Planning ski tours accessible by public transport can be challenging, but Unken and Heutal stand out as convenient options from Salzburg.

Getting There
On Sundays, a bus (Number 260) runs every two hours from Salzburg to Unken Ortsmitte. On other days, it operates hourly. From Unken Ortsmitte, a ski bus connects to Heutal, departing just minutes after the regional bus (Postbus) arrives. The Postbus also continues to Loferer Alm/Lofer, making it perfect for a day of skiing.


Within the region, additional ski bus services are available. Note that these schedules are not included in the Scotty timetable, so it's best to check Google for accurate timings. 
Heutal features two small lifts ideal for children or beginners. For more adventurous activities like ski touring and bobsledding, exit at the Heutal Hochalm stop, located at around 950 meters elevation. Let the bus driver know your destination. From the stop, a prepared bobsled track climbs 400 vertical meters to the Hochalm hut. Open throughout winter, this cozy hut offers delicious meals in generous portions at great value. 
The timetable for the 2024 season.


Ski Touring Options
From Hochalm, several ski touring routes are available, catering to varying skill levels and preferences:

• Sonntagshorn (1,961m): The most popular choice. However, we opted against it as the slopes had many tracks already.

• Vorderlahnerkopf (1,909m): With better-looking slopes, this was our pick. We stopped near the pine and larch trees at 1,800m for a the descent. For adventurous skiers, there’s an eastern couloir starting at around 1,850m or as an alternative a traverse to the southwest offering and using the less-tracked slopes there. Following our ascent route back, we discovered untouched snow near the Almen.
  
  
  
  View down to the Almen just before reaching perfect slopes. The open slopes and mountain to the back are for Peitingköpfl, which we headed for next.
  

• Peitingköpfl (1,720m): Perfect for northern slope ascents and descents, especially during sunny, warm weather. It offers long, spacious slopes with powdery conditions, making it a safe option even during higher avalanche risks. The peak features a cross and a panoramic saddle with stunning southern views. You can even assess the conditions from the Hochalm hut.
  
  Right: Sonntagshorn. Central: Vorderlahnerkopf, with the couloir slightly covered in shadow between to black rock spurs.
  
  

Hochalm

Descents
After skiing, you can descend from Hochalm back to the bus stop or parking lot via the bobsled track, which takes approximately 15 minutes. Buses from Heutal run hourly, syncing well with the Postbus schedule. However, minor delays in the ski bus might result in waiting for the next Postbus (two hours later). For us, everything ran smoothly.

From Unken Ortsmitte or Gasthaus Post, catch the 260 bus back to Salzburg.