 Poster: A snowHead
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Shall we begin?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Go on then! Any snow 
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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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Snow on top of Hahnenkamm but not down to Seidelalm mountain hut. I know it won't last but at least it feels to be getting closer.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I'm sat looking out my window as I type and it's nice and white at the top but next weekend it's high temperatures so I'm sure will have disappeared again
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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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Great to see the cannons blasting on the Bergflex webcams this week.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I made my first skiing visit of this winter to the Kirchberg-Kitzbühel slopes today - here is a report with some photos.
As usual I started out by going up the Fleckalm gondola, beginning in the mists but coming out into great sunshine and blue skies about the level of the Fleckalm hut. This week the Kitzbühel lifts have opened in the Hahnenkamm and Steinbergkogel areas, adding to the runs that have been available at Pass Thurn for the last few weeks. Since the valleys stayed shrouded in mist all day, I restricted my skiing to the Steinbergkogel area. The snow, largely artificial (I think), was brick hard in most places, only softening where it was in the sun. So skiing wasn't pure joy for me, though all in all it was a good day. Here's a view looking down piste 23 to the Ehrenbachgraben where you can see that the run is only about half as wide as normal, just the prepared area of artificial snow...
I had my first look at the top station of the new Brunnen chairlift. That was running today but only opens to the public on Saturday (with half-price day tickets on 5th and 6th). It stands not far from the top station of the good ol' Silberstube chairlift...
Just further down there is a new sign, showing the way to piste 27, the route that goes to the Brunn chairlift and from there on down to the Skirast (which is actually the bottom station of the Pengelstein I gondola)...
I find the sign less than helpful, confusing. I had always assumed that piste signs showed the recommended route to the destination shown but, though here the arrow does point in the direction of blue piste 27, if you were just to follow that, you would end up going down black 16b, the Jufen-Steilhang. Skiers who are looking for blue pistes really want to go in the opposite direction (I would say), down the track which also leads to the Sonnenrast and Ochsalm lifts, blue piste 16. That means later cutting back in towards the foot of the Steilhang, going against the flow of skiers coming down that run. Not perfect but I would never have considered taking less confident skiers down the Steilhang. That run seems steep enough to me that anyone expecting a blue piste might rather find they where on a black and blue one 
However, these thoughts didn't stop me enjoying lunch in the sun at the Berggasthaus Stoabergkogl (i.e. at the top of the Steinbergkogel), haute cuisine: Currywurst und pommes 
The pistes were very quiet, great skiing. With no valley run open at the Fleckalm, I took the lift back down, with a fine view of the Wilder Kaiser rising out of the clouds...
Though I didn't ski down into Kitzbühel, I can provide a photo of the bottom of the Streif for anyone interested, for I drove into the town later. Doesn't look great at the moment but skiable. Hopefully, there will be more snow soon...
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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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@espri, Great pics. Agree about that piste sign. I know which bit you mean and it is steep for skiers expecting blue conditions. Looks like you had a brill day. Keep the pictures coming...
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To keep up my average of (almost) a new lift every day I went back to the Kirchberg/Kitzbühel area today, with the aim of trying out the new Brunnen chairlift which started running on Saturday. Over here the weather remains great, blue skies and sun, no signs of Storm Desmond yet (a little snow is forecast for later in the week). Here is a more wintry photo looking west from near the top of the Steinbergkogel...
But, particularly lower down, there is only grass away from the artificial snow. I had lunch at the Usterwies hut. Skiing was possible to the Pengelstein II chairlift. The photo below shows the view from beside the hut (with a grassy Ki-West piste on the other side of the valley)...
This time, with no mist hanging around, I did do one run down the Family Streif into Kitzbühel. The piste was in fine condition. This photo was taken at the Streifalm jump, looking down to the town (the piste goes off to the right and you can only see it lower down as it comes back into view)...
Here is another photo that shows the piste better, near the end of the run, though the Zielhang, the finish of the Hahnenkamm race, still looks more like a golf course than a ski race track...
But now some photos from around the new Brunnen lift. In my previous post I had suggested that less confident skiers might not fancy skiing down the black Jufen-Steilhang, piste 16b. Here is a picture showing the bottom of that drop, with the piste to the Brunnen chairlift, blue piste 27a, going off to the left (in front of the group of trees). I tried the longer route down blue piste 16 which in the photo is on the ridge behind the single tree on the right. That does then need some uphill poling to get back to piste 27a. With some more snow, it might be slightly easier if you cut the corner, behind that single tree...
