 Poster: A snowHead
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I did my first ever week's skiing in St Anton about 5 or so years ago. Yes as everyone says, the runs are trickier than other resorts, but you will (hopefully) be with a ski instructor for your first 6 days. I remember my instructor (even remember his name, Martin!) saying towards the end of the week, "If you go out with your friends make sure you come back on X run, whatever you do don't do Y run!". So, as a beginner, you will be guided through what's skiable and what's not. The only thing I could have killed him for was deciding we needed a break on day 5 and taking us down a black run on these crappy snow fox things. Terrifying. Yes you will come up against more hairy moments than you would have on your first week in Kitzbuhel, but once you are up and running it is the most fantastic resort. As others have said, Lech and Zurs have vast areas of easier terrain that are absolutely glorious. I went back last year and loved every minute of it. Given that you are talking about committing to a whole season, St Anton would undoubtedly be the best option IMO.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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St Anton is great for many things but we even get negative feedback from some intermediates - the lower slopes can be hugely crowded and tough - it is not the place to learn.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I have a question about St Anton piste map. There are normal Reds on there (solid red line, then there are Red 'Ski Route'. What is a ski route, is it jus a name for an off-piste route or is it something more.?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| stevev wrote: |
| I have a question about St Anton piste map. There are normal Reds on there (solid red line, then there are Red 'Ski Route'. What is a ski route, is it jus a name for an off-piste route or is it something more.? |
It's an patrolled but not groomed route. Very nice to try if you're not a beginner anymore 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Eyeopener wrote: |
| stevev wrote: |
| I have a question about St Anton piste map. There are normal Reds on there (solid red line, then there are Red 'Ski Route'. What is a ski route, is it jus a name for an off-piste route or is it something more.? |
It's an patrolled but not groomed route. Very nice to try if you're not a beginner anymore |
That's what I thought, but the fact they were Reds confused me, are they really only medium difficulty. Some of those coming off the big mountain ridges looked quite committing. For instance, Route 15 schindlerkar
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No, they can be difficult (black and beyond).
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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so depending on the time they were last groomed they could be Reds or chopped up deep snow reds that are more difficult. Is extra gear expected on the red routes, (avalanche transponder, etc) or are they the same danger as normal pistes
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Steve... no real difference between the ski routes and any other piste. Corduroy in the morning and chopped up in the afternoon - depending the traffic. Same danger as any other run in a similar situation - no need for additional gear.
On some of the "extreme" routes (black edged, red symbol), you need to be prepared/able to ski moguls, crud, ice, etc.
The high alpine touring routes are a completely different matter. I would not go there without a guide and the appropriate equipment.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| ulmerhutte wrote: |
Not entirely correct. Many routes are groomed each night, eg 56 (Madloch - Zug), 13 (Albonagrat), and 15 (SchindlerKar). Maybe they were ungroomed routes "once upon a time", but now no difference to a normal ski run. Even some of the so-called "extreme" routes, eg 18 (Pfannenkopf) are groomed from time to time. |
before circa 97/98 SchindlerKar was never groomed.
& sometime in the last 10yrs maybe longer (I cant remember) they started grooming 56 Madloch - Zug.
Before they widened (Prior to 2001 World Championships) & ruined 25 The Fang (St Anton) it used to be a narrow un-pisted route a bit like Route 3 Osthang (Under the Galzigbahn).
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Quote: |
| Route 3 Osthang (Under the Galzigbahn). |
now that did look tricky for a red
I went to Warth today, morning was ok, but a snowstorm in the afternoon. I did a red ski route there and didn't see any difference. I found Warth a lot easier than St Anton, even the blacks were pretty tame
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stanton, I beg to differ. Madloch isn't groomed every night!
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You know it makes sense.
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..the first part off the lift from Zurs is quite narrow - and mogully after snow fall. The bit where you turn off left to go to Zug can get extremely icy. As a strong intermediate skier, I would say that you need your wits about you to ski the Madloch. I've never, ever found it pisted.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| erica2004 wrote: |
| stanton, I beg to differ. Madloch isn't groomed every night! |
I never said it was groomed everynight but they do groom it, I know that for sure 100%. Many years ago it was just left ungroomed, in fact it was off-piste 
The bottom egress piste in Zug is icy because the base is vitually all manmade snow and is exposed to constant hot sun & very cold shade rotations.
Ski a tight turn pitch on the edge of the piste & you will find plenty of soft snow for control & avoid the ice altogether.
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Poster: A snowHead
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stanton, I don't have a problem skiing it. I just think it unwise to assume that this run is going to be like any other piste - it isn't.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Erica, not sure when you ski Madloch, but I can assure you that in the last 8 years, when we have spent a month each year in Feb/March in StA, Madloch has been groomed pretty much every night that the run has been open. For the most part, it is a doddle. A reasonable intermediate skier would have little cause for concern.
