Alpbach - slopes

Getting to the main skiing – centred on the Wiedersbergerhorn – involves using a free ski-bus to Achenwirt, a couple of kilometres away, where there is a gondola up to Hornboden. Another gondola ascends from Inneralpbach, a short bus ride away.

The network of lifts and slopes is compact, but the runs are superbly groomed. The upper slopes are above the tree-line but you don’t have to ski down far for them to become tree-fringed and excellent when visibility is poor.

It's perfect family skiing, with a few challenges here and there, and great for intermediates who will get a real sense of achievement from the lovely sweeping top of the mountain to the bottom blues and reds.

And Alpbach packs an unexpected punch. Surprisingly, given that the village is not especially high, fabulous powder is to be found after fresh falls on the well-protected far side of the Wiedersbergerhorn. And the 4,000ft vertical provides long runs – with some excellent snowboarding terrain.

Alpbach, for a resort of modest altitude, can boast a good snow record because most of the runs are north-facing – and two thirds are covered by snowmaking. The small separate area of Reith, lower down the valley, is also on the ski pass and well worth a day's excursion, with some well-groomed and usually near-deserted slopes.

Ski highlights for all levels

Beginners: There are gentle, dedicated nursery slopes right by the centre of the village, so absolute beginners can get into things without the distraction of good skiers flying past them. On the main mountain, there are gentle slopes to graduate to near Hornboden.

Intermediates: The entire Alpbach ski area is predominantly red and blue, with lots of unintimidating cruising. Intermediates will find the reds perfect for honing their skills and the resort prides itself on its well-groomed pistes. Less confident intermediates will find the long blues down to Inneralpbach from Gmahkopf and Hornboden the best way to build their confidence.

The runs down to Achenwirt present slightly greater challenges, particularly the closer you get to the bottom.

Experts: No one would pretend this was the resort to find a huge amount of tough skiing – but the mountain is predominantly red rather than blue so there is no shortage of steepish cruising, and there are three black runs not without challenge. Route No 1 is a classic black  from Hornboden, nicely steep all the way to the middle station of the gondola – and there are usually plenty of moguls to give your knees a work-out. A special treat is the Baumgarten route, which starts off as a regular piste from Gmahkopf but becomes a technically off-piste ski route and one of Tirol’s great runs. You choose between an entertaining zig-zag run – or straight down the fall-line (in moguls or in powder, depending on conditions), ignoring both zigs and zags, all the way to Inneralpbach.

Ski schools and guides

There are two ski schools, Alpbach and Alpbach Aktiv and both have excellent reputations. The Alpbach Ski School is headed by the great Sepp Margreiter, and has taught generations of British youngsters. Sepp, who himself skis in a sitski, is qualified to teach handicapped skiers.

Snow reliability and snowmaking

Alpbach is not high – but it has a good snow record and most of the runs on the Wiedersbergerhorn are north-facing so snow often remains in good condition long after a fall. And more than 70 per cent of the runs are covered by artificial snowmaking – the resort is proud of the fact that the runs down to the valley are usually open even in late season.

Terrain park

A fun new terrain park opened in late 2010 at the Wiedersbergerhorn. It is ideal for experts, beginners and families with a 150-metre half pipe, kicker, hip slide and 15-metre rollercoaster track. There is another half-pipe near Hornboden, at the top of the gondola from Achenwirt.

Night skiing

Between 23 December 2010 and 6 March 2011 there is floodlit night skiing off the top of the Reitherkogelbahn gondola on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday between 6.30pm and 9.15pm. Passes cost €14 for adults, €8 for children and youths.