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?
@clarky999, Now you're really going to depress us aren't you?! 19C and sunny here, which is great but thinking of winter once this high pressure goes.....enjoy!
@clarky999, am currently cooking on the Ionian Sea, island hopping on a 33 footer, but I'm back on the 3rd October. Do you fancy a pootle, weather permitting, on Sunday 11th? My treat as it is my birthday and I love skiing on my birthday, only thing that makes it pleasurable these days. If you are up for some "granny-sitting", we could have a good day out!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Samerberg Sue, shame that weekend didn't work out, but I just had too much to do. Looked like weather and visibility sucked anyway though.
So there was quite a bit of snow about last weekend...
As Stubai Zoo opened, I figured the glacier would literally be a zoo (sounds like I was right - FOUR people fell in crevasses on the Saturday alone!), so we just skinned up the pistes at Axamer Lizum instead.
Snow was already dense low down, but there was actually some pretty nice powder on the top half! The actual couloirs in the KK's kinda surprisingly looked filled in enough to ski, but the slopes in/out had nowhere near enough snow unfortunately.
Skied some pistes at Stubai on Sunday, which was fun enough. The poo-poo some people were trying to ski was crazy though. Four tourists (parent sand kids) on slalom skis and Bogner-style jackets (and obv no safety kit or backpacks) scraping their way over rocks somewhere under the Rotadl lift. First guy takes all the snow off, the rest spend almost an hour taking their skis off and trying to walk down.
Bloody scary how open the crevasses are atm too. Huge holes all over the shop, often in places that are normally 2 metres of solid snow and ice...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Another great ski day at Stubai last Monday - snow was a lot better than I expected, with small moguls on piste (choose between skiing 'em like bumps or ignore them in demolition mode), and slightly cut-up and very rippable chalk off the sides (on the non-glaciated bits).
Also diesel for less than €1 a litre in Innsbruck atm!!
Here's a nice little vid from Fall Line Skiing of the ski test at Kuhtai last season. Lots to get at for what at first glance seems like such a tiny resort:
I haven't bothered skiing much the last couple of weeks - no new snow so not worth the drive up to Stubai.
However Obergurgl opened on Thursday, and as it was my birthday on Friday I took the day off, and decided to go slide around in the afternoon sun for a few hours before a soak in the hot salt water pools in the Aquadome.
We really weren't expecting much, and things didn't look inspiring driving up the valley:
Turned out there was actually pretty good coverage and a fair amount of lifts and pistes open on the upper mountain, with skiing possible on a 'WROD' to the mid station. Snow on piste was mostly manmade and sucked other than where the sun had warmed it. Offpiste was a crusty mess (obviously), but I was surprised how many tracks (going up and down) there were - clearly a LOT of people were skitouring there after the last big dump in October.
Forgot to take any photos of that main ski area though
Looks like a good amount of snow should be on its way this weekend, so hopefully we'll be able to start skiing more interesting stuff again soon.
Oh, and the Christkindlmarkt (Christmas market) opened in Innsbruck on Sunday - toffee apples and gluhwein all around!
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.
12345
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Fri 4-12-15 18:21; edited 1 time in total
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Didn't have time to update this last week.
So, went skiing at Stubai last Sunday with friends, and also met the guide I skied with in Japan up there (he's moving to Engelberg, so if anyone wants boarding lessons there hit me up if you want contact details)!
A good 30cms of windblown powder, but wasn't really enough. Still very rocky, and even most of our normal early season areas/lines are still too dangerous with crevasses. Especially as the vis was poor. However, the pistes were excellent.
My flatmate went touring at Zürs on the same day, and reported enough snow for the occasional face shot. There was snow on the ground in Schruns when I got back, and skiing would easily have been possible from St Christoph in the Arlberg. Stuben not so much.
It snowed lightly to the village ~700m most of Wednesday and Thursday. The Hochjoch and Gargellen lifts opened on Thursday. I was sick so didn't go, but flatmate and boss reported good conditions, but only about 30cms offpiste (i.e. not enough).
Thursday night I drove back to IBK over the Arlberg Pass. Lots of fun - enough fresh snow that you couldn't see the road, and plenty more falling.
4x4 Dacier Duster and winter tyres 1 - 0 Arlberg Pass and snow chain signs!
