Cross-country skiing in Filzmoos: your day on the High-Altitude Trail

The High-Altitude Trail lies up on the Rossbrand, at the top station of the Papagenobahn. It’s 16 kilometres long, for skating and classic style, and while you ski, you have the Dachstein in view.

The tracks are already set when you arrive: the groomer prepares the High-Altitude Trail early in the morning, with skating and classic tracks side by side. Take one of the first gondolas up and you’ll have it fresh and almost to yourself.

You can also go cross-country skiing further down: the Übermoos cross-country trail runs right past the Holzwurmhütte. And whether the Schiwanderloipe Filzmoos is open is shown in the live status on the Lifts & Slopes page.

It’s best to park at P4, right by the valley station of the Papagenobahn. From there, the gondola takes you to the top station in seven minutes. The Papagenobahn runs daily from 8:30 to 16:00.

Without a ski pass, you ride on a single ticket for pedestrians. Go for the return trip right away, as the gondola also takes you back down to the valley. In the 2026/27 season, the return trip costs 29,00 € (children 14,40 €), the uphill ride alone 20,00 € (children 10,20 €).

Your bag doesn’t need to come along on the trail. You can change in the Cross-Country Centre right by the top station, at the start of the trail. Anything you don’t need while skiing can be locked in one of the paid lockers. There are toilets there too.

Whether the High-Altitude Trail is open today is shown in the live status on the Lifts & Slopes page. The webcam at the top station of the Papagenobahn gives you a look at the conditions up top, and the weather page shows you the next seven days.

On the Rossbrand, you have three loops to choose from, and all of them involve little elevation gain: 30 to 50 metres, depending on the loop. The trail map on the High-Altitude Trail page shows where each loop runs.

Then the flat High-Altitude Trail is a good place to start. Some ski schools in Filzmoos offer cross-country courses alongside their ski and snowboard lessons.

Start on the short loop and add the next one once you’ve got the hang of it. You can find out which school teaches cross-country skiing on the Ski Schools page; ask there where the course takes place, too. How the surrounding ski area is laid out is covered in our article on skiing in Filzmoos.

The Schörgialm is right on the ski run and at the start of the High-Altitude Trail. In winter it’s open daily from 9:00 to 17:00, with table service, a sun terrace and the Schörgi Burger as its speciality. The last gondola leaves at 16:00, though, so plan your stop so that you’re back at the top station in time.

And what about those who come along but don’t do cross-country? They hike the groomed winter hiking trail to the summit cross and meet you on the terrace afterwards. What else you can do on the Rossbrand without skis is covered in our article on Filzmoos without skis. And at the end, just like at the start, there’s the gondola: this time going down.