Ski Club 2.0 Home
Snow Reports
FAQFAQ

Mail for help.Help!!

Log in to snowHeads to make it MUCH better! Registration's totally free, of course, and makes snowHeads easier to use and to understand, gives better searching, filtering etc. as well as access to 'members only' forums, discounts and deals that U don't even know exist as a 'guest' user. (btw. 50,000+ snowHeads already know all this, making snowHeads the biggest, most active community of snow-heads in the UK, so you'll be in good company)..... When you register, you get our free weekly(-ish) snow report by email. It's rather good and not made up by tourist offices (or people that love the tourist office and want to marry it either)... We don't share your email address with anyone and we never send out any of those cheesy 'message from our partners' emails either. Anyway, snowHeads really is MUCH better when you're logged in - not least because you get to post your own messages complaining about things that annoy you like perhaps this banner which, incidentally, disappears when you log in :-)
Username:-
 Password:
Remember me:
👁 durr, I forgot...
Or: Register
(to be a proper snow-head, all official-like!)

Views on certain Austrian resorts please

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Looking to book our family Easter ski holiday soon so as to land a discount. My wife (of 3 weeks) likes Ski Esprit as they have been good to our kids in previous years- who will be 2.5 and 6 when we go. We also want to avoid France this year. We are early intermediate skiiers. On offer:

Obergurgl
St Anton
Neustift
Scheffau
Kaprun

Comments would be appreciated.

Cheers.
snow report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Peter Leuzzi, Have stayed in Scheffau....at Easter nursery slopes are likely to be closed, if they are then the hotels are mostly a bus ride from the lifts (if they're open then you just ski down to main lift station). The buses ran frequently but stopped early (5ish) and were often crowded when we were there (in March). Could be a bit of a nightmare with a little un in tow? Depends where Ski Esprit are based? Then again, if they're near the lifts they'll be a slog from the restaurants and the buses don't run at night.

That said the terrain is lovely for early intermediates and Scheffau itself is an attractive, if very small, town. We enjoyed our visit there very much, but we were VERY lucky with snow...about 1m fell on day one which lasted the week - without it we'd have been in severe trouble!
latest report
 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?
Peter Leuzzi, Much as I love the place - not Neustift. You need to travel a bit to various ski areas (nightmare with kids), and unless you stay at the Alpensporthotel Mutterberg at the base of the glacier (fab hotel), which isn't in Neustift, then Easter might be a bit dodgy for anything except the glacier. Can't comment on the others.
snow report
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Obergurgl - Less crowded than other resorts so a good pick for easter (may already be booked up). Highest ski village in Asutria and one of the most snow secure resorts in the alps. Small village at the end of a valley, quaint. Easy to find each other if you do get separated or need to meet up during the day.

St Anton - best resort for the serious skier (and drinker). Massive resort - there are better Austrian resorts for little kids.

Scheffau haven't been but 1650m is pretty low - not a resort to book in advance. Looks well set up for kids and pretty big but probably best to book later once the snow has fallen. http://www.bergfex.com/scheffau/

Neustift - Not been here either http://209.11.109.67/ski-europe/skimatcher/map-contentPage.asp?item_id=54#beginner

Kaprun - Snow secure (glacier). I learnt to ski here but there aren't too many blue slopes. If the snow is bad elsewhere this place can be chock-a-block as everybody flocks to it. You have to take a bus and a couple of lifts up to the glacier - not something I would want to do with a couple of kids. Nearby Zell am See is better for begineers http://209.11.109.67/ski-europe/skimatcher/map-contentPage.asp?item_id=15

In your shoes (ski boots) Obergurgl would be my pick. http://209.11.109.67/ski-europe/skimatcher/map-contentPage.asp?item_id=7


Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Thu 11-08-05 12:22; edited 2 times in total
latest report
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I would say:
Obergurgl : More expnesive than average in Aust, great snow, good for your level of skier
St Anton: Skiing is not good for skiers of your level
Neustift: Never been there - But you get a review above..!
Scheffau: Lovely SMALL village, great skiing for all when the snow is there, which it may not be in Easter, with snow this would be the one.
Kaprun: Village is a drive to the skiing, the glacier is good snow but small, zell is a drive away and a bit steep in places for early intermediate => not vast choice of runs

Do Obergurgl
snow report
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Agree with the others, Obergurgl ski school is excellent with children (and adults!). book ASAP as it does get booked out.