It's currently snowing lightly down to the city in Innsbruck (~600m). Hopefully tomorrow will be a good ski day somewhere...
Random selection of photos from various friends:
Zürs yesterday:
Nordkette a couple of days ago:
Nordkette from IBK last Monday:
Gargellen a few days ago:
Arlberg:
Stubai:
Kalkkögel starting to get filled in (Axamer Lizum opens next weekend):
Kuhtai (opened a couple of lifts today):
Obergurgl (23 Nov):
Montafon (yesterday):
Snowing to the valley in Montafon today:
Montafon Thursday (that's my flatmate, no idea what is going on to the right of the frame that seems so distracting/scary):
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Cool images Matt.....really need to get into this IBK/ Montafon terrain in near future, can see why you like it so much.....
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.
+4-5° degrees and raining all day in Schruns, I'd guess that may lead to another ~15cms of snow up top?
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
Considering a new year trip to Goetzens ... apparently there is also good transport to kuhtai and stubai
good spot or or a bit quiet?
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Mattmulkeen, definitely on the quiet side.
The nearest ski area is Axamer Lizum, which is very good. Somewhere around 10 mins on the bus, which should be running pretty frequently.
Kuhtai is a bit further away. I've never gone there on public transport, so not sure exactly how that works. Looks like there's a public bus going roughly every hour, which takes around an hour... But there may also be direct ski busses which I don't know about.
Similar for Stubai. From what I can see you'd have to go down to Innsbruck first... From Götzens to IBK to Stubaital, it takes roughly an hour to get to Fulpmes (where Schlick2000 ski area is, which is also very good) and about another 30 mins to Stubai.
However Axamer is a great ski resort, better than Kuhtai IMO.
Will you have a car? You could cut those journey times significantly.
In summary, Götzens would be great if you'd mainly ski at Axamer Lizum, with one or two day trips elsewhere. If you'd really like to ski a lot at Stubai and Kuhtai too - and will use public transport to get to them - you may be better off staying in IBK (which also has a lot more going on on NYE) for more direct transport links. Will take roughly 20-25 mins to get to Axamer ski area from IBK, and 15 mins from the city centre will see you clicked into your skis at either Nordkette or Patscherkofel.
However Götzens would still be a good base if you have a car.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@clarky999,
Thanks for the response. I thought the trips to Stubai and kuhtai might be a bit of a stretch given that we'll have kids with us.
I had a great plan to do a "ski safari" from Aosta last year and in the end just stuck to Pila ...
I suspect we'd end up hammering axamer ... which of course is no problem.
Keep the pics coming .... always good to see.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@clarky999, Hi - Dickie from Fall-Line here. First time back on the forum for about three years... Anyhow - you must be near our Digital Ed, Mary. We put together a few mini-tours around Innsbruck in March which will be in the mag next issue, but we're doing another piece on Innsbruck in one of the last issues - are you up for getting involved (if you aren't already)?
Best
Dickie
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@fallliner, Hey Dickie!
Yeah, I haven't actually met Mary, but have been in contact with her quite a bit to get a few stories up on the Fall Line website (www.fall-line.co.uk/author/matt-clark) and the local's guide to Montafon in the latest mag.
But yeah, I'd love to get involved! I've pm-ed you my email, but Mary already has it too.
Thanks!
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?
There's no snow, so I've given up on winter and decided to follow my true calling as a professional lawn mower racer. Taking my new steed out to pick up some fish and chips at my top secret UK test facility near Cromer, Norfolk.
Snowed in Innsbruck city centre last night (~600m). Still a couple of cms sitting on the ground in less busy/protected streets.
This is from the Adlers Hotel bar balcony last night:
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
-2°C in St Anton this morning, with maybe 5-10cm on the ground. 10-20cm in St Christoph and Stuben, and still snowing on the Western side of the Arlberg Pass down to below Langen.
A little over 20cm fresh on the mountain in Montafon.
Less around Innsbruck, though it snowed down to the city again last night. Nordkette looked to have done pretty well out of the storm this morning - the couloirs from Hafelekar down to Seegrube looked just about filled in enough to ski (though I don't think they're open).
Feels pretty warm now (4°C in Schruns), but looks like we should get a reasonable amount of snow over the rest of the week. Thinking Ischgl and Arlberg could be good at the weekend...
