Mudpie Fridays >> Austria >> The best things to do at the Hintertux Glacier in the Summer

The best things to do at the Hintertux Glacier in the Summer

The one thing that my husband wanted to do when we spent two weeks in Austria over the Summer was to go up the Hintertux Glacier. He had visited as a young child and tried out the chair lifts and it had left a lasting impression on him. Having previously experienced some of the mountain ranges in Switzerland in bright sunshine I had a romantic idea of what to expect when we visited the year-round ski resort, which is 3520km above sea level. Located at the end of the Zillertal Valley it is the only ski resort where you can ski in the Summer months. When we visited there was 45cm of fresh snow on the ground. Here is everything you need to know when visiting the Hintertux Glacier in the Summer.

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How to get to the Hintertux Glacier & Parking

To get up the Hinterux mountain range you need to catch several cable cars from the Valley Station which is located at the end of the Tux Valley. Valley Station is in the middle of the Hintertux Glacier Ski Resort and offers free parking. Both outside and also under cover which is useful in the Winter months. Use the Hintertux 794, 6293 Tux address to reach the car park. If driving you can reach it via the motorway Inntalautobahn A12, take the Zillertal exit, towards Zillertal approx. 50 km into the valley to Hintertux. You can also catch a bus from Mayrhofen. The closest airport is Innsbruck which is 95km away.

You can purchase tickets at the station from the ticket office. There is also a sports shop to the other side of the entrance where you can hire ski equipment if you are avid skiers and would like to ski in the Summer. But can not be bothered to bring ski wear with you.

Network of cable cars and lifts for the Hintertux Glacier in Summer

Depending on where you want to get to on the Hintertuxer Gletscher (Hintertux Glacier) will depend on which station you get off of. There are three different stations if you are looking for Summer skiing then you would need to get off at the top station which is Gefrorene Wand. This is which is where we headed as we wanted to visit the natural ice cave. The price for tickets is dependent on which station you want to reach each offers unique activities in the Summer months (see below). One trip up and down per day is covered in the Zillertal Activcard as the Hintertux Glacier is one of the 10 cable cars on which the card can be used on. Prices are correct of Summer 2023 and include ascent and descent.

Sommerberg

This is the first station at 2100m above sea level so higher than many of the other cable cars in the Zillertal alps. To reach Sommerberg you can either take the Gletscherbus 1 which seats around 24 people or the smaller 8 EUB Sommerbergalm cable car (8-seater). When we visited it was only the Gletscherbus running. As you enter Valley Station you will see a list of cable cars and ski lifts and see which ones are operating. Along with which ski runs are also running. This is in all the stations and changes frequently – or at least did when we visited so worth keeping an eye on. Tickets cost €17.50 for adults and €11 for children over the age of 10. Under 10s are free when accompanied by an adult. The Gletscherbus took around fifteen minutes to reach the first station.

Tuxer Fernerhaus

This is the second station and is located at 2660m above sea level. Again when we reached this station only the Gletscherbus 2 was running. Although we had hoped to take the boys in the small 4-person cable car called 4EUB Fernerhaus. Since this would be the first time they would experience it. But it was not running. I think this could be because we visited when the weather was not great. In fact, it was very wintery and visibility meant that we could only see a couple of metres in front of us once we reached the summit. The Gletscherbus took around ten minutes from Sommerberg to Tuxer Fernerhaus and we did see glimpses of the glacier on this ride. Tickets cost €32 for adults and €20 for children over the age of 10 and includes travel to Sommerberg.

Gefrorene Wand

The final station is 3250m above sea level. This is where you can really see the glacier assuming the weather is being kind. We had planned on catching the smaller cable car here and then transferring to the chair lift. This would have seen us take the 10er Gefrorene Wand and transfer to Gefrorene Ward 3b as my husband had been on the chair lift as a child. Over forty years ago so I am sure it is not exactly the same one!

But alas neither was running and once we saw the weather at the top we realised why. Thankfully they did open the 10er Gefrorene Wand as we had lunch booked on that cable car. But when we first went up we needed to take the Gletscherbus 3. This is the shortest ride. Tickets cost €48 for adults and €29 for children over the age of 10 and includes the other two stations. Tickets are slightly reduced if you go later in the day.

Things to do in the Hintertux Glacier in the Summer

There is so much to do at the Hintertux Glacier in the Summer, alas we could not sample everything on offer because the weather was horrid. However, if you catch it on a sunny day then there is so much to do you could easily spend the whole day exploring the Hintertux in the Summer. For ease, I have broken down the different activities into the different stations.

Gefroene Wand 3250m

As mentioned this is where we visited one of the main attractions Nature’s Ice Palace which takes you inside the Glacier. A popular place to visit you may want to consider booking tickets in advance (although see my point below). It is a brilliant experience even with the slightly hair-raising experience of getting there through deep snow at the beginning to get to the entrance of the ice caves.