However, even now it is possible without too much sweat and once you've reached piste 27a, it is great. Here's a view looking down towards the bottom of the run and then one of the bottom station...
The red piste for the Brunnen lift, piste 27b, is also an attractive run down from the top of the Pengelstein, not too strenuous. These two photos show the top section and then lower down...
The new lift also offers a challenge for those who like that. Black piste 27c is steep and with the current hard-packed snow, I found it exciting enough (on the one try I made). This photo taken from the Brunnen chairlift maybe gives some impression of the piste...
All in all, the new lift opens up some super skiing and with full snow cover it will be even better. It was a good day.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Wow @espri, those pics are great, as usual. Considering the panic that there seems to be on other sections of this forum, those slopes look fine. Thanks very much.
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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: |
Considering the panic that there seems to be on other sections of this forum
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The "panic" is mostly not about present conditions, which are not bad for early December, with a number of resorts opening earlier than usual, sometimes just for the weekends. I think the panic is from people heading out for Christmas, with little sign of anything other than continued high pressure and mild weather - which has already substantially eroded the decent falls back in November. If nights are cold enough for cannons I think most places will be OK but with high FL even at night forecast for many areas (some of which relying quite heavily on artificial snow) there is reasonable grounds for concern about Christmas/NY conditions, except in the highest resorts, with much higher skier volumes bashing away at thin cover.
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Thanks @espri, Nice to see things open and skiable.
Three weeks now until I'll be there (flying out 2nd of January).
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You know it makes sense.
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Nothing has been posted on this thread for a while and, now that the snow has started to fall again, I thought I could beg for any updates. Still 6wks to go for me but as I am obsessively reading this forum and watching webcams, any reports will help!
BTW, was it jonbarr who wrote that excellent piste guide to the Kitzbhel area? If anyone can remember, please could you post a link to where to download it. Thanks in advance.
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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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You can find John Barr's guide to the Kitzbüheler Alps here, though as far as I know it hasn't been updated to include the new lifts, like Brunn or the TirolS.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Dougie wrote: |
Nothing has been posted on this thread for a while and, now that the snow has started to fall again, I thought I could beg for any updates. Still 6wks to go for me but as I am obsessively reading this forum and watching webcams, any reports will help!
BTW, was it jonbarr who wrote that excellent piste guide to the Kitzbhel area? If anyone can remember, please could you post a link to where to download it. Thanks in advance. |
I still have the paper copy that I picked up in St Johann iT when I visited two years ago.
It's a fantastic resource.
I'm reading cover to cover before my trip in February 
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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 very much for that @espri
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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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How's the snow looking at st Johann in Tirol anyone? Not out until 13 Feb but starting to eye the webcams and forecast etc
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| jirac18 wrote: |
| How's the snow looking at st Johann in Tirol anyone? Not out until 13 Feb but starting to eye the webcams and forecast etc |
Always thought St Johann a bit risky; most slopes are low down; at least they face north but in a winter like 2014 it looked horrid when driving past...
Forecast for Kitz now showing snow on and off for a week, but some rain low down which would hit St Johann more than Kitz...
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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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| espri wrote: |
| You can find John Barr's guide to the Kitzbüheler Alps here, though as far as I know it hasn't been updated to include the new lifts, like Brunn or the TirolS. |
Shows the 3S on the lift map in it...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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When I wrote the Ski Guide for the 2013-14 ski season I had planned to do regular updates, but selling sufficient advertising to cover the printing costs was too difficult (or maybe I'm just a rubbish salesman). Perhaps I ought to do an update on the web of changes to the area since the guide was written. Hmmm, that's a thought for next year...
@Dougie If anyone wants a copy of the ski guide let me know when you're visiting and I'll try to meet you at your hotel, in a bar or on the slopes. If you cross my palm with beer you can have a free copy (or more for your friends). Alternatively you can download it for free from http://www.austriaskiguide.com, or if really desperate you can even buy a paper copy from Amazon.
Answering a few questions from this thread....
@buchanan101 is correct that the 3S lift is included in the ski guide, while @espri is correct that newer lifts are not.
@jirac18 The skiing so far in St Johann (where I live) is pretty limited, but it is snowing at the moment down to resort level. February is a long way away - it will be fine (probably). One of the benefits of holidaying in St Johann is that Kitzbuhel is a free train ride away, while Fieberbrunn (and now Saalbach) is a short free ski bus ride, while the SkiWelt can be easily reached by local buses. There is new snow making equipment in St Johann in the Eichenhof area, so the pistes running down to the Grander Schupf restaurant should be in better condition this year.
