 Poster: A snowHead
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True @tatmanstours, I'll likely book the flights but not book accommodation till much nearer the time. Even though there'll be late bookings I doubt the w/c 12th December will be too busy, at least that's my hope! Obviously if the conditions are really good, and people are let loose to travel, it could be busier than usual for that week.
Looks like lock down conditions are being loosened a little in Austria. When are you normally out there till @tatmanstours?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Rowlski, normally we would be thinking of returning to the U.K. about now, but we’ve taken the decision to stay here in Saalbach for the foreseeable future, as we reckon it’s much safer here. It’s likely that we’ll be here at the time of your planned visit - let me know if you’re looking for accommodation. Even if the snow is good it should be relatively quiet then. All this assumes that things will be operating normally again by then - I’m sure that the Austrians will be keen that it should be!
By the way, it’s currently snowing outside my window, and, as I look up the mountain towards the Schattberg Xpress mid-station, I can see evidence of fresh overnight snow on the trees. This generally happens the day after the ski season ends (the last day this season was supposed to be yesterday, 13th April). It’s Mother Nature’s idea of a little joke.
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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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@Rowlski I was in Saalbach one of the years before Christmas that it didn't snow that @TatmansTours referenced.
You could still ski from top to village on Bernkogel, Kohlmais and the back of Schattberg. Probably many other places but I was with my young girls so didn't need to venture further.
Snow making was impressive. Then last day, huge dump. I wouldn't hesitate to go at that time again.
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I know this is very early, but does anyone have a clue about updates for next season. On Facebook there's pictures of a better connection from rute 14 (bernkogel descent) to the Shattberg x-press. Any other news/guesses?
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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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@JesperErnst, as you say, work is in progress to complete the new piste, linking the Bernkogel (piste 146) to Schulstraße, a stone’s throw from the Schattberg Xpress lift station. This will save people from walking down through the village, although in practice I can’t personally remember any occasion when I‘ve wanted to do that. I suppose that it might be of benefit to someone staying in Hinterglemm, who may want to do a “mini-circuit” of the valley in a clockwise direction (cutting out the Kohlmais). It remains to be seen what this new connection will be like - the final descent to the street looks as if it will be narrow, and relatively steep for a beginner, although it’s difficult to form a definite impression at this stage in the work, and without doing it on skis. If it gets icy or very slushy, things could get “interesting”.
I’ve also noticed that the Schattberg Xpress has been operating occasionally - just a few cabins going up. As we’re not yet into the summer season, and social distancing guidelines are still in force, I assume that some work is in progress. Whether this is on the gondola itself, or in connection with the upgrading of the Limberg chair lift (at the top of Schattberg) I can’t say. However I expect that the work on the Limberg lift will be proceeding as expected (and announced a few months ago).
It’s no doubt too early to make any predictions or guesses as to what form next ski season will take. We currently have six bookings, so clearly some people are optimistic. Also the locals are expecting a limited summer season - the Austrians and Germans will obviously be limited for travel options, so it’s anticipated that many of them will be heading for the Alps (if permitted).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I saw that new link when we were there in March and assumed it must be as you describe, I also thought it would be steep and narrow and a potential accident black spot when icy.
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@JimboS, good snowploughing practice! 
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I just been looking at the pictures on Facebook. I was surprised how close that corner by the Soul House at the bottom of the Bernkogel is to Schulstrasse.
Actually doesn't require much. There is a road crossing at Eberhartweg. Hopefully not going to do the same as by the Hinterhagalm crossing.
I imagine it being like the section below the Maisalm but probably worse with being lower and more directly South facing.
But it's a welcome addition.
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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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| tatmanstours wrote: |
| …in connection with the upgrading of the Limburg chairlift… |
My understanding, from a report on alpinforum.com (in German), is that work on the new Limburg chairlift (and sadly on the Saalbach-XPress, the link up from Viehhofen towards the Polten chairlift) has been postponed for a year. Though I suppose there might still be some preparatory work in progress.
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@espri, thanks for that information. Can’t say I’m surprised, and, in the general scheme of things, it pales into insignificance. Wonder how all those packed restaurants and bars are going to survive or adapt?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Is there any Government assistance for businesses in Austria?
