Poster: A snowHead
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Hello Snowheads.
I'm looking into a holiday off lastminute.com to Mayrhofen. It seems really cheap so i'm assuming the accom is very basic (2*). This doesn't really bother me but has anyone had any experience with these kind of holiday? It doesn't give you the actual place of accom but it says it will be allocated on arrival.
Secondly, I've had a looked at the piste map and it looks like the only way up is on one gondala from the town to the slopes. Is there any other way? I imagine it gets really busy in the morning.
Do you have to catch the same gondola down in the arvo or can you make it on a piste?
Thanks.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Illicit, you'd be looking at a lottery, as basically Mayrhofen is a reasonably big place with lots of accommodation options, and the chances are that the last-minute "bargains" are the places which haven't sold for a reason, so you may be quite a way out from the centre of town. On the other hand, you could be right in the centre, but right next to the Eisbar, or one of the other popular haunts where it is impossible to sleep before 2am. On the bright side, with the amount of accommodation available, you could be looking at a decent place in a reasonable location, and its very cheap, if its the deal I just looked at.
There are a couple of options to get up the mountain in the morning. The most obvious is to get ahead of the crowd, meaning that when the lift opens at the Penkenbahn, you are in the smallish queue, rather than arriving 15 minutes later and seeing a queue 10 times the size. Despite the horror stories you will read on some review sites, the queues tend to move quite quickly, and are very good natured, so I've never seen it as a problem. The other options are to take the bus to the Horbergbahn or to Finkenberg (or even to the Rastkogelbahn) and go up from there, or to ski on the Ahorn instead, which is usually much quieter, although limited.
Coming down, the majority get in line and take the Penkenbahn back down. There are no runs directly into Mayrhofen on account of the large and almost vertical drop from Penken. Alternatively, there are two skiroutes which bring you to Finkenberg or the bottom of the Horbergbahn, but these only have cover in exceptional snow conditions, so while they are OK at the moment with 30cm being reported on the "lower" slopes, if this drops to less than about 20cm, they'll probably be marked as closed because there will be rocks and tree roots showing on the route. I've done the route into Finkenberg 3-4 times now, and for an intermediate its OK if a strain at the end of a long day, while for the instructors, its the quickest way off the mountain... Much of it is a forest road or walking path, so its 4-6 feet wide for longish stretches. There are then free ski buses back into Mayrhofen until about 6pm.
I've always found that the queues for the lifts down die off a bit after 3.30, and if you wait until the very end, you can get down without standing around for more than a few minutes. If you're the sort to ski every minute of the day, you won't see many queues, but if you're a 10 til 3 person, you'll queue for a while in both directions.
You don't say whether you'd be going alone, with a partner, or with kids - if you're on your own or with a partner, this is likely to be a great deal, but with kids you'll probably be too far from the centre of town for comfort.
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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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Illicit, You may find this thread on B & Bs in Mayrhofen of interest.
Also, assuming you are on B & B and not half board, you may find this other thread which mentions places to eat in the evening of use.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks guys, thats some excellent info. Yeah i'm with my girlfriend so being out of the centre of town wont be a problem, and you're right its a bit of a lottery but as long as the joint is clean and not out in the middle of now where then its alright.
I think the deal is self catered but i'll have a look at those link to.
Thanks!
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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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Illicit, You also on the same lift pass have several other areas to ski, although each of them is generally access by one or two initial gondolas so could also suffer from queues at peak times.
You have Finkeberg and Hintertux further up the valley, and you have Zell am Ziller, Kaltenbach and Fugen down the valley. The ones down the valley can be reached either by ski bus, or by the valley train, which is also included on the lift pass. The train terminates in Mayrhofen, so it would have to be bus for the ones up the valley.
When will you be going? I will be in Zell am Ziller in the week from the 5th of Jan.
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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've paid peanuts and ended in the strass hotel half board before now, if it's truly last minute you could be anywhere just be nice to your tour op.
Ski buses are pretty good in mayrhofen to get to the other lifts as mentioned or even other resorts down the valley. fwiw I love Mayrhofen...it doesn't really truly excel in any area but is pretty good at just about everything.
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Haven't been to Mayrhofen in 4 years now but assuming it hasn't changed much, I always prefered to drive up to Finkenberg. It means that a couple of drinks on the slope near the end of the day are out of the question but was made up for in the smaller queues.
If you like to ski to the town, the Ahorn has a great little red down to the village although the Ahorn itself, as ousekjarr said, is limited. On a plus side, it is good for kids and a social relaxing ski day rather than wall-to-wall skiing.
As far as apres-ski goes, the Eisbar isd always bouncing but much prefered Umberella Bar at bottom of Ahorn.
Whatever you choose to do, you wont be disappointed. Mayrhofen is great.
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I'm off to Mayrhofen tomorrow week and am sooooo excited. We are staying in the Kramerwirt hotel which seems to have pretty good reviews, so fingers crossed all will go ok (although on street maps it does look a bit of a hike from the gondola). Although we're not party animals so if we are a bit out of it, it's probably for the best.
Is there any chance anyone has any good recommendations for
a) good boot fitter/shop
b) ski school (probably group classes)
I've been driving the whole office crazy humming 'I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it ...' all day.
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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 for all the feedback. Alex we'll be going on the 12th of jan.
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Illicit, We'll pass each other in Innsbruck airport then!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I shall be there in 12 Jan too with the wife. Driving from Amsterdam though.
Been there once to Hinterlux but the trip was a waste as the strong wind prevented the resort from opening.
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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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Alex I'll be the excited one, you'll be the tired one.
Saikee bet you did a bit of drinking that week!
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Illicit,
No. I was staying at Ellmau of Ski Welt. It was a day trip out of the valley.
We discover Mayrhofen is big enough and are coming back for a week's skiing. Wife is a Swarovski fan and its HQ is in Wattens (just a couple of junctions down the motorway to Innsbruck). It made a perfect day trip and kept her happy as she could be admitted to the VIP lounge of the Swarovski HQ for being a member.
Look like a week is not going to be enough for covering Finkeberg, Hintertux, Mayrhofen, Zell am Ziller, Kaltenbach and Fugen. The place doesn't seem to be well linked.
We are driving to Ischgl in the week after.
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You know it makes sense.
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Hey Illicit,
Great choice of resort there is loads of choice for food etc and piste. The gondola q are never busy at non peak times but you can head via Finkenberg its only 20 min onthe bus! To the Ice BAR! and the Pizza place beside the burton Park is brilliant
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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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Illicit, Finkenberg is 5 mins on the free ski bus. The Horbergbahn is about €10 for a mini-bus taxi back into Mayrhofen and is generally a bit quieter at the end of the day.
Providing you are at the Penken lift by 8.30am, you should get on within 5 mins.
Definitely make use of the free transport included on your lift pass and visit other resorts up and down the valley. None are more than 30 mins away max.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Yeah i've been lookin at places to stay in Finkenburg rather than Mayrhofen. It sounds a bit quieter and from what i can make out from the piste map there's a piste leading down towards the village so no waiting for the gondala at the end of day.
I'll definately try to check out the other places in that area, love exploring new terrain.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Illicit, I didn't think there was any skiing in Thailand or Egypt why would you want to go there. Have a good trip I'm very jealous.
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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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sandboarding?
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