Saalbach/Hinterglemm 2014/2015 Official Unofficial Thread

A snowHead

Hey,

Yeah we were originally thinking of driving it, the problem is with 6 you would either need to rent a mini-van or two cars. When you factor in fuel or whatever it probably isn't a huge amount in the difference and it would be less stressful to just get a taxi.

thanks so much for the tiroltaxi recomndation they are €625 return which is over €100 cheaper than any i found!

A snowHead

Fuel was only 35 euro for our car. Easy done for under 200 Euro per car but a transfer is easier and if roads are sticky they know the short cuts

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Heading out to Saalbach soon for 2 weeks. We are intermediate skiers who can cover reasonable distance in a day. Question is which is the best ski pass to purchase? I was thinking we will probably do a day at Zell am Zee and possibly Kitzbuel. Lastly is there a particular ticket office which is the best to purchase from, or are they all much the same, and am I right to assume the ticket office take any photo's required. Thank you Smile

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@spottyboy101,

The Saalbach-Hinterglemm-Leogang lift card costs €376 for 13 days.

To ski Zell am See, Kaprun and Kitzbuhel, you'll need a Kitzbuhler Alpen All Star Card OR a Salzburger Superski Card. Either card costs €409 for 13 days. All can be purchased at any lift station, and they will take the required photos at the ticket office.

If you have your own transport, then the Salzburger Super Ski Card is probably the best, as you can drive to Maria Alm or Lofer in less than an hour from Saalbach, as well as Zell am See and Kaprun/Kitzsteinhorn. Kitzbuhel is a bit further. If you don't have your own transport, you're stuck. There is an hourly postbus to Zell am See (not included in the lift pass), but otherwise it is a long and tortuous journey to get to anywhere else unless you are willing to pay for a taxi. Or you make do with the 200+ km in S-H-L.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Thanks for the replies. We will have a hire car so transport is not an issue. Super ski or Allstar card it is then.........out of curiosity, what is the difference between the two cards?

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I must say, we found PLENTY of skiing for a week in the Ski Circus. Admittedly we'd spent a separate week in Zell & Kaprun a few years ago, but I honestly don't think there's any need to go anywhere else.

Of course where you want to go is up to you!!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Cheers @HoneyBunny, and @quinton, agree that there is probably more than enough terrain for us in the Ski Circus, it's just that during a two week trip we tend to like venturing out a bit further at some point (for example, in France at La Clusaz we enjoyed a day or two up at Le Grand Bornand). Realistically there seem's no need to travel out as far as Kitzbuel, but Zell am See looks worth a visit. Cannot wait!! Very Happy

After all it is free

Oh sorry, I missed the bit about you being there for two weeks! In that case Zell is absolutely well worth a visit, it's absolutely stunning. Hope you have a fab time.

@spottyboy101, the Salzburger Superski card is the one you want then - includes the Kitzbühel area as well as every other resort and some in Salzburgerland as a province. Ski amadé is included which means you can actually ski in 3 provinces of Austria if you feel so inclined! Kitz is in Tirol, Saalbach is in Salzburgerland and Schladming is in Stiermark (Styria to English speakers). The All-Star Card is more limited to be honest in terms of what is covered and may not suit your needs.

Make sure you get over to the Freeride capital of the region at some point too - Fieberbrunn, an incredibly underrated and therefore quiet ski area. A snowHead called Espri lives there and is always willing to show people around! Enjoy your exploring! Toofy Grin

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For once a semi-sensible post from me, seeking genuine information. As well as a skier, I'm also a beer-geek. Is there anywhere in Saalbach that serves more than the usual helles or weizen or has a decent stock of bottled specialities? Due there on 7 February so that might give enough time for a full survey of every bar and every beer for research purposes wink

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@honved, Not my speciality, but the Asitzbraeu mountain restaurant has a 'brewery' theme, having apparently been constructed from salvage from demolished Bavarian breweries, and it sells its own beer, which is darker than the usual - more the colour of English bitter. I haven't had one recently (Almdudler is a more usual lunchtime tipple), but from recollection, and also according to my companion today, who had one, it's excellent.

