Saalbach snow conditions

A snowHead

Overjoyed to report that we saw none of the predicted NYE rain here in Saalbach - in fact there was a light overnight dusting of snow. The local website is forecasting snow on Sunday and Tuesday - fingers crossed it will be enough to make a difference and freshen up the pistes. Happy Russian Christmas!? Smile

A snowHead

Excellent, please keep the updates coming we arrive in Saalbach a week tomorrow!!

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

on ze coach to the airport.

excellent morning yesterday ... quiet ... with nice grippy fresh snow!

overall great week in hinterglemm! conditions seem to be improving with the colder weather.

thanks for the hints tatman!

snowHead

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John Barr and I also skied in the Glemmtal yesterday, along the northern side, as we skied from Fieberbrunn to Leogang and back. There had been a little fresh snow higher up, 1-2 cm. This photo showing fresh tracks near the top stations of the two Reckmoos gondolas in Fieberbrunn may give some impression of that...

We hadn't checked what was open on the displays before starting out, so we were then surprised (though not greatly, for the piste is south facing and loses snow quickly) to find the Reckmoos Süd piste closed, so that we had to download on the Reckmoos Süd gondola to reach the new TirolS lift linking to Hinterglemm. From the top of that we skied down the Bernkogel into Saalbach; this photo was taken in the afternoon as we were returning...

The piste were generally in good condition, becoming a little bumpy in some places but softer with fewer icy patches than in recent days. There were a moderate number of skiers about but no real queuing at the lifts. The weather was variable, with mist hanging on the hills sometimes but also with glimpses of the sun. In Leogang we were able to ski down black piste 89a to the valley with easier conditions than last time I tried, not so icy. We had lunch at the Asitzbräu before starting out on the return trip...

As the bottom section of the Schattberg X-Press wasn't running we were saved the quandary of deciding whether to ski over the Schattberg and Zwölferkogel and then back through Hinterglemm, thereby risking missing the last boat -well, gondola- to Fieberbrunn. It seems to me that Fieberbrunners have the better cards here, for if e.g. the lifts closed before you got safely back to the Fieberbrunn side (reached the Reckmoos Süd gondola), you could still ski to the middle station of the TirolS and call for a taxi from there. At least you'd be on the right side of the mountain. Going back to Saalbach or Hinterglemm the converse would be true and you could be stuck on the wrong side of the hill with a long drive through Saalfelden necessary to bring you back to the Glemmtal.

This time the Vierstadlalm piste down by the TirolS gondola was also easier to ski than my last descent. Here's a photo of one of the easier sections near the Vierstadlalm farm...

The lower slopes on the Fieberbrunn side, particularly the Doischberg piste, weren't in as good condition as we had had in Saalbach but we scraped our way back to base. The round trip, including lunch, had taken about six and a half hours. A good day's skiing.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

What's the snow like today guys? It looks like it's put a bit down looking at the webcams.

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@Rhumage, Excellent new snow this morning following an overnight fall. About 10cm in the valley and 20 cm on the top of Bernkogel. Great fun for the first 2 hours from 9.00 before the pistes started to get rucked up into moguls and the Day 1 holidaymakers started falling around. More snow forecast for tonight - friend arrived from Salzburg this afternoon where it had been snowing heavily all morning.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

When do you think the majority of the slopes will open? How about the terrain parks, night skiing etc? We fly in on Saturday.

After all it is free

This is all sounding positive for our arrival this coming weekend. Are the lower slopes in a good condition for beginners?
we have a couple of newbies with us this year, would be good to know before we book lessons.

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@mijlee, The nursery slopes, and also the easy slopes on the top of the Bernkogel have been in good to excellent condition since we arrived on 19th Dec. At this time of year the village nursery slopes are for the most part shaded by the Schattberg mountain to the south, and the snow has consequently been better, generally speaking, than higher up. In the last couple of days, we've had fresh snow, as well as the snow cannons running, so both the small Kreuzkappelle nursery slope, which is adjacent to our apartments, and the larger Turmwiese nursery slopes across the road are in very good condition.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

Yesterday alex_heney and I again took the TirolS gondola to get us from Fieberbrunn to Hinterglemm and Saalbach. The new snow had helped the pistes a little, though there were still sections cut up and bumpy, hardly surprising with the pistes busy. We did an anti-clockwise circuit, over the Zwölferkogel and this was the view at the top...