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@johnbarr, thanks good to know. Snow wasn't the best last time I was there so we spent a few days at feiberbrunn which was good. I'm sure by mid Feb there'll be plenty to keep us amused and there is always Max Pub for jaegermeister if not
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@johnbarr, Thanks for that. Like the idea of a free train to St Johann. May use that. I have never skied there. How long is the bus to Feiberbrunn? That has got me thinking a bit.... Cheers
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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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| Dougie wrote: |
| @johnbarr, Thanks for that. Like the idea of a free train to St Johann. May use that. I have never skied there. How long is the bus to Feiberbrunn? That has got me thinking a bit.... Cheers |
Fieberbrunn is about 20 minutes away, then a one hour ski to Saalbach village. Well worth it.
Timetable for ski buses from St Johann is here: http://www.kitzbueheler-alpen.com/en/st-johann/winter/skiing-snowboarding/ski-bus-train-connections-st-johann-tirol-oberndorf-kirchdorf-erpfendorf.html The web page doesn't say Fieberbrunn, but it is included in the timetable.
If you get the train to Kitzbuhel, DON'T get off at Kitzbuhel main station (which is in the middle of nowhere), there's a station at the foot of the Hahnenkamm gondola a few minutes later.
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John - has Brunn now got snowmaking? Two years ago it wasn't open when I went because there was no snowmaking on it. Supposed to be a great run: I guess with the new red and black and new chair it's all got snowmaking? It's showing open now...
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| buchanan101 wrote: |
| John - has Brunn now got snowmaking? Two years ago it wasn't open when I went because there was no snowmaking on it. Supposed to be a great run: I guess with the new red and black and new chair it's all got snowmaking? It's showing open now... |
The Brunn chair is (I thought) new this year, in a location where there was nothing before. Unless I'm mistaken, it wasn't open two years ago because it didn't exist! I haven't yet skied that area this season, but to be a good Snowhead I'll go tomorrow and take a look!
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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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| johnbarr wrote: |
| buchanan101 wrote: |
| John - has Brunn now got snowmaking? Two years ago it wasn't open when I went because there was no snowmaking on it. Supposed to be a great run: I guess with the new red and black and new chair it's all got snowmaking? It's showing open now... |
The Brunn chair is (I thought) new this year, in a location where there was nothing before. Unless I'm mistaken, it wasn't open two years ago because it didn't exist! I haven't yet skied that area this season, but to be a good Snowhead I'll go tomorrow and take a look! |
The blue run past the bottom of it has existed before, but was closed as was one of the few runs with no made man snow. They've added a black and red run down to the bottom of the new chair - which runs from mid point on the old blue (which was run 27) They are now 27a, 27b and 27c joining at the bottom of the new chair to become blue 27 which runs to the bottom of D5.
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The Brunn pistes, including the lower section down to the Pengelstein I gondola, now has extensive snow making. I haven't skied the lower part yet this year; even with the snow making it was closed on my one visit to the area. As buchanan101 said, the blue piste to the valley was there before but I only ever skied it once in its previous existence.
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You know it makes sense.
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| johnbarr wrote: |
| Dougie wrote: |
| @johnbarr, Thanks for that. Like the idea of a free train to St Johann. May use that. I have never skied there. How long is the bus to Feiberbrunn? That has got me thinking a bit.... Cheers |
Fieberbrunn is about 20 minutes away, then a one hour ski to Saalbach village. Well worth it.
Timetable for ski buses from St Johann is here: http://www.kitzbueheler-alpen.com/en/st-johann/winter/skiing-snowboarding/ski-bus-train-connections-st-johann-tirol-oberndorf-kirchdorf-erpfendorf.html The web page doesn't say Fieberbrunn, but it is included in the timetable.
If you get the train to Kitzbuhel, DON'T get off at Kitzbuhel main station (which is in the middle of nowhere), there's a station at the foot of the Hahnenkamm gondola a few minutes later. |
Wow! We are staying in Kitzbuhel, just 5mns walk from H'kamm gondola. You have inspired a brilliant day! Train to St. Johann, bus to Feiberbrunn and ski to Sallbach. Thanks very much. Just a bit excited for February 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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The original Brunn run has always been there . It was classed as a red, but as previous posters have said, as there was no snow making facilities on it, it wasn't always open. When it was, it was one of them hidden gems on the mountain.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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John - old piste map has just Blue 27
http://www.snow-forecast.com/pistemaps/Kitzbuhel_pistemap_full.jpg
That is still there. The new lift goes from about 40% of the way down blue 27/27a to the top of D1 lift. Red 27b is new and goes from top of Pengelstein to the bottom of the new lift. Black 27c is new from top of D1.
