The Rettenbachferner is a glacier in Tyrol's Ötztal valley that hosts the opening races of the Alpine Ski World Cup each autumn while remaining one of the most heavily developed glaciers in the Alps for winter sports. It's a place where high-altitude skiing, engineering and a shrinking glacier collide in dramatic fashion.

Located west of Sölden on the ridge toward Pitztal, near the Innere Schwarze Schneid and Tiefenbachkogel, the glacier stretches from the Rettenbachjoch (2,990 m) down to around 2,900 m, currently measuring about one kilometer long. The scenery is striking - steep slopes, rocky ridgelines and sweeping views across the Ötztal Alps. In summer, sections of the ice are covered with reflective tarps to slow melting, while in winter the area becomes a lively ski hub with a permanent grandstand for World Cup races.

How to get there

• Sölden — via the Ötztaler Gletscherstraße toll road, year-round access by car depending on conditions
• Sölden — by cable car, connected to the Hochsölden ski area since 1998

Practical information

• Access via the toll road Ötztaler Gletscherstraße
• The glacier's extent shrinks yearly; summer 'terrain corrections' are carried out on the steep World Cup slope
• Every autumn, the Alpine Ski World Cup season opens here with giant slalom races

The Rettenbachferner has also hosted stages of the Deutschland Tour cycling race and, sadly, two serious cable car accidents in 2004 and 2005 that remain part of its history.