Since Saturday there has been 25 to 40 cm of snowfall above approximately 1000m, with intermissions and sunny phases. With increasing altitude, the amounts of new fallen snow become greater from place to place. Intermittently moderate to strong westerly winds have led to snow transport. On south-facing slopes the fresh fallen snow was deposited on bare ground up to high altitude, higher still atop melt-freeze encrusted layers. On shady slopes the now blanketed old snowpack is faceted or hardened, due to many sunny days and cold nights of strong outgoing radiation. This is a very inadequate base for the new fallen and drifted snow, which bonds very poorly to loose, faceted snow crystals or hardened surfaces. Wherever snowdrift accumulations blanket such snowpack surfaces, the likelihood of triggering is high.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
More snow overnight, down to the village in Schruns overnight. Maybe 15-20cm on the mountain.
Sun's out now, mind...
After all it is free
After all it is free
Skied at Axamer Lizum and Ischgl last weekend - there had been a bit more snow, but more importantly, I'd mounted my new skis and needed to try them!
Saturday at Axamer Lizum was actually - surprisingly - really good! Not enough snow to ski offpiste, but the pistes were grippy and in really good condition. Didn't feel like artificial snow at any point. Only about half of the resort was open, but still plenty of fun to be had. It started to snow late afternoon, down to the car park at ~1500m. I think they got around 15cms that night.
Ischl was also a lot better than expected on Sunday, with 10-15cms snow overnight. Pistes again in great condition, other than maybe the last 500m of the home run, which was nasty clergy artificial snow.
At around 11am there was a BIG natural slide above a blue run. No one involved or hurt as far as I know, but a big wake up call.
The lift company then proceeded to blast the poo-poo out of everything for the rest of the day, closing pistes for 10-20 minutes while they cleared the slopes above - by far the most intense avalanche control I've ever seen in an open resort. They got lots of results, with at least 20 big slides. At one point we were on a chair lift while they blasted the adjacent ridge - damn gazexes are loud! - with each of the 5 chutes sliding.
Great work from the lift company, and a lot of patience shown when people were demanding answers as to why the pistes were temporarily closed (particularly when the home run was closed briefly near the end of the day).
Despite that, there was some nice snow to be had on safe, mellow (and high) offpiste slopes (photos from my gf's iPhone, so not great quality):
After two days skiing them, I'm absolutely in love with my Down CD114M's (mounted with Atomic Wardens). The plan was for these to replace my (old and battered, with no edges or torsional stiffness left) Bibby Pros with (old, battered and VERY sloppy Barons) as everyday resort skis, and I think they're going to be just perfect.
Incredible edge grip (nice to have bindings that I can actually feel the edges with again too, mind!), noticeably very smooth and damp with all the metal, very stable at speed and in long carves on or off piste, plenty nimble (due to the rocker) when you need them to be. Felt very weird having a ski that grips rather than slides on hard snow again
underanewname, if you're ever interested in a wider ski than your mantras that still skis like a stiff oversized race ski, you should definitely try them! I think Concept in Chamonix have some to demo...
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.
PS rain just (finally) turned to snow in Schruns at 690m
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Woke up to this view from the balcony with my morning coffee:
Still going strong. Next few days should be good!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Looks like its dumping. Planning a week in Innsbruck, so key question is whether I will need to hire a car or whether I can rely on public transport to take me to a variety of ski areas? I will be travelling with a non-ski person, hence Innsbruck as a base so she has interesting things to do whilst I'm hitting the slopes. Any good tips would be really appreciated?
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.
@jaksbak, it's easy to get around on public transport, particularly if you stay somewhere near the hauptbahnhof (main train station). Busses from there go direct to Axamer Lizum, Stubai, Schlick2000, Kuhtai, etc, as well as trains to St Anton, Kitzbühel, etc. Busses to Nordkette and Patscherköfel go from just round the corner, and all through the city centre. You can also take the funicular from city centre to Nordkette.
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
I was hoping somebody would say that. I would prefer not to drive, so this makes for a great opportunity. Many thanks Clarky999!
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@jaksbak, no worries.
Snowing again in Schruns too!
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Dumping even more now - big fat flakes. Think the Nordstau hit!
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@clarky999, good .
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Millom,
Snowing in Innsbruck too apparently!
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?
