Rifflsee

Rifflsee is located at the very end of the Pitztal Valley above Mandarfen and is the valley’s more classic mountain area, just below the glacier. Skiing ranges from about 5,380 to 9,186 feet, which often provides a solid snow buffer well into the season.

The area is a good size for one or a couple of days, with 16 miles of slopes and 6 lifts. A clear advantage is that you can get genuinely long runs for such a compact setup. The longest continuous descent is 3.7 miles and drops 3,720 feet all the way down to the base station.

The terrain is varied, with both easier groomers and more demanding options. When you want more of a challenge, there’s Grubengrat, which is often considered the toughest run in the area. Much of the skiing is above the tree line, so you get wide-open terrain and great sightlines when the weather cooperates.

Rifflsee is often paired with the Pitztal Glacier on the same lift pass, so you can combine sunnier piste days here with high-alpine days on the glacier when you want to head higher up.