Ski School website is http://www.skischule-obergurgl.com/en/ I think they have a kindergarten for v. small children, if your little one is big for his/her age they may allow it (sorry!) in Bobo's ski class.
snow conditions
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Skied the Maiskogel at Kaprun in February, they're opening this up more with new lifts and it's excellent for beginners. Also, Schmittenhohe is accessable from the Arietbahn lifts on the Kaprun side of Zell am See, only 15 mins on the bus, again some good beginners slopes near the top, just don't try to ski down under the Arietbahn lift or down the blacks to Zell am See - steep and very icey! Transfer time from Salzburg is only about an hour and a half, all hotels / pensions, etc are very welcoming and offer excellent service. You can't really go wrong in Austria as the food and beer are superb.

Good luck with the holiday hunt
snow conditions
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Easter - go high = Obergurgl
latest report
 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.
Greg Capper, is it all english speaking at the school?
ski holidays
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Yes it is Peter all the instructors must speak English and understand the main German dialect. The school is very well organised, maximum 9 in a class, plenty of instructors. Last Easter my 2 teenagers were in a group of 5 english, same the previous year. Mixed language classes are rare as far as I know, I've never had a problem. We'll be there the first Easter week (always are it seems!) next season. Feel free to email the ski school, you will get a reply.

Innsbruck university has an academy in Obergurgl that runs training courses for instructors (and other mountain sports). Many instructors for other parts of Austria (mostly Tirol and some overseas) are trained there, I believe.

Ski Esprit's accomodation is closer to the middle gondola/ski area Festkogl than the village center (Gaisberg ski area) and ski school meeting point so you will have either a schlep in the morning or need to get the ski-bus (free but gets busy) or use a Taxi (5Euros a go).

We use Inghams each time, don't know if they have childcare in thier packages. Freinds used Crystal last year and had probs. Have travelled independently in the past and had transfers from Innsbruck with Inghams. Also driven from Munich (3-4 hours) in rented car.
snow report
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
thought I'd use this opportunity to post my first message..
I wouldn't discount Neustift immediately - I went there in January with Ski Esprit with my wife and 6 month old and would recommend the child care - they try to keep a 2 child per nanny maximum and will look after kids from 8:15 - 5:30 if I remember correctly.
For older kids they have various age play groups their allocated to and they're all packed off on a private bus in the morning to the glacier.
It's a 25 minute bus ride to the glacier so not really that bad - and I think the kids are kept entertained with singalong etc along the way.
The kids we saw weren't complaining anyway.

Neustift has got it's own - small - ski area on the Elfer, but it seemed to be more popular for the sled-run (which is great fun!) - I've never seen a 6 man gondola so under-used.

You've also got a small resort about 15 min bus ride at <Schleck 2000 ?> I think it's called, which I only visited once, when the glacier was closed due to heavy snow-fall. It seemed ok, but not a huge area on offer (and it has the flattest run back to the middle station I've ever come across)

Neustift is also just 30 mins by bus from the airport - which was a major consideration for us with a 6 month old.

It's a pretty resort as well, but very quiet - so not ideal if night life is important to you (but with kids that's not important any more is it Very Happy )
Saying that - Esprit do free monitor listening service on some evenings, or they are available to babysit for a fee.

I have to say I liked the place, and it worked out to be very convenient for us.
latest report
 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.
Hamish, welcome to snowheads.
snow report
 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
Hi Hamish, welcome to snowHeads snowHead and what a very useful first post! Very Happy
snow conditions
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Hamish, thanks and welcome.
ski holidays
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Booked Obergurgl this morning for 2nd April! Got the last place available in the hotel and the nursery. Absolutely chuffed.Greg Capper, can I tap you for more information via PM?

Thanks to homphomp, easiski, DB, lewis, Greg Capper, AlpineWalker, and T-Dub, for your inputs. You made our decision very straightforward.
snow conditions
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Peter of course you can. Send a PM and I'll get back to you.
latest report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Peter Leuzzi wrote:
Thanks to homphomp, easiski, DB, lewis, Greg Capper, AlpineWalker, and T-Dub, for your inputs. You made our decision very straightforward.


you're very welcome, hope you enjoy Obergurgl, still on my list to go to
latest report



Terms and conditions  Privacy Policy