And here is a photo looking over Hinterglemm on the lower section of the piste down from the Zwölferkogel...

From the bottom of the Zwölfer we took the bus down the valley to the Schönleiten gondola and made our way back to the TirolS lift from there. The weather was mixed. There were sunny spells earlier on but the day was mostly cloudy. In the afternoon there was a hefty wind on the Hinterglemm side. The slope were probably the busiest I have seen this season but there was no real queuing in the Saalbach-Hinterglemm area. The only longer delay we had was 15 minutes at the short Maiskopf T-bar in Fieberbrunn at the end of the day. With no alternative runs back to base open this was a bottleneck...

Despite that, it was another good day's skiing.

snow reports

@espri, I'm surprised this week is a busy one - was it Russians?

@red 27, I think that today was the last day of the Austrian Christmas school holidays - it was much. much quieter on the slopes - idyllically so! No crowds, and no (or very few) chopped-up, mogully pistes. Skied to Leogang and back and thoroughly enjoyed it. Even got a table upstairs in the Hinterhag Alm!

You know it makes sense.

@Tatman's Tours,

Ah, right, I see... thanks

I'm coming over to Oosterieich on Sunday and was hoping for nice quiet week enjoying all this new snow that's forecast Toofy Grin

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@red 27, lots of people have left today either early this morning or after skiing. My hotel restaurant was full of house guests last night, I was one of only 3 tables at the evening meal tonight, although some guests are on B&B only. Tomorrow should be a lot quieter and it should remain so until the beginning of February when the first areas start their winter holidays. That is except for Zauchensee where I am skiing tomorrow to watch the ladies train for the sprint double DH on Saturday!

Should be relatively quiet next week in most places, unless they are on the FIS circuit! We have World Cup races in our neck of the woods this weekend and the Flachau night slalom next week along with Europa cup racing all next week in and around Altenmarkt-Radstadt. Consequently it is a wee bit busier than usual,

A snowHead

Has it put anymore snow down?

A snowHead

@Rhumage, We keep getting flurries and showers of snow, and the snow cannons are running day and night. The snow on the pistes is visibly increasing and the condition of the pistes was a lot better today. Coming back from Leogang around 3.30pm, the south-facing slopes in the Schoenleiten area were firm and powdery - an absolute joy to ski, after the cruddy, mogully conditions of last week. The mood is distinctly upbeat. A few pistes that were closed a few days ago are now open. Just one good dump is all it needs; even without that, I expect that some of the other closed pistes will be opening, thanks to snow-making. I noticed that piste 14 at Hinterglemm is now looking skiable, with a few skiers coming down it - same applies to piste 2b down to Jausern.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Myself and my wife have been in Saalbach since Sat 2nd, first two days had a nice snow covering, been steadily getting worse since.
About half the slopes are open, mostly blues, only a few reds. Slopes today are quite icy with a few patches of grass coming through.
On the plus side there are very few people on the slopes.
Bit disappointed overall.

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We had an unexpected dump for several hours this evening - the streets are now snow-covered and people were having snowball fights on the way back from Bobby's at 1.30am. It remains to be seen what difference this has made up on the mountain. A few more pistes have been opened - thankfully the blue that takes you round to the bottom of the Magic 6er being one of them - until today everyone was being funnelled down the steepish red. Today, like yesterday, I saw piste bashers preparing the long blue piste from Schattberg to Jausern (number 2b) - can't be long before they open it.
I'm surprised that the previous poster has been disappointed - various members of my family have been here this week, and they haven't been disappointed at all. Much possibly depends on expectations after the poor start to the season and all the negative reports (and how much you're into the apres, which is so far even better than last season).

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Absolutely mega!!!

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@Tatman, shutup
@gleesonger, thanks for the post

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

A few cm fell yesterday evening.
About half the slopes are open and there are some icy patches but much improved from yesterday. I'm not sure what the forecast is but yesterday's fall could be gone in a day or two if there isn't another soon.

