While the alpine meadows bloom in the valley, real glacier snow still lies on the Kitzsteinhorn at 3,029 metres. Salzburg\u2019s highest excursion destination turns summer into a rare double experience: glide across the snow in the morning, sit on the sun terrace in short sleeves at noon. Anyone heading up in summer experiences the high mountains at their purest \u2013 in the heart of the Hohe Tauern National Park.<\/p>
As the only glacier in the Salzburg region, the Kitzsteinhorn holds its snow into early summer. Depending on conditions, skiers and snowboarders carve their turns here when other areas have long since turned green \u2013 sunny skiing with a panorama that is hard to match.<\/p>
Even without skis, snow is never far away. In the free ICE ARENA, guests young and old sledge across real glacier snow in the middle of July. For many families, this surprising winter\u2019s day in summer is the highlight of the trip.<\/p>
At the top await the \u201cTop of Salzburg\u201d viewing platform, the Nationalpark Gallery running through the mountain, and Austria\u2019s highest cinema, Cinema 3000. On a clear day the view sweeps over countless three-thousanders all the way to the Gro\u00dfglockner.<\/p>
The guided Explorer Tour leads from the valley to the glacier through four climate zones \u2013 from the forest, across the alpine pastures and the tree line, up to the eternal ice. Along the way, National Park rangers share insights into glaciers, geology and the wildlife of the Hohe Tauern.<\/p>
For many guests it is the first three-thousander of their lives: on secured paths and guided tours, the high-alpine world around the summit can be discovered even without mountaineering experience. Sturdy shoes and warm clothing belong in your pack.<\/p>