So - the blue was always there - now 27a and 27. Was 27. It's in your guide.
"Pengelstein: 27 A long easy route to get to the Pengelstein area using the minimum
number of lifts"
It was shut two years ago as no snow making, but people have said it's one of their favourites...
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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'm heading out on Jan 30th for a week, never been to Kitzbuhel before. I'm planning on skiing with the SCGB rep some days that week.
Any SHs about 30th Jan to 6th Feb who might want to meet for beer/skiing? I'm going on my own that week so would be good to meet up
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| VolklAttivaS5 wrote: |
I'm heading out on Jan 30th for a week, never been to Kitzbuhel before. I'm planning on skiing with the SCGB rep some days that week.
Any SHs about 30th Jan to 6th Feb who might want to meet for beer/skiing? I'm going on my own that week so would be good to meet up |
PM sent
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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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@buchanan101, having skied the red section for the first time this week I can see why people like it. I'll be off there again tomorrow morning!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| johnbarr wrote: |
| @buchanan101, having skied the red section for the first time this week I can see why people like it. I'll be off there again tomorrow morning! |
The comment was for past years about the blue run, but your photo of 27b looks good too....
And good to see snow teeming down on the cams; not sure if it still rain at the bottom, but it is snowing at the bottom of the Gaisberg lift...
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I skied with a group of fellow SCGB members in Kitzbuhel today, starting from the Fleckalbahn and heading across 3S to the far end of the resort. Conditions in the morning were good, apart from a little mist - but that blew away as quickly as it formed. Snow coverage on piste was good, with only valley runs showing signs of wear. Piste 77 (that heads down to the middle station above Mittersill) was open, so we lunched half way down at Toni Alm - well worth a visit. While we were there the weather changed and when we dragged ourselves out of the warm and back to the piste it was snowing heavily. It was clear from the damp conditions on the lower section of piste 77 why it had recently been closed, but our main problems on the return journey were too much snow, wind in our faces and damp sticky snow on lower slopes.
As we skied down 27b I noticed that chairs were going down the Brunn chair lift, but were not coming back up - it had been closed due to high winds on the summit. So we skied down to the valley - where the poor snow conditions lower down convinced us to take the bus back to the Fleckalmbahn car park.
So two bits of good news. First - we have a reasonable dump of real snow. Second - temperatures are forecast to drop well below zero in the next few days, so the mushy lower slopes should firm up.
Oh, almost forgot. On our way towards Resterhohe we detoured down 27b early in the morning - it was fantastic - this run could rapidly become one of my favourites!
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Hey John - that is that Andrew skiing with the club? He skis 4 weeks a year - say hi from another Andrew though it is 2 years almost since I skied with him so he won't remember...
Does he still do two runs down the Streif before ski club meet?
Are you skiing late Feb/early March John? coming out, but with other half and her family so may not ski much with the club.
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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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| buchanan101 wrote: |
Hey John - that is that Andrew skiing with the club? He skis 4 weeks a year - say hi from another Andrew though it is 2 years almost since I skied with him so he won't remember...
Does he still do two runs down the Streif before ski club meet?
Are you skiing late Feb/early March John? coming out, but with other half and her family so may not ski much with the club. |
Yes - the same Andrew. Last Friday I met him before the ski club meeting and we did just one run down the "family Streif" - must be getting old! Although we had the excuse that most of the actual Streif was closed as they are prepping it for the race.
I'm here all the time, so if you want to meet up to ski (or drink beer) - with or without the ski club - just let me know when you're in town. Chances are the other Andrew may well be in town at the same time - I'll check.
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Going out 27th Feb for a week. Staying with Crystal in the Karlberger. Can't believe the location. As close to ski in/lift out as you can get in the Tirol (obergurgl excepted where I'm going 2 weeks later).
How is the family Streif? I'm amazed how (relatively) good it can be first thing in the day even with rubbish snow, though the year I went (2014) it was terrible late on... The year the downhill was diverted...
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FAQ
) makes no mention of piste red 27, and there is only a passing mention of the blue piste. Anyway, the new red piste (27b) has extensive snow making equipment.