Will be arriving in Saalbach around 5pm on Saturday, 3 quick questions:
- Is there a ticket office that will be open at that time or will we need to take on the Sunday morning 'bun' fight?
- Any advice on the best area in the Ski Circus to start our adventures on the Sunday, we are staying on the road to Hinterglemm approx 500m from the Schattberg lift.
- Lastly, route from Salzburg airport to Saalbach. AA route goes via Germany. Is this the preferred route?

Thank you Very Happy

You know it makes sense.

@spottyboy101, pretty sure the lift office is open till 6, but many hotels will arrange your lift passes at no extra cost.
The Schattberg express is as good a place as any to start the circus, heading either way from the top to Schattberg West or down to Jausern, depending on whether you're going clockwise or anti-clockwise. It's all good. That said you're not much further to either the Bernkogel or Kohlmais. I wouldn't worry about the starting point, just do it, and you'll soon work out your favourite places.
Finally, I've approached from both routes many times, but the taxi drivers definitely favour the German route. Tour buses tend to go via Bischofshofen.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@spottyboy101, As the last lifts go up at 4.15-4.30pm, it seems likely that the cash desks will be closed by 5.00pm.
If you want to minimise walking and start off on blue runs, you could take the Schattberg Xpress to the top and do pistes 4 and 2, followed by 65, 66 and 52 on the sunny side; however piste 2b, might be a bit icy - although the morning is probably the best time of day to do it. Alternatively you could walk up through the village, either to the Bernkogelbahn or the Kohlmaisgipfelbahn, either of which will take you up to easy blue runs on the sunny side of the valley. From what you say, as intermediate skiers who can cover a reasonable distance, you can't really go wrong, wherever you go.
Yes, the most direct routs takes you via the 'Deutsche Ecke', a corner of Germany that protrudes into Austria, and then the village of Lofer, followed by Saalfelden.

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@Colinthc, You may be right about the cash desks; I'm only surmising - but I can ask as I pass them this morning.

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TT, I may also be wrong, but I think they were still open for a while. We just got ours from the hotel we were at. No extra charge. Keeps queues down, I suppose. That said, I don't recall seeing large queues for lift passes at any time. That said, I'm only there a week a season on average, so will yield to the local. Looks like you're all in for good skiing for the foreseeable. I'm jealously back home...

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@spottyboy101, There is rarely a 'bunfight' on Sunday mornings as there are plenty of cash desks at the lift stations, and most of the rental shops and hotels also sell local lift passes at no extra cost.

As you will be buying a Salzburgerland Supercard rather than a local pass, I think you can only get this from the Lift Company, i.e. not from hotels or rental shops.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Ok, thanks for all the replies. Seem's my fears over queuing for lift passes on the Sunday are not to be worried about.......don't want to lose valuable skiing time!!

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@spottyboy101, and @Colinthc, I enquired at the Schattberg Xpress this morning, and they said they close at 5.00pm.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

So, I hit my head and am under doctor's orders not to ski tomorrow. Could a pedestrian (booted and in warm clothing) get to the Pfefferalm without too much difficulty?

If not, where else would be good to meet my friends for lunch? We already tried (and enjoyed) the Grabbenhutte.

After all it is free

@tripowski, Commiserations! Yes, you could walk down to the Pfefferalm without too much difficulty from the Reiterkogelbahn top station, although the walk back up again might get the heart beating (and downhill to the bottom would be quite a hike). Alternatives in Hinterglemm, which we like and are located at the top or mid-stations of gondolas, are the Wieseralm, the Sonnhof, the newly rebuilt Winkleralm, the Bergstadl, and the Westgipfelhuette.

Happy days, I'm off to Saalbach in the morning

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Thanks as always for the advice!

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@Tatman, talking about hikes, after we left you and walked down to the car park, we somehow took a wrong turning(couldn't have been the fault of the Jägertee) and ended up walking 900meters in the ski boots caring the skis until we realized, duh.......we have lost the car park. Had to turn round and walk all the way back again, so of course we missed the 18.00 pm deadline.

As you were also wondering what happens, the Schattberg Express car park is open 24h, but if you are only an hour late you have to pay the full days rate, which was 12.50Euro.

