The village of Kössen is a good base from which to explore the two local ski resorts aimed mainly at families and beginners. One of these ski areas lies directly above the village, on the Unterberghorn mountain, and offers wonderful views over the border into neighbouring Germany.
Kössen offers a pleasant contrast to the full-on experience in some of Tirol's larger ski resorts. This area of Tirol is famous as a haven for paragliding in summer, while in winter there are two small but perfectly formed ski resorts which are also well worth a visit. One of them, known as Hochkössen, is perched on the 1,773-metre-high Unterberghorn and offers a small selection of well-maintained pistes aimed mainly at families and beginners, though there are also two black runs. At the top of the resort you will find excellent views of the surrounding landscape, including over the German border to the neighbouring region of Bavaria and its glistening Chiemsee lake. Those who like things a little quieter should head to Walchsee – more specifically to the settlement of Durchholzen – where the resort of Zahmer Kaiser offers mainly blue (easy) pistes plus a ski school with experienced instructors.