Some of the connecting slopes are busy today but there are also plenty of quiet runs.

After all it is free

@Millom, don't be so bloody rude! Tatman does not need to advertise on here and I'll take his advice about conditions in Saalbach any day over a one-week visitor from Blighty who seems to be contradicting every other report I've read about Saalbach in both this and the German language forums. Perhaps @gleesonger would have done well to get hold of in advance the totally free and unbiased guide to Saalbach-Hinterglemm that Tatman's Tours so generously provide for ANY visitor to the area.

You were quick to accuse others of being dishonest for their own interests, but when someone who knows the area tries to correct another's persons incorrect description, you go off on one. You are promoting your own unlicensed ski holidays, so you have a vested interest in denigrating others don't you.

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@Samerberg, give it a rest too!

"to correct another's persons incorrect description"?! This is the problem with some of the regulars on here they think the only voice that matters is theirs and they happily misinform at the same time. I've got no time for comments made by the likes of you on this forum BUT appreciate the comments of holiday makers such as gleesonger.

"You are promoting your own unlicensed ski holidays, so you have a vested interest in denigrating others don't you."?? Not sure what you're suggesting here. I don't have any interest other than trying to ensure accurate and reliable information. You won't get this from Tatman or yourself but you can from the likes of gleesonger! If you're mentioning some of my posts regarding ski trips I've just been giving some of my time to try to organise a few trips (mainly with individuals). I'm gaining nothing from it but simply trying to be helpful. I couldn't care less whether this upsets you or others.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

By the way I was in Saalbach last January and also skied in Fieberbrunn. It's a nice area. Stayed in a very friendly farm B&B with kitchen facilities near to Leogang for about 25-30 Euro per night. If anyone would like the details feel free to PM me.

snow reports

@gleesonger, I'll happily add my review of the week in Saalbach.

Skiing on most mornings has been very good. New snow and temperatures around freezing point, so not too cold. By 12.00 the pistes have cut up and the main circuit routes have become scraped and icy in places, but if you know where to go off the main circuit, conditions have held up well all day. I actually thought that yesterday (Thursday) was the best day of the week, having skied for 4 hours in the morning on fresh snow under blue skies before eating lunch in the sun - remember, this was 8th January, when temperatures are often below -10°C.

Low points of the week: The link from the top of Reiterkogel down to the Hassenauer lift in Hinterglemm has been bad to awful all week, with the snow cover getting scraped and icy very quickly, with the odd tuft of grass. The red below the Berger Hochalm down to the Magic 6 lift also got scraped very early in the day and until they finally opened the blue loop around was pretty dangerous. The really nice 7km run (2b) from Schattberg to Jausern still hasn't opened, despite the piste bashers working on it since Wednesday.

What was it about the week that you and those you spoke to found disappointing?

You know it makes sense.

@Samerberg Sue, Thanks snowHead

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

We were able to tick of all the open runs during the week with exception of Fieberburnn. Each day we headed off in a different direction, the skibus between voderglemm and hinterglemm works a treat. Word of caution Leogang is on a seperate ski bus route, when we realised this we had to make a quick dash back, made the Sportbahnn 2000 by only a few minutes to spare, from there it's all down hill to voderglemm to catch the bus back!

We found Thur to be the worst day, it hadn't snowed since the start of the week and the slopes were fairly icy and had grass/brown coming though in places. We spent a few hours on the runs between Kolmaiskopf and Polten 8er. Ended up taking a half day as we didn't enjoy it that much.

Our best day was probably today (fri) when we went from Saalbach to Leogang and back, slopes were nice throughout most of the day getting a bit scraped only near the end. It was a pity 2b didn't open, even so there was a number of people running it. I liked the red 61,61a never too busy and in decent shape.

Other days slopes were decent until lunch but then deteriorated quickly. The main run down Zwolferkogel (I think it was blue 11/12a) was great before lunch on Wed but turned icy/moguly after.

Blue 52 back to Saalbach was an old faithful throughout the week. We ended most days with a run down it.

The majority of the lifts are fast and only a handful of times did we need to queue and even then it was only a few minutes.

We were disappointed with how quickly the slopes deteriorated and with the number open. I think it was consistently about 50 out of 90 slopes open with a limited number of reds.

