Last Friday trips on the new Bichlalm chairlift were free. The Bichlalm is a small ski area, on its own, further up the valley from Kitzbühel, on the Kitzbüheler Horn (east) side of the valley, i.e. away from the main Kitzbühel slopes. I had never been there, so I thought that I should go to have a look at the Bichlalm - here it is...
Oh no, that wasn't last Friday - it was about 30°C in the valley! That photo was taken by a friend on my first ski holiday in Austria, to Jochberg with the Edinburgh Scout Ski Section over Christmas/New Year 1964/1965. I thought some s might enjoy seeing the old and the new.
The new lift on the Bichlalm is a 2-seater chairlift and the hut at the Bichlalm is being redeveloped, re-opening next December. Here is the bottom station...
And the top station with new Bichlalm hut...
There is also a middle station, just beside Rosi's Sonnbergstuben, a rather up-market but excellent restaurant.
But what skiing is there at the Bichlalm? Here's the view to the Stuckkogel (1888m) as it was 50 years ago...
And looking from the Stuckkogel to the Hochetzkogel (1738m)...
However, if you go up there now you won't find any T-bars. You won't find any lifts, for since the old lifts closed (about 2006, I think), there haven't been any ski lifts in the area. The area is used by ski tourers and, for the past few years, there has been the possibility of booking a ride up in a piste basher if you don't fancy hiking. You can see some of that in this youTube clip: http://youtube.com/v/KP5CfY2xD_0&spfreload=10
I believe that will still be offered in future, now from the Bichlalm hut, I assume. The skiing looks good, though I suspect that the off-piste is soon tracked out. There is always the cat track to ski down.
However, coming back to the 21st century, here are some more photos from last Friday. I walked up to the Hochetz, an easy walk of less than half an hour from the Bichalm hut (and top station of the new lift). Here the cross at the top with great views across Kitzbühel to the Ehrenbachhöhe, Hahnenkamm und the Kitzbüheler Horn...
The reason for the free trips on the chairlift last Friday was that a new Kneipp bath had been opened near the top station of the lift. That was pleasant, though the water was a little warm for my taste...
That was an interesting afternoon. Maybe I'll give the skiing a go next winter.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@espri, lovely pics, like the mix of old and new. Thanks for posting.
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?
@espri, nice report. Might even give it a try next winter.
That looks great. I have seen the snowcat symbol on the map for years so to have a lift is brill! Rosi's restaurant is also fantastic so good it has a stop off point. Is there a bus that will take skiers to bottom, ie. Ringbus?
Speaking of new lifts in that area, have you seen the new lift up near the 3S? It is over the Brunn from the Penglestein side? I think that will make a huge different to the bottleneck that creates huge queues when coming back from Jochberg after the 3S towards Kitz. Any picture of that? Johnbarr?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Dougie, looking on the Internet, I think there is a bus 4002, from the Hahnenkammbahn to the bottom station of the new lift, called Kitzbühel Bichlalm, but I haven't tried it. The bus doesn't seem to run very often but the schedule may well be different in the winter (and there may be other options then). There are more details about touring possibilities, with telephone numbers for booking the cat ride (you can also do this through the local ski schools), on the Kitzbühel Bergbahn website here (I've only found a German version).
I haven't been to see the new lift at Brunn but there are some photos of that (and other current works in the Kitzbühel area) on the German alpinforum.com website here. As you say, it should improve the link situation in that area and I think it will also open up some good skiing.
After all it is free
After all it is free
great stuff - I can't think of another new 2 man chair anywhere
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.
@espri, Thanks for that. They do not look too far on with the building of the Brunn lift! Guess they go up pretty quickly once started....?
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
kitzbühl bleibt einfach eine der schönstrn Orte der Welt odeR?
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@espri, what a great story. What's a "Kneipp bath"?
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.
Most villages and towns with a stream running through it somewhere have a Kneipp-Trettbad somewhere along the flow. The idea being that walking through the cold water at mid-calf depth increase the circulation and improves your health. We have a couple of Kneipp-Stationen in the moorland bog at the lowest point in our valley (a high level hanging valley). You walk through it bare foot as well and over either the river/stream bed or rough stones, rarely are the foot baths tiled as that seems to be too easy!
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
A "Kneipp bath" (that was my translation of "Kneippanlage", in Kitzbühel it is just called "Kneippen") is the idea of marching through water as shown in one of the photos above. This is healthy, it is claimed, and is part of several measures recommended by Sebastian Kneipp (1821-1897), a Bavarian priest and a founder of naturopathic medicine (more details in Wikipedia).
I haven't tried it much myself. As a Brit I am a bit self-conscious about doing the recommended "stork step", i.e. lifting the knees so that your feet almost come out the water (makes me think of Monty Python). However, I must say that I found an effort in another Kneipp bath a week or two before Kitzbühel really refreshing.
All as Samerberg Sue says.
Give it a try, @pam w, though I'm not so sure it is suited to the ski season
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much on Sat 22-08-15 19:53; edited 1 time in total
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Ah, I thought the people in the picture were just walking through the water, and I thought there must be more to it!! I was doing much the same on the beach at Hayling today - my grandchildren were in the water but I had shorts and a T shirt on and was just trundling around in the shallows taking pictures and thinking that I'd want a wet suit on to get into the water.
I can't believe that just walking through water has many health benefits but I do believe walking on small stones etc is good for you - I'm hopeless at it - should try harder.
In Fiji we waded and swam in rivers and sometimes just kind of jostled downstream - but always with some kind of foot-covering. The Fijians thought we were wimps, of course. But that was in the tropics, not the south of England, let alone the Alps!
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
P.S. reading the full Wikipedia entry now, I see Kneipp recommended "walking barefoot in the snow", so maybe it is something for the ski season. On the principle, if it doesn't kill you, it'll cure you
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Booked and fully aid for week at Feb half term in Kirchberg. I will get a chance to sample the Bichlalm and Brunn lift first hand.
Not a particularly relevant post but wanted to show off excitement for up-coming holiday.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I remember going to this beautiful empty slope in 1980
As I remember it .. there was a single chair lift that seemed to go right through part of the restaurant at the half way station.
The restaurant was fabulous it was the first place I ate "Tyrolia Grostli" and it has not been beaten since.
Is my mind playing tricks on me?
Or do I remember it perfectly?
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?
@DrLawn, to help your memory here is a photo of the middle station of the Bichlalm chairlift (I think), taken by a friend around Christmas 1964. I imagine it was still much the same in 1980...
The building alongside is the Gasthof Oberaigen, I believe.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
s might enjoy seeing the old and the new.
