Radstadt/Altenmarkt

The praise goes to the lifts: an eight-seat gondola climbs from Radstadt, a ten-seat one from Altenmarkt, and quad chairs from the mid-stations spread the traffic so that queues hardly form. The tree-lined reds and blues are kept in excellent shape and are described as ideal for easing into the season. The huts up top get good marks for atmosphere without the crush. The shared Ski amadé pass is another plus - Flachau, Schladming, Zauchensee and Obertauern are half an hour away.

Criticism focuses on how little there is for confident skiers: there is essentially one short difficult run and almost no off-piste, so strong riders exhaust the area in a couple of days. Getting value out of the regional pass really needs a car, otherwise you are tied to bus timetables. In cold spells the north-facing slopes go hard and icy, which is why reviewers see far fewer snowboarders on them.