A snowHead

just for balance re the spat re conditions/reviews of saalbach I have holidayed in saalbach for the last 4 years and am doing so again next month, have read with interest the reports/info supplied by tatman ( and other regulars) whom ive never met and have no connection with and personally I am highly unlikely to avail myself of his s/c accomodation I much prefer a hotel but I have always found his posts to be helpful honest and a source of much useful info esp for those who have not been to saalbach before, long may they continue.

A snowHead

@millom, I have no vested interest in any way except wanting to enjoy my annual ski trip which has been in Saalbach for the last few years.

I can see from the webcams that this year is not at its best in Saalbach or most of the Alps, but can't wait to be in Saalbach this time next week, snow or no snow. I welcome @tatman reports that are real, albeit accepting they will always be 'glass half full' , personally my glass is full, so please (to quote you) 'shut up' and please take your empty glass out of Saalbach.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Tomorrow dinner time I shall be in Saalbach. I'll post some feedback as and when.

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@Rhumage, I don't think you'll be disappointed - not only have I skied most days this week but I've spoken to others who have covered the whole area, including Fieberbrunn, and the general sentiment is upbeat. The conditions yesterday in particular, when I skied to Leogang and back (including the new piste to the mid-station of the Steinbergbahn and the black piste down to the bottom of the Asitzbahn) were excellent. On the way back, the pistes leading my party back to Saalbach, many of which are south-facing, were in good shape - not cut up and cruddy, as they tended to be a week or two ago. The final run down piste 52 was the best so far this season - enjoyed by all (although I'm sure that one or two of the above posters would have found something negative to say).

The local website reported yesterday that piste 2b to Jausern (the long blue from the summit of Schattberg) and black 14 from the Zwoelferkogel are both opening today - this doesn't surprise me as, looking from the opposite side of the valley, both have been looking as you would normally expect - entirely snow-covered - for the past week.

To those who have supported me - many thanks - I do strive to be accurate in recounting my personal experiences of skiing and apres-skiing here in Saalbach, although I accept that it helps to be familiar with the area and to know where to ski and how to derive maximum enjoyment - and I also happily accept that I'm a "glass half-full" sort of person, rather than a miserable old git. To all those who have made unpleasant comments, I'm sure that the fair-minded people of this forum will draw their own conclusions - and in some cases already have - about what sort of people you are.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@Tatman's Tours, excellent post! I'm hoping to get over sometime this season but because I drive everywhere I will have to pass on the more serious Après Ski (GSD for a face-saving excuse wink

)

I can come over most Sundays but am back in the area for longer than a day on the 23rd and will be free to ski as of the 24th!

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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@snowheads68, uncalled for !!!

After all it is free

@ski for fun/@ribblevalleyblue, there are lots of nice ski resorts around Europe and further afield that are waiting to be explored! By restricting yourself to just a few resorts you'll never get the best from your ski trips as no single resort will always have the best weather conditions, snowfall, or interesting events.

@Rhumage, it will be good to hear your views during and after your weeks trip.

@ribblevalleyblue, it seems people just resort to saying "glass half empty" as an easy reply when often it has no relevance to what was said. I took exception to Tatman dismissing the views of another Snowhead, someone just reporting what that saw/felt on their trip. A number of resort threads seem to operate in this way with a local/seasonaire/property owner/etc. taking over so the views of the average Snowhead get overlooked or dismissed or ridiculed. If you think these people's views can be trusted or they are likeable individuals you really are very naive.

@Tatman, and it seems all these local/seasonaire/property owner/etc. also like to describe themselves as "glass half full" individuals rather than "desperate and misleading" which is often a better match when conditions are not ideal in their particular resort.

Translations I often use for the likes of rob and tatman (and many others) posts:

"the snow is the best ever" means "the snow is good maybe with some nice powder"
"the snow is great" means "the snow is ok"
"me and my guests had a great day" means "the snow is fairly poor"
"its lovely to be sat in the sun"" means "the snow is crap and we can't be bothered to ski"
"enjoying a break from skiing today" means "it raining and I'd rather be anywhere else than here"

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@millom@snowheads68
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