Not sure what you mean by "the first part off the lift from Zurs is quite narrow"??? The start is very wide. Yes, it does finish up on a narrowish catwalk, just prior to the first tuck, but to call it narrow???
Agree that the last 2 pitches into Zug can get icy, but the intermediates have an option to go wide and avoid the worst of it. I guess it depends on what you describe as "intermediate" and "strong immediate".
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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ulmerhutte, Ah well. I must be a complete plonker then. We go to Lech twice a year and have been going for 5 years. Mostly in January and March. If you've found it pisted well they must do that for the school holidays or something. I've seen countless people struggling over that icy section.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Guys relax. This is an old "off piste route that the Arlberg skiing company has messed up
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| stanton wrote: |
| Guys relax. This is an old "off piste route that the Arlberg skiing company has messed up |
I guess every run started life as off-piste!
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ulmerhutte, I have never, ever seen it look like that. 
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Not sure what to say, Erica. Do you normally ski it later in the day?
Perhaps try to get onto it early in the morning - well before 9:30. On a blue-bird morning, before the crowds hit it, the run is pure magic. As you can see from the photos, it is possible to get big sections totally to yourself.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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ulmerhutte, erica2004, I have just been browsing the piste map and am i right to assume the run you guys are talking about is the one that exts from madloch and goes down to Zug, shown in red dashes? ulmerhutte, From your photos it really does look nice, we are in St A over Xmas, so if I made the bus by 9.30. would you know how long it would take to get me to Zurs?
Cheers, Greg
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I don't have a problem with it when it's mogully - all part of the fun. 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Ski Tyke, nah, do it on your *rse. I walked up (don't ask) to the Moose last year, then tried to return by standing on a board hugging the boarder. That went well, not! Did the rest on my backside and took my skis the following night.
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northantsred, Yes - when you're there, take some photos of it not looking like that. The bus from St.A will take 15 - 20 mins or so to get to Zurs. Alternatively, you can ski from St.Anton to the bottom of Valfegehr and get the bus from there (5 mins).
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You know it makes sense.
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Northantsred, if you are going from StA West Terminal by Post Bus, the 2 most useful departures are probably 8:35 and 9:05, both getting to Zurs 25 mins later. The former will drop you at Zurs Trittkopfbahn, while the latter goes through to Lech and will stop at Seekopfbahn.
Either which way, I would allow maybe 20 - 30 mins from when you arrive at Zurs to getting to the top of Madloch - you need to either lift shuffle or walk to get up to either Zurserseebahn or Seekopfbahn, ride them to the top, then pick up Madlochbahn, which is kind of a slow lift. After that, I guess it depends on your ski ability, number of rests, etc. You should however be able to do the run in 5 - 10 mins(?). The lift out of Zug is slow, and maybe takes about 10 mins(?) to get up Lech.
Erica... plan to get many more photos of it looking like that in Feb! 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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ulmerhutte, I'll be there before you - in Jan 09.
p.s.I have a sister and family in Mount Eliza!
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Poster: A snowHead
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Is St Anton/Lech safe for a trip as late as 20th March 2009 ? I know it's not easy to predict but historically does the season last that long.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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stevev, St Anton and Lech are normally open well into April, so 20th March will be fine, it's more or less mid-season to be honest! It's really not late for these resorts.
D
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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stevev, I'm often in St Anton that week and the snow has always been plentiful. This year for example there was still over 4m in Lech after the closed for season at end of April. Shame you're missing St Patricks Day over there as there's usually quite a few Irish that liven the place up even more, if that was possible
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I was in St Anton last year and I wouldn't say the skiing was tough - the most dangerous thing is the busy resort runs at the end of the day, and attempting to ski back from the Mooserwirt!
Lech and Zurs were lovely as well, and much quieter.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Steve, yeah it normally lasts into April so, based purely on history, you should be okay. In reality, anything could happen. Last year, it did. Early start, with big snow falls, right through to Jan, no significant new snow in Feb (temps up 16C!!!), then in March it started to snow again. As Boabski said, it snowed so much the place closed with 4m on the ground.
Erica... alas, Mt Eliza is only "Mount" in name. No snow up there. 
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More snow falls in March than any other month
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I find that its murder after a good session in the KK or Griabli etc then a very long session usually culmanating in being thrown out of Bar Cuba at closing.
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arlberg, yes i usually find after 6/7 pints of Kaiser at the Griabli (finest pint in St Anton), ideally having watched the CCJ's, then a few more at the Moos for Apres cheese, the run down can be murder
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Cheers for that, a bit more confident about booking a late visit now
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FAQ
