your stay and acts as a natural complement to Stubnerkogel and Bad Hofgastein.
Atmosphere and surroundings
There's no village in Sportgastein – and that's part of its charm. The area consists of a high-alpine valley surrounded by steep peaks, a couple of lifts and a mountain station. Here, nature is the main attraction. You come here to ski and enjoy the views, not to shop or go to restaurants.
The atmosphere is pure, stripped-back and focused purely on skiing.
Getting here
You reach Sportgastein easily from Bad Gastein with the ski bus, which runs regularly throughout the winter season. The journey is short and the road follows a dramatic valley with rock walls on both sides. It's part of the experience.
Who Sportgastein is for
Sportgastein suits you if you want high-alpine skiing, large open spaces and a more advanced experience than classic ski areas offer. It's an area for freeriders, experienced piste skiers and travellers who want to combine Bad Gastein's atmosphere with the Alps' most rugged mountain terrain.
Explore more ski guides
Sportgastein is one of several Austrian destinations in our alpine series.
The journey continues on to Matrei and the rest of Austria's varied ski resorts.
More information
For piste maps, weather and avalanche bulletins:
Sportgastein's official website
