Best Winter Sports Activities in Innsbruck: Winter-Hiking, Tobogganing, Biathlon

Build a snowman or just roam around in the freshly fallen white and enjoy the peace and quiet in Innsbruck, a place that always has something outdoorsy to offer. Mountain Moments is here to remind you that winter sports are not always just skiing. Find out more about the popular outdoor activities for young and old.

Do you enjoy activities that bring up a child in you? Snow has such extraordinary ability, and on this hiking and snow-enjoying trip, you may even get yelled at to go inside. Build a snowman or just roam around in the freshly fallen white and enjoy the peace and quiet in Innsbruck, a place that always has something outdoorsy to offer.

Mountain Moments is here to remind you that winter sports are not always just skiing. Other, less advertised but no less attractive winter pleasures are around Innsbruck – if the white gold covers the landscape. Find out more about the popular outdoor activities for young and old.

A special "Innsbruck" late winter pleasure is "Figln": under the mountain boots you strap these short skis and whiz down the firn slopes. This fun for the whole family is unique in the world and is permitted on the Nordkette, provided there is enough snow. — Whether just on foot or with a toboggan, winter hiking is in itself an impressive experience of nature. Cold and quiet, a landscape in plain colors, almost devoid of life. Except for the billions and billions of snowflakes, each one unique. Our favourite winter hike on snow is on top of Patscherkofel, Innsbrucks Home Mountain. The gondola brings you uphill on 2000m – the trails is marked, secured and prepared for hiking.

Nothing distracts us, we find back to ourselves. And those who feel like socializing and adrenaline have the option of returning to the valley with a fun game of tobogganging. You can’t really steer the traditional wooden sledges. Most of the time, however, the descent is a smooth one. After all, you can always slow down the speed somehow with your feet and hands.

If you like it a bit faster, try a round of cross-country skiing. Whether classic or skating technique, hovering over the snowy surface is demanding for the whole body.

Winter hiking and tobogganing in Innsbruck

Winter hiking in Innsbruck – hike along the city center and dont forget to make a picture at Marktplatz (central market area) and at Unibrücke (Unibridge).

A relaxed sporty winter walk in the snow-white winter dress can be enjoyed wonderfully. Cold and quiet outside, warm up in a cozy hut. Who likes, goes downhill with a toboggan.

The runners are glowing. The sturdy, classic wooden toboggans pass on every bump in the road to the driver. Hands and feet press into the snow on the sometimes sporty descents, trying halfway to set the direction and brake. Tobogganing is fun for everyone and for the whole family. From young to old sweat and snort during the strenuous uphill. When jetting downhill, the corners of the mouth are pressed to the stop in the grin. A winter vacation in Innsbruck without a tobogganing tour is actually unimaginable.

More information Winter Hikes in Innsbruck

In a low snow year you can hike even in winter high up the mountains. Sometimes in december even most normal hikes are still doable. Like here at Nordkette.

A beautiful cleared winter hiking trail is specially designed for pedestrians from the Patscherkofel mountain station to the Patscherkofel summit (and back).

Almost all toboggan runs are also suitable for pedestrians. A few toboggan runs, mostly in the immediate vicinity of the mountain lifts, offer separate paths for ascent and descent.

Locations: Patscherkofel (47.209949,11.451960), Kühtai (47.211348,11.014738), Kemater Alm, Axamer Lizum (47.195997,11.302507), Maria Waldrast (47.130097,11.405568), Rinner Alm (47.237025,11.499252).

Tips: Many huts have toboggan rentals. Condition of the toboggan runs can be viewed at www.winterrodeln.org. Do not toboggan on ski slopes unless explicitly provided for!

Hike difficulty level: easy (1)

Map for your winter sports activities in Innsbruck – where to find the best winter hikes, tobogganging and Figl spots.

Figln – A Unique Innsbruck Winter sports activitiy

Figln at Innsbrucks Nordkette – a unique winter activity the locals do with the whole family in Spring-snow conditions.

“Fi… what?” Figln! Figln is pronounced the way you spell it. Admittedly a bit of a strange jumble of letters, but all the more fun. Figl is short for “firn glider” and refers to short skis, usually made of light metal, that you strap under your mountain boots. With these short skis you slide down the soft firn slopes of mountain tours in spring. Figl are quite light and make the descent on early summer mountain tours immensely easier.

