Filzmoos

Filzmoos is a pretty little village, perfect for families, with a long tradition and dominated by the twin towers of the Bischofsmütze mountain. Filzmoos was a successful mountain resort destination in the area before winter sports when the well to do arrived from Salzburg and Vienna to sample the air so the tradition of hospitality has been deeply engrained here for many generations. Today the resort stages a famous ballooning festival every January and other specialist balloonists gatherings through the season - the Night of Balloons when the balloons are floodlit from within at night time is especially spectacular. The small local ski area is best suited to non-experts, but the village participates in one of the largest lift pass areas in Austria, the Ski amadé. This offers nearly a hundred times as much skiing in neighbouring villages, some of which are lift-linked to one another although not to Filzmoos. In total there are nearly 870km (600 miles) of trails on the pass, served by more than 250 lifts. Back in Filzmoos there is also a big advantage against many of the other picturesque villages in Austria in that the gondola lift base station is right next to the centre and a short walk from most of the accommodation there - this differs from many where it's a long walk or a ski bus ride perhaps a kilometre or more out of the village to actually reach the lifts.

Details: Written by: Jim Walker; Last Updated: 20 Aug 2012

A pretty little village, perfect for families, with a long tradition and dominated by the twin towers of the Bischofsmütze mountain. The small local ski area is best suited to non-experts, but the village participates in one of the largest lift pass areas in Austria, although lift-linked to Neuberg only.

Mountain

Filzmoos has a small ski area of its own with easy links to many other ski areas in the area for which a collective pass is available. This makes it an ideal choice for beginners and intermediates who will enjoy the feeling of being somewhere special without the intimidation or characterless feel of a modern 'mega resort'. Practically speaking beginners have the advantage of special learner lifts and slopes by the village centre and served by the Grossberg chairlift - so there's no need to master the draglift on day one. The largest sector of the skiing is the Grossberg where intermediates will find the Mooslehen chair takes them over to the village of Neuberg in the nexty valley. On the other side of the village the six person Papageno gondola accesses the Moosalm slopes which has some of the best descents, including the one black down from the Schneekanone Hut. More advanced skiers will no doubt wish to explore the other skiing opportunities nearby including the Dachstein glacier with its year round skiing and neighbouring resorts like Flachau, home of downhill skiing champion Hermann Maier. A program of weekly skiing events is organised. On Tuesdays there is a guided easy cross-country ski outing and Wednesdays see a guided beginners' ski tour as well as night skiing at the Bögrain Lift . On Thursdays there's a guided ski tour to the Dachstein and a cross-country outing with stops at Alpine inns as well as the end-of-course races for the ski schools. Fridays feature a guided ski tour for advanced skiers and a guided ski tour on the Dachstein plus further end-of-course races for the ski schools. Cross country skiing is a particular strength of the village, with the best known trail (skating and classic styles) being the Rossbrand High-Altitude Trail, a14km (nine mile) long route with skating trail. This wends its way from the summit station of the Papageno Lift, along the Rossbrand to the Radstädter Hut. Because it's located at an elevation of 1600 - 1700 meters, cross-country skiing is possible right into springtime and the views are superb. Filzmoos also has four valley trails (total length of 20 km/13 miles): the Filzmoos Trail (easy to moderate), Neuberg Trail (moderate), a short circuit in Hachau (easy) and the Hinterwinkl Trail (easy to moderate).

Families

There is no daycare as such but the Kinderclub Filzmoos run by the Schischule Filzmoos accepts children from age two and a half for snow games. All the ski schools run a ski kindergarten from ages four to ten, with or without lunchtime cover. Children's après ski events are organised in the village or at the ski schools on Thursdays and Friday evenings.

Eating Out

Filzmoos has about thirty restaurants, almost all connected to the village centre hotels and serving traditional Austrian and local dishes. The village's reputation for high calibre cuisine was typified by a recent victory in the 'Austrian Chef Of The Year' competition by one of the local restauranteurs. Most of the establishments will offer fondues, carveries and often a weekly farmer's buffet in their wood-panelled à la carte restaurants. The Unterhof, Alpenkrone (which has a 19th century drawing room containing family antiques) , Hanneshof and Eschbacher are amongst the many with good reputations.

Apres

The competition between Filzmoos many high quality establishments helps to generate a good selection of lively bars and cafés. The slopeside and cheerfully named Happy Filzmoos is generally one of the busier places to head for as soon as the lifts close when skiers and boarders will find plenty of cosy hotel bars to relax in such as those in the Alpenkrone. Later on there are two choices for late night dancing. Additional après ski opportunities include sleigh rides through the woods, local folk music nights, floodlit toboggan runs, weekly torchlit hikes and weekly night skiing.

Boarding

Filzmoos has taken snowboarding to its heart with three local ski schools opening up comprehensive 'boarding divisions, the Filzmoos Boarding Academy, the Filzmoos - Bögei Ski and Snowboard school and the Ski and Snowboard School "Exclusiv". Although there are no created terrain parks there are wide open slopes accessed by chair lift - a rare combination in Austria, making it a good place for first timers. The more advanced will find plenty of fun natural terrain and of course the opportunities to try out any of the dozens of other resorts on the Ski amadé ski pass.