Skiing in Zillertal, Austria: early bird catches the piste We began with some of the many red runs that punctuate the Hochzillertal part of the mountain, never having to wait a second for the lifts taking us back to the top. Along the way, through gaps in the clouds, we enjoyed striking views of the jagged peaks on the other side of the valley, itself still shrouded in a layer of symbolic, sleep-like mist. The stiffness in our legs quickly eased, and ski technique - such as we possess - began to return. On one particularly scenic run we took a gentler slope running though a pine forest thick with freshly fallen snow. We breathed in that wonderful mountain air and smiled: maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all. The pleasure of having the slopes almost entirely to ourselves was inevitably short-lived. Our trip to the Zillertal last February coincided with the Fasching (carnival) holiday week, an exceptionally busy period, and we were not the only early birds. By about 9.15, the first groups of children were being disgorged from the main lift and the beautiful silence of the early morning was being replaced with the excitable chatter of the more newcomers. It was time to beat a retreat. Fortunately in the Kristallhütte, this part of the mountain boasts an establishment to which it is well worth retreating. A many-times winner of the "ski lodge of the year" award, this extraordinary refuge is a cross between a luxury lodge, a haven for fine-diners, a "chill-out zone above the clouds" and a venue for musical happenings that range from classical concerts to funky jazz and DJ sessions. The DJ hadn't yet got the turntable into gear, but in the centre of the very mountain-chic breakfast bar area, a welcoming log fire lent the place added allure. Taking a breather at a mountain top chill-out point And we were famished. There may have been 600 kinds of muesli (OK, I exaggerate a little), but for us nothing less would do than the Hüttenfrühstück, a beautifully presented platter involving three fried eggs, finely chopped pieces of grilled bacon, fried onions, a light topping of cheese and some chunks of suitably nutritious multi-seeded brown bread. How we wolfed it down; and how, ever so slightly, we allowed ourselves a certain feeling of smugness. Nearly everyone else at the breakfast bar had only just got up: we had two hours of piste pummelling already behind us. And there was more to come. From the Kristallhütte, we worked our way around the mountain, sampling some of the runs we'd missed before and returning to others we'd particularly enjoyed. Behind us lay the peaks of the splendidly named Öfelerjoch , Wetterkreuz and the Wimbachkopf. Across the valley, we could make out the Rauchkofl and the Wollbachspitze, just two of the 50 peaks above 3,000 metres for which the Zillertal is prized. By midday we had reached the entry point to the Hochfügen ski area and, during a period of sustained sunshine, decided to take on the mogul-filled No 13, an ungroomed black run that begins just beneath the Marchkopf. It was seriously steep but we tackled it with gusto, enjoying the exhilaration of a much tougher challenge and the reward of ending up in an area of fine powder where we were the first to lay tracks. We enjoyed it so much that we repeated the experience several times, pausing only to take photos at the top of the ridge, from which the only way was down. We rounded off the day with a lateish lunch at the Wedelhütte, another of the Zillertal's stellar mountain retreats. After that massive breakfast, we didn't have the stomach (or the budget) to do justice to the incredible gourmet fare - to say nothing of the contents of an extensive wine cellar - on offer in its top-floor restaurant, complete with stupendous panoramic views. Instead we opted for a lighter pasta dish, a Caesar salad and two glasses of Apfelschorle (a refreshing combination of apple juice and sparkling water), all consumed in a convivial Stube setting where the DJ played some of the more sophisticated offerings from the Seventies and Eighties. At this point, that 6.30am start seemed a very long way away. And there was no question that it had been worth it. Some ski lifts in the Zillertal operate from 6.55 am While the day on the slopes of the Hochzillertal was undoubtedly the best of the trip, there were many other highlights. These included: Tobogganing by night along the 7km torchlit stretch of mountain down from the Gerlossteinhütte. Getting warm on the heated seats of the Zillertal's many state-of-the-art chair lifts. Eating Apfelstrudel with vanilla sauce in the Kreuzjochalmhütte. Smiling at the brave souls who had dressed for the slopes in colourful carnival costume, as nuns, monks and even, in one case, as Mickey Mouse. Making sense of the vast array of runs and lifts that spread over the vast terrain of the Zillertal Arena. Watching the snowboarders on the freeriding parks (we spoke to one, Katie, who revealed that she was a member of the GB freestyle