Winter Sports in the Alps: Axamer Lizum, Tyrol, Austria
Welcome back to the blog and to blog posts about ski resorts and areas to enjoy winter sports in the Alps. This time, I'll be talking about the Axamer Lizum, a very famous ski resort that used to host the Olympic games when they were in Innsbruck. But you don't have to be an Olympic skier to enjoy the Lizum.
I have already mentioned the Axamer Lizum when talking about the Kühtai not too long ago. In that blog post, I said it’s best to not go there during the weekends. The main reason for this suggestion is: this resort is so close to Innsbruck! On sunny Saturdays, it feels as if the whole population of Innsbruck heads to the Lizum. The ski resort is located southwest of Innsbruck, and by car, it takes you around 20 to 25 minutes to get there, so it’s one of the closest ski resorts to the capital of Tyrol. There’s also a ski bus that regularly runs between the city centre and the skiing area. Especially on busy days and the weekends, the ski bus is definitely the most comfortable way to get there, as the road to the resort and the parking area can get really busy.
During the Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck in 1964 and 1976, all the alpine skiing events, except for men's downhill (this one took place at the Patscherkofel), took place there. This is also the reason why the most famous cable car and the slope from its peak station to the parking area are called Olympiabahn (Olympic cable car) and Olympiaabfahrt (Olympic slope). Said peak station is located at the 'Hoadl'.
The 'Hoadl Haus' is the biggest restaurant in the skiing area, and due to its big windows, you'll enjoy an impressive view down to the slopes, the surrounding mountains and the Olympiabahn when it enters the station. All this, while enjoying your lunch break. As you're on top of the mountain, there's also a cross marking the peak, just next to the restaurant and a bar that's right outside.
The Axamer Lizum is also called the 'white roof' of Innsbruck, which reminds one of the 'golden roof' you'll find in the city centre. The Lizum offers a pretty nice variety of slopes and lifts, and the area is really popular among ski touring enthusiasts. The slopes vary from very easy to difficult, so everyone will find the right one. Also, there are a fun park and some fun slopes. There's no way you get bored there for sure. One thing that is pretty fun: every year an 'Ugly skiing day' takes place there (where the area is even more overcrowded) but it's so much fun! I've actually never been, but it looks awesome if you are into that kind of event, so check it out online to see if it's something you'd enjoy.
When looking at all these pictures of the Axamer Lizum, I'm pretty sure there's one mountain chain that has caught your eyes: the Kalkkögel. The Kalkkögel are insanely beautiful and a natural reserve. A few years back, three ski resorts, namely the Axamer Lizum, Schlick 2000 and the Muttereralm wanted to unite and form one big resort, but that would have interfered with the natural reserve. After years of discussing and making plans, it was decided it was more important to preserve the area than to create a big ski resort.
I honestly think it would have been very interesting to see what kind of resort would have formed, and due to research I know that only one single lift pillar would have been needed in the natural reserve, but on the other hand, I love the view of the Kalkkögel, and it would have been a shame to change this appearance for the sake of tourism.
If you think about heading to the Axamer Lizum, I recommend you check out the link below to get directed to their official website, where you can take a look at a resort map, all the latest information about snow, weather and traffic.
The SNOW CARD TIROL, FREIZEIT TICKET TIROL & INNSBRUCK CARD are valid for this resort.
If you, on the other hand, are not sure about which ski resort to choose for your next powder days, head to the link below to read about many more resorts that have different kinds of advantages and disadvantages (of course, it’ always about my personal preferences). If you cannot find the resort you are looking for, leave a comment with your suggestion or write me a message.
Little disclaimer: none of these posts are sponsored. Sponsored posts are clearly marked and if you are curious about how I handle that, I suggest you read about that here.