What to do in winter?
Maria Alm is not short of activities to do in the winter situated as it is in the heart of the Hochkonigg Ski area. This is an area relatively unknown by the British or American markets, yet is one of Austria's best kept secrets with over 150km of piste being covered by 36 ski lifts. Hochkonig translates as High King and is the name of the 3000m high mountain that dominates the area. With the villages of Maria Alm, Muhlbach and Dienten nestling at this giants feet, the landscape is impressive in either Winter or Summer and it is no wonder that some of Austrias finest skiing can be found here.
With its height and central location in the Alps, the snow record in the Hochkonig region is one of the best in Austria, with the snow falling early and the lifts usually opening in late November. This means that the area is one of the most snowsure in Austria, perfect if you need to book your holiday in advance. If the 'mere' 150km of piste in the Hochkonig ski area are not enough for you, it is also possible to upgrade your ski pass to the Salzurg Superski Pass which includes resorts such as Kaprun, Zell am See and Innsbruck. This area is linked to the Hochkonig area by ski bus and gives you access to a massive 860km of trails and over 280 lifts, enough for even the most advanced of skiers!
The Ski Amade area offers skiing and snowboard for all abilities with one of the biggest benefits of the are is that as it is relatively undiscovered, lesson sizes are small and lift queues are almost non-existent, even in peak times such as half term. There are a number of ski schools located in and around Maria Alm (links to which can be found in the links section), and plenty of red and black runs available for the more advanced skier or boarder. Example ski school prices for the 2007-2008 season can be seen below, however a 5% early booking bonus is offered by the Maria Alm Ski school, with this increasing to 10% if 2 family members take lessons and 15% for 3 or more family members taking lessons. Lesson participants also receive a 10% discount on ski rental .
| 1 day | 2 days | 3 days | 4 days | 5 days | 6 days | |
| Adult | 57€ | 107€ | 132€ | Each additional day is 20 € extra | ||
| Child | 57€ | 107€ | 133€ | 144€ | 155€ | 166€ |
If skiing or snowboarding are not your activities of choice, the area has lots more to offer. Maria Alm is one of the prettiest villages in Austria and has won awards for it's good looks, with it's church being famous for having the second highest spire in Salzburgerland. In addition to this the village also offers activities such as bowling, ice skating and an extensive range of walking trails that can be enjoyed throughout the year. For the foodie there are 37 mountain restaurants in the Hochkonig area alone, with many more located in Maria Alm village.
