 Poster: A snowHead
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Been looking at the Ski Amade website over the past few days and an awful lot of the lifts appear to be closed (eg today only 43% open in Hochkonig). Does anyone know why this would be and is it typical for Feb? We are planning to go there next year but don't want to end up having to travel too far to get to working lifts or being stuck on the same slopes for the whole week.
Thanks
David
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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It's common anywhere when there is too much snow or, most often, too much wind to run the lifts. Frankly, if the weather is bad enough for lifts to be closed, chances are you don't want to be out anyway and it's definitely beer o'clock. Since we participate in a highly weather-dependent sport, you can't possibly legislate against being stuck on the same slopes for the whole week.
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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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dking2001, I'm in Saalbach, just down the road from Ski Amade. The upper half of the resort has been closed for 2 days as the wind is gusting at 120 kph and it has been snowing heavily for 36 hours (on top of the 2-3m of snow that's already here). The 3m high lamp post outside my window finally disappeared under the snow last night. The 10 days prior to this have been reasonably bright, but between minus 20 and minus 25 C on top of which you need to add the wind-chill. As for travelling too far, that's not possible at the moment as cars and lorries are in the ditch and the authorities keep closing the roads to clear fallen trees and undertake controlled avalance clearances.
This time last season it was +14 C and I was sitting in the sunshine eating my lunch, wondering if the snow was going to last until mid-March.
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dking2001, it is extremely unusual and as eng_ch says, it is indicative of the very strong winds we have been having over the past 48 hours. The lifts run most days, even when there is a complete white-out, but if the wind sensors set the alarms off, then the lift companies have to close the lift to prevent damage to the lift as well as to any clients using them.
Yesterday was exceptional in terms of the strength of the winds in our neck of the woods. Driving into work I was battling a Force 8 gale as well as masses of drifting snow. Remember we are a very long way from the sea and high winds are the exception not the rule.
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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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Thanks everyone for your replies. Sounds like with that weather it would be Gluhwine in front of a log fire. Agree with everything you say about things being weather dependent , didn't realise it was so bad out there!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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primoz, I didn't say that the skiing was bad, it fact it was excellent and the pistes were relatively empty for this time of year. But minus 18C and below is cold in anyone's language and many people were getting the first nips of frostbite on their noses if they were not sufficiently covered up.
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Hi, we had a great time in the Hochkonig region earlier this year, the skiing was excellent, VERY heavy snowfall and strong winds did close some of the lifts for a couple of afternoons but a decent amount of trails remained open and they very quickly reopened the lifts as soon as they reasonably could. We did not feel at all shortchanged. Its a very pretty and reasonably priced area and I will definately visit again. 
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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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Lifts have been closed all over during the bouts of exceptional weather this year (and the end of last year). But it's the snow we need, so we mustn't grumble. I think it's amazing how fast they manage to clear improbable amount of snow and get things going.
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I always take lift closure as a very good sign that there will be pretty good conditions the next day, except in the case of the Foehn melting everything or the wrong winds taking all your lovely snow and depositing it on Siberia.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Hi We are thinking about going to Maria Alm next half term which is part of the Hochkonig ski amade area. Can anyone tell me is this resort is generally less busy in the French half term than in the French resorts ( we normally go to 3 Vallees or Paradiski but hve heard they get very busy at Feb half term as it is also French school hols).
Also, there are two ski school areas - one at Natrun which is 1000m and the other at the top of the Arberg lift at 2000m. Which would you pick for a 5 year old on their 2nd ski hol. I want her to ski on decent snow but don't want it to be too cold for her either. Thank you 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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IwishICouldThinkOfAFabNam, Why worry about the French? In 10 years in Austria I've not met more than a handfull of French guests in Austria. If you are going to Maria Alm (beautiful little resort) then you need to be aware of the Danish and Dutch holidays. Resorts in Ski Amade, Saalbach-Hinterglemm and Zell am See/Kaprun are busy at half term, but not usually mobbed to the extent that some French resorts can be.
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quinton, this year it does seem that the pattern might be changing a bit. There have been reports that some French and Swiss resorts are quieter than is usual at half term (that's in part because the Paris holidays, which are the worst, don't coincide with English half term this year). And some Austrian ones being v busy. The trouble is, that there are loads of school holidays in February - you need lots of local advice. Some resorts, in both countries, are much busier than others.
As for coldness, it's so hard to predict. Sometimes you'd be sitting outside having lunch in the sun, same day the following year, cowering beside the fire with very cold temperatures and wind outside. The best thing is to have a resort with different aspects, and choices of easy runs down in the valley AND up higher. The ski schools will know every inch of the area and could generally be relied upon to make the best of whatever conditions present themselves.
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks Quinton. Yes our theory was to try Austria to avoid the mobbed resorts of France. The dutch holidays are the same week for all dutch regions according to the website I found but a snowhead forum posting shows only two areas of Holland off that week.
Two areas of Austria are off but the Bavarians are a week before. I will try and check out the Danish hols.
Might sound like a silly question but do the Dutch tend to ski more in Austria than France ?
Thanks again
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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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IwishICouldThinkOfAFabNam, I got that list from the Flachau Tourist office, so that's the dates they are working to. I have met more Dutch in Austria than I ever have in France (apart from Dutch week at the end of the season). I've sold 8/10 weeks to Dutch people (I advertise on a dutch website). 1 to a german family and 1 to a snowhead
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Poster: A snowHead
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There are quite a lot of Dutch people who ski in France but I've only heard one group of Germans in 9 seasons (and, sad to say, they were the only people behaving boorishly in Les Contamines that day).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Iwishetc.... Natrun is the smaller of the 2 areas to learn to ski, it is only linked in the loosest sense, you can ski to Aberg but have to take skis off, cross a road and then navigate the carpark to the gondola at Aberg. For your 5 year old the slopes are probably ideal and this is the quieter of the 2 areas unless its whiteout at Aberg. However if your plan is to drop junior off at ski school and ski yourselves meanwhile you may be better off at Aberg as you will quickly get bored at Natrun, very limited slopes and tho its easy to get to Aberg you either have an incredibly tiring climb back up on to the Natrun piste, a very long walk or your at the mercy of the skibus to get back which although reliable is not that regular. Really great area tho, I'm sure you will enjoy yourselves x
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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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Thanks Lilywhite.
Yes, the plan is to drop at ski school and then ski ourselves and definately don't want to ski at natrun all day. We usually go to 3V or PDS so like large areas and the opportunity to travel on skis! We also have an 8 year old for ski school to ( he passed ESF 2 star in Jan) and it sounds like Nartrun might be a bit limited for him ( He skis happily on red runs with us). We obviously will need both children at the same ski school meeting point. Arberg sounds like the best bet - and ski school doesn't start until 10am so that should give us plenty of time to get up the Gondola.
We will have a car with us so could drop at Natrun and then drive to Arberg but might not be that easy to park on a busy week.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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IwishICouldThinkOfAFabNam, send a PM to Haus Wasserbauer as they are permanently based in the Hochkönig and can give you the most accurate and up to date information.
I've skied there but not for a long time (something I am determined to change this season but work keeps getting in my way!
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FAQ
I was in Saalbach from Friday till Tuesday and Friday-Monday was a bit colder, but those -18 or -19c on Morning (it went down to -7 or -8c during day) wasn't bad at all. There was not much, if any, of wind, so skiing was just fine. Just to contrary to day of skiing I had in Tarvisio previous week, when it was snowing and it was really unpleasant at same temperatures.
