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Austrian Alps

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Pondering trying Austria for the first time but have to confess when looking at brochure pics it always seems a bit 'flat' and open (rolling pastures, etc) when compared to the high alpine environment of Chamonix and the Tarentaise. Not that I am a sufficiently good skier to neccessarily take full advantage of this, but I do like the feeling of the high mountains- can anyone reassure me that this is true of Austria also?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
wopple, I assure you it's true. You should head for St.Anton if steep is what you are looking for, but the mountains in Austria are for real in a bunch of other places too.
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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?
wopple, try the Ziller Valley - Mayrhofen, Hintertux glacier etc. The scenery is amazing and the variety - tree lined runs, stunning valley to the huge glacier is also good. Mayrhofen is quite low but the skiing isn't and it's great value. The glacier along with about 6 other resorts are all covered on the lift pass and at about £120 for 6 days including buses, it's a bargain. I have posted some pics from this year's hols on the media zone. If you can't find them I'll post the link for you.

Apres ski's pretty good also!
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wopple,

I usually head to France or Italy and base myself above 1800m. Last March I went to Soll in Austria. Village is at 700m, Top is a little over 1800m. I had a great time, excellent snow. As most of the terrain is pasture it doesn't take as much snow for good conditions.

I would definately recommend it, totally different atmosphere to france.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
wopple, Mike Lawrie, summed it up, most of Austria's skiing is on rolling hills, only that bit of the Tyrol around St Anton and the Voralberg - Ishgl and Galtur, has similar mountain peaks to the French and Italian Alps.
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hayley t,

If one stayed in Mayrhofen are there convenient buses or other public transportation to the various ski areas? Thanks!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Since you're in the US you'll be used to scenery of rolling hills - I've only skied in Utah over there, but there's nothing in Utah to compare with most of Austria. Most of Austria will not compare for scenery with Chamonix, but it's no worse than the Tarentaise, so if you're just worried about scenery, don't be.

If however you want the mountains of Chamonix/Tarentaise ie. lots of above-the-tree-line skiing, then you'll have to choose your Austrian resorts with care. The best I've been to for high mountain feel & off-piste are Lech/Zurs, St Anton and Ischgl. I've not been to Soelden or Obergurgl but they might suit you too?
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
I agree with Johnboy, I have been to Soll for the last two years.
First year just picked a resort for my wife and myself (first year without being in classes for my wife)
Last year got a good late deal and went with a couple of friends (the wife stayed at home to look after the new born twins!)
If you are looking for long runs without having to use lifts then this may not be the ideal resort for you with the longest being from the top of Holne Slave (spelling?) to the vairous resourts around the bottom of the Ski Welt. I believe that the longest run is around 7km, however the lifts back up are all reasonably fast with short(ish) queues except for first thing in the morning.
If you like to tour around and try different pistes then this is a good area. Both years we have been to Elmeau and back which my GPS recons is around a 35 Mile round trip (this includes the lifts) and makes for an enjoyable trip with beautiful views across the alps and differing levels of piste.
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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.
wopple wrote:
Pondering trying Austria for the first time but have to confess when looking at brochure pics it always seems a bit 'flat' and open (rolling pastures, etc) when compared to the high alpine environment of Chamonix and the Tarentaise. Not that I am a sufficiently good skier to neccessarily take full advantage of this, but I do like the feeling of the high mountains- can anyone reassure me that this is true of Austria also?



If you like the feeling of high mountains but not necessarily have the ability to ski the steep then the Kitzsteinhorn glacier near to Kaprun in Salzburg is 3203m (12461 ft) but has intermediate skiing. The Mölltaler glacier, Carinthia is also 3100m+. Both of these ski areas are outside of Tyrol / Voralberg and are hardly rolling hills.

Within Tyrol / Voralberg high resorts (most above 3000m) include

Hintertux
Sölden
Pitztal
St Anton (only ca 2800m)
Obergurgl / Hochgurgl
Iscgl (ca 2900m)

Size / height isn't everything wink , last season one of the "rolling hills" over here which is only 2000m high was under 5.5m of snow.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
RISkier, yes, there are regular buses at peak times, e.g. morning and late afternoon, and then hourly during off peak hours up the valley to the glacier stopping at 2 resorts on the way. There is also a train which runs in the opposite direction to other resorts which offer at least a day's skiing in each and are well worth the visit. Travel time from Mayrhofen is about 30 mins to the glacier and about 20 mins in the other direction to 2 large resorts. Plus, there is plenty of skiing in Mayrhofen itself with regular buses to the local lifts if you stay on the edge of town. In total, I think the lift pass covers 600km of piste and all transport. It's a bargain at £120 for 6 days!
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Thanks hayley t! Wife and I went to Lech 2 years ago and didn't seem to have trouble booking. Loved Lech but thought we'd like to try another venue. This year we've been talking about Saalbach but looking at posts we may be too late. We've talked with a travel agent here who is supposedly an expert on Austrian travel but she hasn't even gotten package prices yet. We may need to look at some alternatives and Mayrhofen looks very promising.
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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.
RISkier, I've been to a few resorts in Austria and their surrounding areas Kitzbuhel, Soll, Zell am Zee, Saalbach, Mayrhofen and soon to be Bad Gastein (I've yet to venture over the Arlberg) and I have to say that Mayhofen and Saalbach are my favourites. Kitz is a lovely town but the skiing in Mayrhofen and Saalbach is better, with Saalbach just topping it!
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 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
wopple,

Check out this . This is The Arlberg (St Anton,Lech Zurs) in Austria.
http://www.students.uni-mainz.de/sprec000/valluga.html

There is plenty of vertical to be had in Austria. You can get the same kind of "up there in the clouds" feeling in the Silvretta,,Montafon,Oetztal,Inntal,Pitztal.

This should wet the appetite

http://www.cico.tv/country/arllink/arlberg-gross.wmv
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:

I do like the feeling of the high mountains- can anyone reassure me that this is true of Austria

wopple, there are loads of easily accessible glacier areas in Austria, if altitude and long views are what floats your boat. The resorts themselves tend to be low down in the valley, but so is Chamonix.

If you consider yourself an "expert" (and it sounds like you don't) then St Anton is the place to go, but there are plenty of other resorts with enough area to keep an advanced skier happy for a week. One good thing about the "typical" Austrian pasture terrain is that it contains fewer off-piste surprises than the generally rockier Tarentaise, and requires less snow cover to make it skiable. The best off-piste I have done in my (admittedly limited) career was in the Gastein valley.

Get yourself over there and enjoy it! While we're all generalising one country over another..... YES the Austrians are friendlier than the French..... generally...... Madeye-Smiley
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Two days ago I was skiing on fresh snow on the glacier at Hintertux. Definitely a high alpine environment. The view from our hotel balcony (about 1500m looking out at the meadows, changing to rugged slopes, changing to white topped peaks at 3000m+) was breathtaking, all accompanied by the gentle tinkling of bells as the cows wandered by.

The Austrian Alps are every bit as special as the French, different, but special nevertheless.

My suggestion would definitely be to go for it. You may come back and say that you prefer France, but I doubt that you would not have a great time (and find it cheaper).
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Thanks for the feedback all, looks like I will give it a try then! stanton, thanks for the links- nice pics there...
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