With the 38th Kaunertal Opening from November 11th – 12th, 2023, another wild, loud and crazy autumn opening of the Kaunertal Snowpark will be celebrated. Dancing again until late at night at Club Circle. Nevertheless, be “first line” the next morning on the mountain again. This weekend a “Best of” will be packed into the very last KTO of its kind, celebrating 38 years of KTO tradition.
This KTO will go down in history as the last KTO as known. The traditional Kaunertal Opening will then be realigned and moved to spring in a modified form. At this time of the year, the construction of the Snowpark Kaunertal can be implemented with significantly less effort and a careful and sustainable use of resources and energy efficiency can be guaranteed. As part of the DNA of the Kaunertal Glacier, the Kaunertal Snowpark will continue to exist and will be postponed until spring!
This year, however, the “Grande Finale” or the big closing party will be announced again. The history that was written on the Kaunertal Glacier around the topics of snowboarding and freeskiing is unique. Legends like Terje Håkonsen, Peter Bauer or Martin Freinademetz and many more were on the Kaunertal Glacier and contributed to snowboarding being a trend sport today. In order to show this in all facets, the organizers are reaching into the “retro box” this year and turning the KTO into THE “farewell” party of the Alps in 2023.
Retro awards, retro flash mob, Cash 4 Trick session, free testival and much more.
The program is wild, colorful and retro! In order to revive the old times, a selected jury will look for the best retro outfitand will present the ingenious winner’s prize at the end – a glacier park card, valid on the Kaunertal and Pitztal glaciers.
In addition to the Open Park, which opens its gates, rails and kickers on November 1st, the unique terrace setup, the “Jib’n’Skate Playground”, will once again be set up for various open sessions and will be decorated in a retro style to match the theme. The numerous “Cash 4 Trick” sessions of the beloved snowboard and freeski scene take place there.
In addition to the “KTO Invitational Pro Rail Sesh”, where 10 invited pro riders set off a firework of tricks on the terrace setup, there are sessions with free participation and no prior registration. At the “Head Open Goodies & Cash for Tricks” session Ski and Snowboard presented by Prime Skiing & Prime Snowboarding on Saturday, participants have the chance to win cash as well as head prizes. With the skate ramp and cool snowskate obstacles, the foundation has been laid to repeat the successful “Snowskate & Skate Best Trick Session” powered by Ambition and X-Double. For all winter sports fans who are out and about on skis, the “500 Bucks” Best Trick Session awaits on Sunday, hosted by none other than Dan Hanka. Sunday is rounded off with the “Girls Only Session”, hosted by the friendly Shred Unit crew.
The grand finale on Sunday will be a retro flash mob ride directly from the Karlesjochbahn down to the terrace setup.
hroughout the weekend, more than 30 of the hottest brands from the snowboard and freeski industry will be offering their brand new products for free testing. All visitors have to do, is bring an ID card and they are ready to test the dream setup for the upcoming season.
Side events with a look back at the KTO tradition
There are also some highlights from the past waiting within the program of the traditionally numerous side events of the Kaunertal Opening. Just like 20 years ago, there will be a “Tattoo Station by Julian Tattoo” right on the mountain, where you can get a special and unique KTO souvenir tattooed for free. The popular “Mountain Barber” will also be making his services available again – at what is probably Europe’s highest hairdresser, you can have your hair styled or even “sprayed” with the KTO logo. If you want to while away the waiting time for a tattoo and/or barber, the best thing to do is to take a look at the Snowboard Museum with exhibits from 30 years of board history or do your laps on the PZ pump track on a skateboard or BMX bike. The balance board area is also accessible to everyone over the whole weekend.
DJs on the mountain and Ö3 party in the valley
The retro theme and the history of the KTO are also on the musical program this year. In addition to the DJ Line on the mountain, which also plays songs from the past 30 years, there will be an exclusive Ö3 disco in the Quellalpin Saal in the valley for the first time. The technically complex production is aimed at all dance-loving regional and international visitors with the biggest hits of the 80s, 90s and “today”. But the other bars in Feichten such as the Zappadello or the Zahnstadel also offer a cool DJ line up as part of the “Club Circle”, which is taking place again this year after some years break. On Friday, the last opening weekend starts with the vernissage of this year’s picture exhibition on the “Gaptastic Voyage” Roadgap with fascinating pictures of the jumps over the glacier road. Afterwards, the Quellealpin Hall is transformed into a cinema again and shows the best premieres of this year’s freeski, freeride and snowboard film scene as part of a “Premiere Movie Night”.
This upcoming program literally screams for you to pack up your “shred buddies” and be there with them at the big “farewell” party of the Kaunertal Opening!