snowboard team in training for the Winter Olympics in Sochi). Travelling on the "ski train" that runs through the Zillertal. Catching glimpses of the frozen lake below as we skied the slopes of the Königsleiten. Our final day, too, was a bit special. Making another early start, we headed to the lift closest to our hotel in Ramsau and caught the first one up to Penken, the ski area directly above the most famous resort in the Zillertal, Mayrhofen. After a few warm-up runs we felt we were skiing with sufficient fluency to be able to attempt the steepest - and scariest - piste in Austria, a slope which has a gradient of 78 per cent and which is commonly known as the Harakiri. I will gloss over exactly how we did it, but we did successfully get from top to bottom. Afterwards, in the magnificent Schneekarhütte, we shared the biggest T-bone steak we had ever seen and savoured a fine Austrian merlot followed by home‑made schnapps. Mission accomplished. In our three days we'd covered a lot of ground - and not just on the slopes. The closest airport to the Zillertal is Innsbruck, though there are also good road connections with Munich and Salzburg. Adrian Bridge flew to Innsbruck with easyJet (easyjet.com) on a 7.15am departure from Gatwick, arriving at 10.10am. On the return, also with easyJet, he took the 21.20 flight from Munich arriving at Gatwick at 22.25. On both travelling days, he was able to enjoy a half-day on the slopes. For best fares, check the flight comparison websites skyscanner.net, momondo.com, kayak.co.uk and travelsupermarket.com. Transfers from Innsbruck can be arranged through the SMS shuttle service (flughafentransfer.at/index_e.php). In the valley itself, there are good links by bus and train to all the main ski areas. In the valley The writer stayed at the Hotel Eder (hotel-eder.com), a family-run hotel in the quiet settlement of Ramsau, some two miles from the party town of Mayrhofen. Popular with families, it has a small pool and spa area and good wholesome (plentiful) food. Double rooms, on half-board basis, from about £100 a night (based on two sharing). In the mountains There are three outstanding places to stay at altitude, all of which offer fabulous panoramic views, stylish furnishings and gourmet-level food. The pyramid-shaped Schneekarhütte (schneekarhütte.com), pictured below, was the pioneer in the field but the two others to consider are the Wedelhütte (wedelhuette.at) and the Kristallhütte (kristallhuette.at), the "ski lodge of the year." Schneekarhütte In Mayrhofen There are hotels to suit all tastes and budgets: see the comprehensive guide to the resort written by Telegraph Travel Mayrhofen expert, Rob Freeman at telegraph.co.uk/mayrhofen All three mountain huts mentioned above have fine-dining options, excellent wines and superb views on to the peaks. But they are pricey. A prime Austrian beef fillet steak with port wine jus and truffled potato purée in the Kristallhütte will set you back €27.90 (£23). For more modestly-priced traditional mountain fare, Seppi's am Isskogel (seppis.cc) in the Zillertal Arena is where you can enjoy a Wiener schnitzel and a glass of cold lager for about €16 (£13) - outside on its large terrace when the sun shines, inside, often with musical accompaniment when it doesn't. The Kreuzjochalm Hütte in the Zillertal Arena is a great spot for classics such as Zillertaler knödel (dumpling) soup and Apfelstrudel. A good place for hiring skis, boots, helmets - and buying gloves with inner heating - is the Intersport Strasser at the valley station of the Zillertal Arena (intersport-strasser.at). Early morning lifts 6.55am: various lifts to the Zillertal Arena - Thursdays and Sundays in March; 7.30am: Kaltenbach to Hochzillertal - daily, all season; 8am: 8er Jet and 4er chair lift to Hochfügen (Saturdays and Sundays till end of season); 8am: Mayrhofner Bergbahnen - daily. Ski passes The Zillertaler Superskipass, valid for some 178 cable cars and lifts over an area incorporating 487 kilometres of pisted runs, costs €46 (£38) for one day; more cost effective over longer periods. Summer on the Slopes The Hintertuxer glacier is the only place in Austria where it is possible to ski all year round. Beyond the slopes With its host of bars, clubs and restaurants, Mayrhofen is by far the best place for après-ski excitement; be guided by Telegraph Travel expert Rob Freeman (telegraph.co.uk/mayrhofen). The resort is also host to a number of events, including the Snowbombing dance festival (April 7-12) and Altitude comedy festival (March 31-April 4). Farther afield, Fügen boasts a museum highlighting the history of the valley. For those looking for more wide-ranging cultural attractions, Innsbruck is less than an hour's drive away. Salzburg (birth place of Mozart) and Munich (home to the famous beer festival and some of Germany's best museuems and galleries) are also both well worth exploring. For details on all of the above and more, see the website of Zillertal tourism: zillertal.at.