@clarky999,
I'm off to Vorarlberg in 3 weeks. Got a week in Schruns, 11 days in Langen (next to the station), and a couple of nights just outside Damuls.
I had the Tirol season pass a number of years ago and for one trip did what jaksbak is considering i.e. travelling from Innsbruck to the all the nearby ski resorts by bus. Worked out well and had some nice powder on the Nordkette runs down to the valley station .
Tirol Season Pass - sounds interesting! Great way to avoid queus for lift tickets each morning. Will check this out - thanks again Clarky999.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Zillertal for me this weekend, Innsbruck the following one (I reckon Stubai). Recent snowfalls have helped but I reckon anything outside pistes remain complicated due to the thin base.
@Millom, nice! Snow is great right now in Schruns and Arlberg, and presumably Damüls too. Sadly Nordkette hasn't opened anything yet this season Such an awesome place to ski when the snow is good! I lived right by the base station for a couple of years, and used to spend a lot of time up there.
@jaksbak, yep the Tirol Snow Card is well worth looking into - covers 90 dd resorts. Doubt it's economical for a week trip, buy you can get the Innsbruck Olympia Pass (or something like that), which covers all the resorts around IBK.
@Cedrick, should be a good trip! Friend of mine is a guide at Stubai, and has been posting a lot of very snowy photos/videos on FB recently (check Freeride Centre Stubai on Facebook). Last weekend you certainly couldn't ski in the trees around Innsbruck, and even higher up there wasn't really anything skiable offpiste. However, there's been a fair bit of snow since... I'll probably be at Axamer Lizum tomorrow, so I'll see if it's improved!
Meanwhile in Montafon, treeskiing and powder is back on the menu. See below...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Solid amount of snow last night in Schruns, which translated to 20-40cms higher up. There's enough snow to safely ski the trees now - you still have to watch out for bigger fallen trees, but the normal sticks and stones are covered. Slopes that hadn't previously been skied were REALLY nice with a good 40+cm of powder in the right spots. Slopes that were skied yesterday hadn't really filled in, and were pretty bumpy and jarring under the new snow on the steeper/narrower spots.
Still, you can't beat a few hours of little powdery pillows and the odd faceshot before work!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Hi all,
If a gang of 10 (or so) of us wanted a mad long weekend in Innsbruck (skiing / drinking/dancing), where's the best / most convenient / cheapest place to stay??
We've seen some s/c accommodation at the top of the funicular (Nordkette), but aren't sure if this is ideal for nights out in Innsbruck - any ideas??
Thanks in advance as always
Cheers
Matthew
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.
Hi all,
If a gang of 10 (or so) of us wanted a mad long weekend in Innsbruck (skiing / drinking/dancing), where's the best / most convenient / cheapest place to stay??
We've seen some s/c accommodation at the top of the funicular (Nordkette), but aren't sure if this is ideal for nights out in Innsbruck - any ideas??
Thanks in advance as always
Cheers
Matthew
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@jellemr, hey!
I think you mean Hungerburg? Top of the funicular from the city, bottom of the Nordkette cable car.
It's not ideal for going out, but it's not so bad either - I lived there for two years.
On a weekend (Fri/Sat) the nights goes every hour from 12 to 6am, where it reverts to every 30 mins again. Every other day the bus goes roughly every 30 mins, with the last one up leaving the city around midnight. A taxi costs about €15, so it's not too bad if you can split the costs. The funicular runs form something like 7-7, and is free with your ski pass.
Everything roughly around the city centre is within walking distance of everything else, and there are plenty of hotels about. Sorry I have no idea of prices etc though. Don't stay somewhere out near Bergisel or the Olympiahalle though unless you're happy taking a taxi home. Advantage of being around the centre also is that its easier to get the busses to other ski resorts. Form Hungerburg you can either take the J bus to/through the city to Patscherköfel ski area on the other side of the valley, or you have to get off at Museumstraße, walk 2 mins to the Hauptbahnhof, then find the bus/train to wherever you want to go.
Sorry I really don't know anything about the hotels in IBK, but if you find anything else feel free to ask me about it here and I can tell you what the location is like!
When were you thinking of coming? Nordkette just got a good metre of snow over the weekend, faceshots galore
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
.
Such an awesome place to ski when the snow is good! I lived right by the base station for a couple of years, and used to spend a lot of time up there.