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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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just seen that the saalbach lifts 9 of them are opening for the summer season on 11th june till october, plus something called flexi booking is in operation whereby if you book direct with the participating accom providers or through the tourist office you can cancel anytime for any reason upto 14days before .
Im thinking if the flexi scheme is rolled on for the winter would be a consideration esp for those of us who self drive subject to that being possible
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@ski for fun, That flexi booking arrangement is all of Salzbergerland. All accommodation has been instructed to offer those terms (not mandatory though)
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You know it makes sense.
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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| @ski for fun, That flexi booking arrangement is all of Salzbergerland. All accommodation has been instructed to offer those terms (not mandatory though) |
It will depend wether its still in operation for the winter ,im presuming its some (salzburgerland) local govt scheme a bit like the rates payment for small business we have in uk atm with you saying both instructed and not mandatory which is a bit contradictive. though it at least means they have not given up on a summer season yet which surely bodes better for the winter considering where we are now or the doom mongers are saying no season at all
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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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@ski for fun, no, it;s not a local govt scheme, it's the tourism body, and at present it's only summer. I should have said recommended not instructed
Extract from email sent by Flachau Tourist Info to owners. (google translate)
"The coming summer season 2020 will be a great challenge for domestic tourism. The latest reports from the Federal Government on this matter currently give some confidence. Nevertheless, it is very difficult to estimate for whom and in what form holiday trips are possible this summer.
This uncertainty causes a strong reluctance in the booking behaviour of our summer guests. Kulante cancellation conditions are currently the right tool to remove the uncertainty from the guest, as well as to ensure trust and security. This was also discussed in the extended advertising advisory board of the Salzburger Land Tourismus Gesellschaft (SLTG) together with numerous managing directors of the Salzburg tourist resorts & regions. Common goal: to attract as many accommodation companies as possible for a closed procedure and to allow a free cancellation or rebooking up to 14 days before arrival for all summer bookings 2020. Numerous Salzburg tourist resorts and regions are in the process of tendering and implementing this as a recommendation to the accommodation companies.
Action "Easy Summer Storno"
The following cancellation conditions for this summer 2020 can now be activated in the Feratel Deskline in Flachau:
Free cancellation or rebooking up to 14 days before arrival.
70% cancellation fee for cancellations from 14 days prior to arrival.
90% cancellation fee for non-late arrivals on nights that are not required.
We recommend that all accommodation companies accept these cancellation policies for Feratel bookings."
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Poster: A snowHead
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I'm planning on getting out there this summer (fingers crossed), if anyone is interested these are the lifts that will be open, will be interesting to see how the social distancing will work, though in the summer the lifts are never crowded.
D1 Reiterkogel lift: 11th June to 4th October 2020
H1+H2 Kohlmais lift: 11th June to 4th October 2020
A1+A2 Schattberg X-press: 11th June to 4th October 2020
A3+A4 Westgipfel lift: 11th June to 4th October 2020
A6 Schattberg Sprinter: 11th June to 4th October 2020
B1+B2 12er KOGEL: 11th June to 4th October 2020
Data sourced from the Tourist office
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@radar, the only surprise there is the Schattberg Sprinter.
It will be easy in summer to apply rules about how many people share a gondola - or even to allow people to use their own common sense. The crunch will come next winter. I might have to get out early to grab myself a cabin to myself! (And then use chair lifts for the rest of the day, and have lunch outside, whatever the weather 
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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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@tatmanstours, surprised me too, maybe it’s because the MTB guys have a problem pushing their bikes up the hill 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| ianbradders wrote: |
| Is there any Government assistance for businesses in Austria? |
Yes. A few days ago I received a copy of the Tiroler Landeszeitung, an informatory newspaper produced by the Tyrol state government. Here's my attempt to summarise what was specified there...
The national Austrian government has set up a fund of 38 billion Euros to cover the following:
> Support for workers who are on short time.
> Support for hardship cases
> A Corona Assistance fund
> Guarantees and subsidies
> Credit guarantees and liability cover
> Easing of taxation conditions (e.g. delaying tax payments)
> Financial support for export oriented companies
That's all a bit general and I am not clear who is getting support or how easily.