Sometimes particularly snowy Nordkette with its steep gullies and slopes, it is sometimes allowed that at the end of the winter season the Figl friends may even use the ski area.

The people of Innsbruck daringly throw themselves down the steep gullies on their Figln. This is mostly done by skiing, sometimes also by sliding and falling in the soft firn snow. The skiers ski in gullies that cut several meters deeper and deeper into the snow cover. You brake by shifting your weight or by falling into the soft snow. Fun for the whole family that can only be experienced in Innsbruck. Alternatively, take the Figl with you on an early summer mountain tour and ride it down to the valley, as far as snow conditions allow.

Figl rental at the Seegrube station as well as in some sports shops in Innsbruck

Whether just on foot or with a toboggan, winter hiking is in itself an impressive experience of nature. Cold and quiet, a landscape in plain colors, almost devoid of life. Except for the billions and billions of snowflakes, each one unique. — A special “Innsbruck” late winter pleasure is “Figln”: under the mountain boots you strap these short skis and whiz down the firn slopes. This fun for the whole family is unique in the world and is permitted on the Nordkette, provided there is enough snow *Figl rental at the Seegrube station as well as in some sports shops in Innsbruck*

More information for Figln in Innsbruck

Locations: Nordkette (47.306881,11.380119)

Rental: Nordkette, Innsbruck

Tips: Proper, high mountain boots as well as winter sports clothing necessary.

Hike difficulty level: easy-medium (2)

Cross-country skiing and biathlon near Innsbruck

What alpine skiing is in the Alps, cross-country skiing is in the European north. Due to the geographical location, cross-country skiing is not possible everywhere in Tyrol. In the valley almost all areas are already used, on the mountain it is often too steep. Due to the cramped conditions, cross-country skiing in Tyrol is rather a marginal sport. Nevertheless, cross-country skiing can be practiced in a few areas but sufficiently fun.

In the vicinity of Innsbruck, cross-country skiers find good training conditions partly on the Tyrolean glacier ski areas. Easily accessible by train and bus, a cross-country skiing center has been set up in Seefeld/Leutasch and is also scenically recommendable. Some rounds can also be made in the Innsbruck low mountain ranges or on the Mieminger Plateau, snow conditions permitting.

Figl rental at the Seegrube station as well as in some sports shops in Innsbruck. — Winter hiking in Innsbruck. *Cross Country Skiing and Biathlon are interesting alternatives if the steep alpine skiing slopes are not for you*. *The Seefeld plateau is one of Innsbrucks favourite Cross Coutnry Skiing area – just a 30min train ride from the city center (or 20min by car).*

Locations: Seefeld (47.324760,11.178803), Leutasch (47.373257,11.151152), Kühtai (47.211348,11.014738), Tyrolean glacier ski areas.

Tips: Do not forget to solve route fee in advance.

Hike difficulty level: easy-medium (2)

Mountain Moments Photo Workshops provide Photo Tours for everybody, Alpine Experience for beginners and intermediate-level photographers with 3 to 6-hour routes, as well as Summit Experience for more advanced photographers and hikers. We have private workshops and group classes.

Photo tips  Winter Sports in Innsbruck

As always with action sports, the key is to get up close and capture the action and emotion.

The winter hike on the Patscherkofel is also particularly scenic and the views are an easy opportunity to photograph the alpine winter landscape from above.

The best Winter Adventures in and around Innsbruck – Skiing, Freeride, Skitour and more

Innsbruck Guide for Winter sports enthusiasts! The best activities in the area! Get it now.

Fancy more Winter adventures in Tyrol and around Innsbruck? We got you covered! The best outdoor sports activities for Winter enthusiasts as eBook: Innsbruck Winter Outdoor Guide.

Here we have compiled the most beautiful locations and photo opportunities. 30 activities with numerous photo spots are selected and described in such a way that you can easily experience these wonderful adventures around Innsbruck for yourself – including track infos, and maps and all other information that you need.

You can take a closer look at the Innsbruck ebook here– – why not share it with your adventure partner in crime?

Marius

Hi, i am Marius, i love exploring the mountains and nature. Friends say, i know the mountains better than most locals, but actually i get lost all the time while photographing ;). Read more about the Mountain Moments Team.