Resort height: 1500m
The mountains
First of all, let's clear up two misconceptions about glacier skiing. The first is that you don't ski on ice - you ski on the snow on top of it, which in the winter at least is always in good condition (i.e., cold, crumbly and grippy). The second is that you're not dodging crevasses. Or at least, you won't be if you stick to the pistes. On most glaciers, the groomed and waymarked runs are as wide as boulevards and super-flattering to boot. They can be a bit bland too, but Hintertux's secret is that it has one black and several reds which are steeper than normal. This is why the ski racers like it so much. This year, for example, the Bulgarian, Danish, Finnish, Croatian, Norwegian, Austrian, Polish and American ski teams were all training there.
The other good thing about Hintertux is that it now offers a combined lift pass with other villages along the Ziller valley, including Mayrhofen, which is a sizeable ski resort in its own right. It provides great back-up if you get too cold on the ice.
Getting there
Innsbruck airport is less than 90 minutes away.
Rating: 
5/10
Après-ski
The après-ski score for Hintertux would be 1/10 if your choice of bars was restricted to the modest, and muted, village at the bottom of the glacier. Anyone in search of a little action at the end of a days skiing in Hintertux can head up to Mayrhofen, which has plenty of pubs and clubs and a young, energetic clientele to boot. Mayrhofen is the place to go for a meal when you're not eating in your hotel, too: there are pizzerias and grills aplenty, but for posh nosh, book a table at the Sissi Stube in the Elisabeth Hotel.
Rating: 
2/10
Non-skiers
Glaciers are for single-minded ski fanatics only. Fortunately, non-skiers in Hintertux can escape to other villages along the valley, notably Mayrhofen, which is home to a highly-rated pool complex. Innsbruck is within easy day-tripping distance, too.
Rating: 
8/10
Cost of living
Peak season for normal ski resorts is low season for the glaciers, which tend to do most of their business in the autumn and around Easter. So there's the potential to find plenty of cheap accommodation in Hintertux. You won't spend a fortune on drinks or dinner either, unless you go into Mayrhofen.
Rating: 
6/10
Attractiveness of the resort
Some will like the quiet, end-of-the-valley feel to Hintertux. Others will find it deadly dull. Still, there's no arguing with high-Alpine the scenery, which is gorgeous and dramatic.
