Top 10 Glaciers in Austria
Austria has around 900 named glaciers, almost all in Tyrol, Salzburg and Carinthia. Five of them carry summer ski-area infrastructure, which makes the country unusual: you can step out of a gondola and walk on glacier ice in shorts. The science side is equally strong — Austria has some of the world's longest mass-balance series.
1. Pasterze
Austria's largest glacier, in the shadow of the Grossglockner. Reached by the Grossglockner-Hochalpenstrasse and a short walk down from the Franz Josefs Hohe viewpoint. The retreat marks on the access path are sobering.
2. Hintereisferner
A research workhorse in the Otztal Alps with one of the longest unbroken mass-balance records on Earth (since 1952). Reached on a longer walk-in from Vent.
3. Kesselwandferner
Adjacent to Hintereisferner and equally monitored. Together the two are known as the "twin glaciers of Vent" in glaciology circles.
4. Stubaier Gletscher
The largest summer ski area in Austria, with year-round ski operations on the Schaufelferner. Cable cars from Mutterberg do all the work.
5. Hintertuxer Gletscher
Austria's only true 365-day ski glacier, in the Zillertal. The "Nature Ice Palace" is a glacier mill cave reached by skiing through a doorway from the piste.
6. Kitzsteinhorn
Above Kaprun in Salzburg. Combines summer skiing with a panoramic platform ("Top of Salzburg") at 3 029 m and the popular ice arena attraction.
7. Dachstein
A modest plateau glacier in Styria reached by the Dachstein-Gletscherbahn. The suspension bridge and "Stairway to Nothingness" are major draws even for non-hikers.
8. Schlatenkees
A 9-km tongue in the Venediger group, accessible from Innergschloss in East Tyrol. One of the cleanest, most photogenic glacier valleys in Austria.
9. Gepatschferner
The second-largest glacier in Austria, in the Kaunertal. The Kaunertaler-Gletscherstrasse climbs to 2 750 m and gives ski access from late September.
10. Hallstatter Gletscher
Sits above the famous lake town of Hallstatt and gives the area its postcard backdrop, though now much reduced. Reached from the Krippenstein cable car.
When to go
Mid-July to mid-September for hiking. Year-round for the ski glaciers, though late autumn and early spring are best for snow quality. The Franz Josefs Hohe viewpoint is open mid-May to late October.
Keep exploring
The interactive map covers every Austrian glacier above 0.5 km2, plus the ski-area tongues. Filter to Austria to plan a Tyrol-and-Carinthia itinerary.