Minimum age is six years old and I would agree with this. Harry who was seven and three months old when we visited loved the natural ice palace and enjoyed the tunnels carved out of glacier ice and ice crystals. But I am not sure he would have been okay at six. Not that they checked his age when we brought the tickets. The experience involves ladders, tunnels, some steps and a boat trip in the glacier lake. A once-in-a-lifetime special tour. When we visited it cost €39 for adults and €15 for children.

On top of the station, there is a panorama terrace which gives incredible views across the mountain range. All the way to the mighty Olperer mountain and its three-thousand-meter peaks. When we visited we could not see anything and with the cold sleet, we gave it a miss. But from the pictures, I can imagine the spectacular views across the most beautiful glacier skiing areas. You can reach it by turning left out of the Gletscherbus station and walking up the stairs or there is a lift in the cable car station.

One thing the boys were really looking forward to trying out was the Gletscher Flohpark. This has little snow tubes which are free for the kids. A purpose-built slope or ‘bob run’ and a snow tyre carousel for the younger kids. Unfortunately, it was not operating when we visited due to the weather but it just gives us another reason to go back.

Tuxer Fernerhaus

On this level, you can access various hiking trails that take you down and across to the glacial lakes of Speicherteich Keesboden and Speicherteich Isse. Plenty of opportunities to enjoy the fresh mountain air and the panoramic views of the Austrian Alps. This is also the last stop for amenities before you reach the top. We ended up drying out here for an hour or so. There is a self-service restaurant and plenty of seating.

This is the station where you catch the smaller 10-man cable car which is where you can eat. I have pre-booked lunch on the cable car. But you can also book other food options such as breakfast or beer and pretzels.

The main attraction however at this level is the Spannagel Hohle or Spannagel Cave. You can pre-book one of three different tours depending on your experience of caving. They offer a family one-hour tour which costs €20 for adults and €12 for children over the age of 6 and over 120cm. It is Europe’s highest-lying subterranean show cave. Inside the cave, you will find splendid stalactites and stalagmites, fascinating sinter formations, sparkling crystals, marbles, and more. This is most definitely on our list for a return visit.

Sommerberg

Here there are more hiking trails and the opportunity to walk up to the glacial lakes or across to Speicherteich Tuxerjoch. With a restaurant and amenities ready for those that been enjoying the breathtaking views. There are also lots of things for the kids to enjoy during the Summer months. Luis Kugelsafari and Luis Gletscherflohsafari, which in English stand for Glacier Flea and Ball Safari. Luis is a flea – a loveable character for children to associate with.

The Glacier flea safari has a wide variety of stations ready for kids to enjoy. From water features to information boards, the glacier habitat is explored in a playful way. We saw a number of Ball Safaris during our stay in Austria. The boys really enjoyed them. You can purchase small wooden balls from the vending machines for €3 and then run through all sorts of obstacles. The one at Sommerberg includes a marble run tower with loops, a ball crane, a climbing wall and many more. Just remember a pen to mark your child’s initials. It is a great way to keep the kids entertained while hiking and enjoying the views. We had planned to explore this area, but the weather was very wet by the time we descended although we intend to go back one day to do just that.

Valley Station

The Valley station is 1500m above sea level. As well as the parking there are various hotels, souvenir shops and eateries at the bottom in the village of Hintertux. You can also walk or hike to the Kesselfall which is the waterfall of the Hintertux. This is a really easy walk along a flat pathway and is only a few minutes from the car park. You also see this Hintertux waterfall from the Gletscherbus 1. A little further up is the Schraubenfall.

Top Tips for your visit to the Hintertux in the Summer

I would avoid making the same mistake as we did and book things in advance as it really tied us to which day we should visit. The day after we visited it was beautiful sunshine when we went up Rosenalm. If you do decide to book then check the long range weather forecast as it can be unpredictable.
You can see a live stream of the weather on the top of the Hintertux Glacier on their website which will help you time your visit. The weather can be different from one end of the Ziller Valley to the other.
Consider buying the Zillertal Activcard depending on your itinerary and how many of the gondola lifts you would like to go on. Including the Hintertux Glacier gondola lift will make it even better value for money.
If you are planning on going inside the Ice Caves then read my post – Nature’s Ice Palace at the Hintertux Glacier Zillertal for lots of tips on what to wear and how to make the most of your visit.
There is nowhere to eat or drink or even go to the loo at the top, Gefroene Wand, which surprised me. Although there are signs at Tuxer Fernerhaus to this effect. I would recommend bringing your own snacks and drinks if you are planning on exploring or spending some time at the top.