In addition the Tyrol government is offering:
> Interest subsidies for bridging credits from the Austria Wirtschaftsservice GmbH (an Austrian federal development and financing bank
for the promotion and financing of companies) and from the Hotel- und Tourismusbank GmbH - budget up to 10 million Euros
> Support for a portion of the costs of new Home Office workplaces for small to middle-sized companies up to 5000 Euros per company;
total budget 1.5 million Euros
> An additional 1 million Euros to support consultations companies have related to the corona crisis
I am not sure what the arrangements for the self-employed are.
There is further information (in German) available at Corona virus info - under Förderungen und Informationen (Subsidies and Information).
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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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I can report lots of earth-moving towards the bottom of the Bernkogel, as they configure the piste and create the new descent to Schulstrasse, bringing you out opposite the Schattberg Xpress. I know that this has been mentioned before, but clearly they're doing plenty of work on it.
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| tatmanstours wrote: |
| I can report lots of earth-moving towards the bottom of the Bernkogel, as they configure the piste and create the new descent to Schulstrasse, bringing you out opposite the Schattberg Xpress. I know that this has been mentioned before, but clearly they're doing plenty of work on it. |
Thanks for this update. Being supremely lazy, such things are good news to me! A couple of questions if I may:
1. Would I be right it thinking, that the only way to access this short-cut is to ski down from the top of the Bernkogel? I can't imagine you could access it from the bottom of the Bernkogel lift, as you would have to walk up the piste, with the Restaurant Soul House on your RHS?
2. Were does the exit from the Bernkogel to this new Ski Route start? It has to cross-over the Eberhartweg at some point. Does it cross-over at the far southern dog leg of the Eberhartweg?
Thanks!
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@Poogle, The new piste seems to branch off to the right just before you get to that steep bit above the Soul House. As you say, it must cross Eberhartweg at some point, but I haven’t been up there to explore - don’t fancy finding myself in the middle of a building site.
To ski down it you would have to have come down the Bernkogel from at least the mid-station.
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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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Is it sponsored by Schwips?
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I would imagine that this will increase traffic on the Schattberg in the afternoons, as once the Bernkogel gets a bit soft after lunch, an easy hop over to the North Facing Schattberg will be a good move. There have been many times when I wanted to do that, but schlepping down the road was just too much trouble 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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You will be able to hire skis from Mietski from 19€ per week very soon . Only operates at resorts in austria - good quality skis:
https://www.mietski.com/en/
The 19€ are beginner skis but can get better skis for 40€ have to book quickly as prices rise the later you leave it.
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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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Making progress on the Bernkogel / Schattberg link
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@radar, many thanks for the update pix Radar.
If you could maybe takes some more pixs from the top end that would be great! Or maybe even 3 or 4 short videos from different vantage points if you are feeling ambitious 
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You know it makes sense.
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@Poogle, hope I can do that for you next month, this came from the Saalbach Facebook page
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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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Found this latest pix on my travels of the new linking piste:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Lates pictures on the new build
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Walked past the bottom, there’s a nice tight turn above Hervis, going to a fun run in the afternoon!
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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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@radar, come down it too quickly and you could end up in the gentlemen’s establishment under Schwips, which is directly opposite. A whole new meaning to “ski pole”.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@tatmanstours,
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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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@Poogle, the new piste will go under the Eberhartweg.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Been tempted by a deal in the Art Hotel Kristiana in the high street for end of Jan. Does anyone have feedback on the hotel?
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@JimboS, I received positive feedback from a group of friends who stayed there a few years ago. The location is also good, at the upper end of the main village street, away from any noise, and only a couple of hundred yards from both the Bernkogelbahn and the lift up to the Kohlmais slopes and Turmwiese nursery area.
It’s on my list of recommended hotels.
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@JimboS, yes - it's very good. We spent Christmas 2018 and had a lovely time. Great food and location, friendly owners/staff and a nice bar area. Last Christmas it was full, so we stayed at the Panther (also on the main street) - the Kristiana was superior in every way and much quieter late at night.
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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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@tatmanstours, Is it time for a 20/21 thread?
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Thanks @tatmanstours, @Valluga.
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FAQ
