Today I'll show you a different Sölden. The one they say is the heart of the Alps. The Sölden where snow lies most of the year and the sun is blindingly bright. The Sölden where there's never a dull moment and the scenery is breathtaking.
Two cable cars, the Giggijochbahn and the Geislachkogelbahn, take you directly from Sölden to the ski area. They are located on Sölden's main street, Dorfstrasse, but at opposite ends. These two gondola-type lifts can accommodate up to six people, with equipment stored in special "pockets" inside the cabin.
The photos show the Giggijochbahn cable car, which is where we ascended to the Giggijoch station at 2284 meters. Many chairlifts depart from this station. The Giggijoch ski area itself has an elevation difference of 1377 to 2885 meters. The runs are mostly wide and gentle, making it ideal for beginners. Advanced skiers will also enjoy the area: there are numerous red runs, both long and short. A snowboard park is open at Giggijoch. According to recent estimates, Sölden was recognized as the best snowboarding resort in the world. My husband didn't make it to the park, but he enjoyed the runs, although one was too long—he got tired of skiing down it.
There are four ski and snowboard schools in Sölden. The oldest one has been operating since 1928. Children start skiing at age three and snowboarding at age seven or eight. The village also has a special daycare where you can leave your child while your parents ski. The idea is generally good, but for now my husband and I have decided to take turns skiing; I wouldn't send my one-year-old to daycare just to ski. We plan to start Danya on skis at age three. However, some argue that starting at age four is better, as the child already shows a clear interest.
And this machine is a snow cannon. They weren't working that day—there was plenty of snow on the slopes.
A snowcat is a specialized machine for grooming ski slopes. The infrastructure at Austrian resorts is strikingly modern.
See the small house in the photo? That's the village of Hochsölden. It's clearly visible from the cable car as you ascend the mountain. There are only a few houses there, but you can board the lift right from your porch.
Après-Ski, literally translated from French as "after skiing" and referring to activities within the ski area, is very developed and popular in Sölden. It features various mountainside restaurants, ice bars, and wooden huts where you can warm up with hot mulled wine or punch, grab a bite, and dance in your ski boots, which is quite common at the resort. Pictured is the "Wirtshaus am Giggijoch" restaurant. The outdoor terrace features a bar and a DJ booth, with music playing nonstop. It's open from 8:15 AM to 4:30 PM.
After a couple of hours of intense skiing, it's great to relax in such a place, talk with friends, and all this with a view of the beautiful Alps.
Special racks for skis and snowboards. In Sölden, they were everywhere, near every store, café, and restaurant.
Giggijoch isn't the only ski area in Sölden. There's also a huge ski area called Big 3, which includes skiing on three three-thousanders connected by pistes of varying levels and lifts. These include Gaislachkogl (3,058 m), Tiefenbachkogl (3,250 m), and Schwarze Schneide (3,340 m).
Besides these, there are two more glaciers, Tieffenbachgletcher and Rettenbachgletcher, where skiing is possible all year round.
Source: travel.ru