 Poster: A snowHead
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We are looking at booking a week 28th february.
We have never skied anywhere other than Lofer/Waidring.
These are our options. Half Board Westendorf. All Inclusive Scheffau or Half Board Zell am See. These three are all part of a package and we wont have a car. We could then return to our old stomping ground. Base ourselves in Lofer, ski Lofer, Waidring and spread out to sKI cIrcus or Ski Welt. This is a DIY trip and we will have a car as we will fly into munich whereas the package is flying into Salzburg.
Part of me thinks there are a whole wide expanse of the Alps and try staying in other resorts and should we just stick with what we know. They are all basically costing the same.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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2waterford, I would plumb for half board in Westerndorf, it is a lovely part of the SkiWelt. There are a couple of us based nearby (me and espri who would be delighted to help you find your way around! 
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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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Thanks Sue. Are there a few bars in the town, the lack of them were putting us off Scheffau.
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Westendorf fo' sho'
FWIW I have skied one day in Lofer (actually whilst we were in Westendorf as one of our group had grown up skiing there years before), but Westendorf is FAR better.
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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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Unlike Samerberg Sue I am not a huge fan of Westendorf - it is a very pleasant village, plenty of bars and eateries and good lift out of the village BUT the lifts higher up in the local area are dreadfully slow fixed grip jobs, the snow making on the run down to KiWest is limited, the red down to Brixen can be rather hard/icy at times and sometimes there is just gross overcrowding on the pistes. The man SkiWelt sadly fails on two counts (and arguably three) - poor snow in places due to its low level - even though excellent snow making - when it is warm it is porridge as January this year and the run back to Brixen was all but mud - dreadful signing and some slow lifts higher up and between sectors eg towards Going. Oh yes, they have excellent lifts at village level like Westendorf. Nevertheless I do like the main Skiwelt more than Westendorf and for preference I now always go to Kirchberg so I can do Skiwelt and Westendorf but also the more preferable Kitzbuhel using the Allstar pass as far as I remember.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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2waterford, you will have to ask clarkey999 about that as I don't usually stop for the Apres or eating as I'm only 30 minutes away from home. The Austrian police are pretty sharp about controlling drink driving, so I prefer not to risk it!
There are a couple of nice places near the slopes where I've had a coffee and roll before starting or a hot chocolate after the day has finished.
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Scheffau is a good base for getting into the SkiWelt area, the lift takes you right up to a central vantage point. However, as you rightly state there's not much going on there, there are a couple of bars, but they're not particularly lively. It's also not a destination for people who are averse to a bus journey/walk to and from the lifts as most hotels are in the village centre which is a km or so from the lift. There are a couple of hotels by the lift but they don't have the advantage of the village amenities. You can ski down to the lift conditions permitting, but it's an uphill long walk or short bus journey back (there are excellent equipment locker facilities at the lift base).
I haven't been to Lofer or Westendorf, just sharing my experiences of Scheffau. As Samerberg Sue says, we have some resident experts in the area.
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I would go for Westendorf you might even find Blaas there.
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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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Thanks guys, it is looking like Westendorf. The whole Lofer, Waidring area has worked so well I am nervous at booking somewhere new. I knew nothing about skiing when we booked Lofer and it worked out very well for us. I now know a lot more and weighing up so many options. As they say a little knowledge can be a bad thing sometimes.
If we ski a few days in Westendorf will we be able to access other areas in Skiwelt without having access to a car. If we take the Skiweltbahn (no. 11) and onto Hochbrixen.
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Good choice 2waterford, It is similar is many ways to your experience in Lofer but different enough to give you a new experience. The Westerndorf slopes are generally quieter and longer than the rest of SkiWelt. Let me know your dates and I'll make a point of coming over to ski with you.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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thanks a million Sue, will be i. Touch.
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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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2waterford, I agree that of the choices you've listed, Westendorf is the better option. It's a nice, small resort in its own right, but also links to the SkiWelt areas very easily, so you've plenty of skiing options.
The skiing at Scheffau is fine, as you're also on the SkiWelt circus, but the village is very quiet and the lifts are located a bus-ride out of town. Zell am See would be my second choice, but it is only one valley over from Saalbach - which is where you said you were going in December - and pales in comparison with Saalbach-Hinterglemm-Leogang.
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You know it makes sense.
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Thank you guys, can't wait to get it booked up now.
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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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We have been to Westendorf several times and will be there a week after you this season. I think it is the best option, I don't know Lofer area but the others are more limited in what you can access easily, especially without a car. Get the allstar pass and you can ski Westendorf (+1 for the 111 as a first warm up run). You can drop down to Brixen and link in to the main skiwelt area ( we found that side a bit more crowded, I have never felt Westy was crowded, the main down run gets mad at the end of the day but 11 to Brixen, 111 and Kiwest are often empty enough to hoon down the full 1000m at speed, but I haven't been in main school holiday rush). Or drop down the Ki West and ski Kitzbuhel. The ski buses and trains all work on an allstar card so you can ski to Kitz/ Kirchberg and bus back.
The bars are busiest at last run time, as Clarky999 says, ski across the track to the top of the nursery slopes and stop in the Bruchstall or the nail hut. Watching snowboarders carry enough speed to get up the hill after the little bridge can be quite entertaining
Gerry's inn just off the nursery slopes is pretty lively, especially if you are there for Dutch holidays.
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Poster: A snowHead
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+1 for Westendorf. There is a bar in the middle of the nursery slope, the Cow Shed, which is where the ski schools meet in the morning and is great for a bit of apres.
Campbell's Bar, under the Jackobwirt Hotel, is nice for a quiet drink, can get very lively with live music and is non-smoking. This is also a good place if you are looking for someone to ski with.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks guys, just booked, so Westendorf end of February it is. First time we have booked a package so will see how it compares to DIY.
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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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| 2waterford wrote: |
We are looking at booking a week 28th february.
We have never skied anywhere other than Lofer/Waidring.
These are our options. Half Board Westendorf. All Inclusive Scheffau or Half Board Zell am See. These three are all part of a package and we wont have a car. We could then return to our old stomping ground. Base ourselves in Lofer, ski Lofer, Waidring and spread out to sKI cIrcus or Ski Welt. This is a DIY trip and we will have a car as we will fly into munich whereas the package is flying into Salzburg.
Part of me thinks there are a whole wide expanse of the Alps and try staying in other resorts and should we just stick with what we know. They are all basically costing the same. |
Try Westendorf, Its my Favourite Skiwelt location as you can hit everywhere and back in a day (including Kitz) BTW I am from New Ross (originally)
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Zell is lovely, but smallish ski area. The Sonnkogel is where those who know go - it's much quieter than the other side of the horseshoe mountain top, but runs face the sun (I guess that's the Sonn bit..).
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FAQ
The last few seasons the only times I've been to Westendorf have been for warm up ski tours before the lift opens. I love the place; so many good memories!
On the mountain we used to normally have a couple of beers at the Alte Mittel Station bar halfway down the home run (actually we always ate lunch there too) as the owner Georg is a really nice guy. As you carry on down the home, cut right near the bottom to head back towards the nursery slopes and village rather than the Alpenrosenbahn base station, and just before you cross the road/track to get to the nursery slopes there's another lively bar for more beer/schnapps and a few rounds of the nail game.
