The Gastein ski area, one of Austria's largest, it is separated in to four areas, served by three resorts and several small additional lift base areas. The ski area is centred on Bad Gastein, the biggest settlement in the valley.
The largest of the ski areas begins on the Stubnerkogel mountain above Bad Gastein and is more-or-less lift-linked, via the Angertal Ski centre, to the skiing on the Schlossalm above Bad Hofgastein.
A second lower area, reached by train or bus down the valley, links Grossarl (in the next valley) to Dorfgastein at the bottom of the Gastein Valley, over the Kreuzkogel Mountain (2027m).
The third and highest ski area is the small sector above Sport Gastein which has a base at 1600 metres and a snow-sure top lift at 2685m on the Kreuzkogel mountain. The off-piste powder trails down from here are particularly highly regarded.
Bad Gastein has a second ski area of its own, on the Graukogel from which the Toni Sailer descent is a popular run for good local skiers.
The Ski Amadé ski pass covers all of the resorts in the Gastein Valley and most of the surrounding areas too, with trains and bus services linking the various ski areas between 8am and 6pm so long as you use these when skiing or snowboarding.