Bad Gastein - Graukogel

Graukogel is described as the hidden gem of the valley: a superb World Cup red, a couple of serious blacks including the Toni Sailer run, and no crowds to fight. Reviewers highlight the natural snow, which holds up until the last chair, and the forest that shelters the pistes from wind. The descents are long, which is why sporty, confident skiers keep coming back, and there is plenty to play with just off the trails.

Isolation and ageing hardware are what people criticise. There is no lift link to Stubnerkogel and the rest of Gastein, so a ski bus is the only way across. The lifts are two-seat chairs, one of them dating from the eighties, and the ride up is slow. Snowmaking is almost absent, so the sector opens only when natural cover allows, often just Thursday to Sunday. Easy runs are scarce, leaving beginners with little to do, and specialist ratings put Graukogel below average.