Maso Corto

About Maso Corto - presentation, information, photos and recommendations

Kurzras – small but impressive!

Once there was the largest farm of the region located here at the end of the Val Senales. However that has changed a bit since then. In midst of the huge mountain massif with a number of 3,000 m peaks there is now a modern ski station which easily combines functionality and Tyrolean cosiness. Kurzras maybe small, however that does not mean that is doesn't offer the amenities required for a relaxing holiday.

But winter sports fans not only come here due to the good infrastructure. It is rather the ski area that attracts them, which is accessible via chair lift or gondola directly from Kurzras. The ski areas at the Schnalstaler Glacier offers skiing from October until May - which extends the regular season considerably. The leisure time offers away from the pistes however, are also worth mentioning - never mind if it be sporty and active or culturally based.

Ski
The glacier ski area in Val Senales offers winter sports fans a selection of 27.2 km of pistes and 13 lift systems. The cable car lifts stand out with their particularly short waiting times and the ski area itself provides great snow security at an altitude up to 3,200 m. With the Val Senales glacier lift and chair lifts, you can head out from Kurzras right into the ski area. The pistes are spread out relatively evenly between blue, red and black runs so that each winter sports fan will get their money's worth.

Leisure skiers will feel especially at home on the glacier pistes with their easy to medium levels of difficulty. The slopes at the Hintereis chair lift receive quite a lot of sunshine whereby the diverse red pistes at the Lazaun hut gracefully weave themselves through the forest. Experts will find a real challenge on the black pistes found on the lower half of the glacier lake lift. In comparison, little skiers will be happy to test their skills in "Tiroli's Kinderland" near the valley station of the glacier lift, of which provides children with a magic carpet conveyor belt and ski carousel. For night skiing, two floodlight pistes are also available to choose from. A highlight and the real cherry on top of your day of skiing is surely the 8 km long valley run, of which leads back down into Kurzras. For those of you who stand out from the crowd, you'll find plenty of open areas to check out. What's more is that you can even learn how to take on freeriding, as Kurzras offers freeride courses for the curious and adventurous. Not too far away from the valley station of the glacier lift, you'll find the newly designed Val Senales fun park. This park is geared towards freestyle beginners and intermediates and impresses with its diverse setup composed of boxes and kickers.

The glacier is also a popular training area for the country's international ski and cross-country team. The conditions for effective, intensive training are ideal here and therefore, the Grawand piste is transformed into a cicruit starting from September, of which is spotted with blue and red gates. On the training areal, around 40 different runs are offered and since 2015, there is even a rental service available for the gates and the drilling machines needed to install them.

An excursion tip for ski tour-goers is the Ötzi Glacier Tour. The high alpine glacier tour starts at the mountain station of the Schnalstal glacier lift and heads over the Hochjochferner (Schnalstal glacier) until Tisenjoch at an altitude of 3,200 m where the famous mummy, Ötzi, was discovered. There is even a memorial stone for the "Uomo del Similaun". The 7 to 8 hour circuit hike is an especially attractive route starting in the spring.

Kurzras and Val Senales offer the perfect surroundings for a diverse holiday. That also applies to apres ski here. You can end the day with mulled wine in the "Bussl" or at the glacier bar. In the evenings you can venture on to "Leo's Pub" or to the "Platzl-Bar", for instance. Or you can just end the day in one of the cosy restaurants with their Southern Tyrol specialities or a nice Italian pizza.

If you rather seek more activity, you can explore the surrounding Val Senales with it's quaint villages on 4 winter hiking trails or on a snowshoe tour. Go for a walk through the village Karthaus and follow the trails of the former monastery Allerengelberg. In the sport zone "Texel" you can practice your ice skating skills on the natural ice rink illuminated by flood lights.

The 3 km long toboggan run provide a rush of adrenaline. It is easily reached via the chair lift. If you rather want a bit more relaxation you can wind down in the Olympic indoor pool of Kurzras. Besides a large sports pool and sauna area there is also a steam bath and massage area. Other pool complexes can easily be reached by car in the Val Senales: e.g. the activity pools Naturns, or the AquaForum Latsch or even the thermal baths in Meran.

Cultural input during your holiday here is also possible: the Val Senales offers quite a rich cultural selection. In the "ArcheoPark Schnals" you can follow the ice man Ötzi's trails. This ice mummy was found in September 1991 by German couple hiking in close proximity to the Val Senales ski area. An exhibition on this particular find can be seen at the mountain station of the glacier lift. If you would like to see Ötzi personally you can also take a trip to the approx. 70 km distant Bolzano where the "man from the ice" can be seen in the local archaeological museum.

Cross-country skiers will be able to enjoy high elevation in Kurzras and the surrounding area. There is a 5 km long track on the glacier (3,050 m) and a 2 km long trail at the Lazaunhütte (2,450 m). Due to the great conditions already in autumn these tracks often are the preferred training trails for national cross-country teams.

If the snow conditions are sufficient in the valley there is also a prepared trail at the Unser Frau, combined with a winter hiking trail.

Skiing region
Highest point ski area	3.212 m
Lowest point ski area	2.011m
Village height	2.011m
Number of lifts	13
Number of drag lifts	5
Number of chair lifts	7
Number of cable cars	1
Total pistes	27,2 km
Green/blue pistes	8 km
Red pistes	7,6 km
Black pistes	27,2 km

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Maso Corto | Once there was the largest farm of the region located here at the end of the Val Senales. However that has changed a bit since then. In midst of the huge mountain massif with a number of 3,000 m peaks there is now a modern ski station which easily combines functionality and Tyrolean cosiness

Information source