Still, Happy Hour in the BergerAlm more than made up for it wink

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@Kooky, I wish now that I'd given you more exact directions, though Saalbach village centre consists of only 3 streets. It sounds as if you walked half-way to Hinterglemm! In hindsight, you might as well have gone the whole hog and done the Hinterhagalm!

Conditions not that bad IMHO, did 2 hours of free skiing this afternoon thanks to Mr Tatmans tip that the following days pass becomes live at 3pm the previous day, cannons were firing out plenty and sprinkling from above, vis was not great at top of the magic 6 er, but clearly saw the 'buy 1 you get 1 free 'at bergeralm

You know it makes sense.

@Tatman......Hinterhagalm is on the To-Do list, you do know I am now seriously thinking about re locating! That Apres was the stuff of legends

(the skiing wasn't bad either) wink

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

This evening the Kohlmaisstube restaurant shot up in our estimation - can't imagine that you'd get a better meal anywhere in Saalbach! The Underbar was friendly and welcoming as usual, and Spacey in Bobby's was an absolute riot!

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Although it's the nearest restaurant to our apartments, and the locals always speak highly of it, for some reason we've neglected it in the past. Last night we felt like giving it a try and were impressed by the menu, the quality (and quantity) of the cuisine, the service and the general atmosphere. My mixed grill (for EUR 16.90) was probably the best I've had in Saalbach, and my two companions were both very happy with the dish of the day. Other diners seemed to be tucking into some very appetising-looking dishes. The restaurant was full (we waited for a table), and we saw a few people we knew, who also enthused and said that booking ahead is advisable, especially on a Friday. It's a casual restaurant but very nice inside. During the day it can be accessed from the piste (number 51) that runs past it.

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Arrived back from Saalbach yesterday and I'm happy to say that we had an amazing time. The only negative was that we didn't have a dump of snow mid - week as a few of the slopes could have done with it.

We stayed in the Alpinresort Sport & Spa and would recommend it to anyone. The staff were all extremely accommodating and couldn't do enough for you. We stayed all inclusive a and found it incredible value. We drank really nice wines and cocktails all week. The bar staff would also make any cocktails that weren't on the menu on request.

The room was spacious with lots of wardrobe space, a sofa, a recliner chair, a flat screen TV (which we didn't use as it was Germany satellite) and a Jacuzzi bath with shower. We were fortunate to be allocated a corner room with a large balcony with some cracking views out towards Shattberg and down towards vorderglemm.

The spa facilities were excellent. There is an area where everyone can go naked (although this is not compulsory) with saunas steam rooms and relaxing beds and water beds. The outdoor pool was nice and warm and the are a couple of outdoor Jacuzzis. There was a sauna and jacuzzi in which swimwear was compulsory for those who don't like see it all hag out.

The ski area was very good. Lots of varied runs, snow parks and slalom runs. A few too many flat tracks for my liking as a boarder but once you got to know where they were then you could keep your speed up accordingly. We used the ski bus a couple of times and found it to be very efficient and easy to use. We ate in several mountain restaurants and all were reasonable in terms of price. My favourite lunch dish of the holiday was the Tyroler Grostl. A lovely mix of potatoes meat and a fried egg.

Apre was very good. We only made the hinterhag on the Friday , unfortunately. We did aim to go on Wednesday but missed the last lift and didn't fancy the walk up. The band in the hinterhag were great fun and had the place rocking. We got there at 3pm as we were knackered and it was a good job we did. Once everyone arrives the place is heaving so getting g a good spot is impossible.
We saw spacey in otzi bar and he was excellent. Playing an array of different music on his guitar and generally taking the mick out of the crowd. We also saw him at spite bub for Apre a when he did a different show which whilst good , wasn't as good as his later slot.

All in all we loved Saalbach and are tying to convince our friends to book with us for next year. This our first experience of skiing / snowboarding in Austria and we can't believe how the French resorts can be so busy when you can do it so much cheaper and in a place with charm and character.

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Feel as though I probably owe both this thread and Saalbach itself a positive review of my time last week. I was also in Alpinresort so presumably saw you, Frank! We were three guys (two tall with brown hair, one Oriental) and a lady (also tall with brown hair)...

Not much to add to Frank and Tripadvisor on the hotel, which was superb, especially the spa. We went with Neilson and they seemed fine although apart from for the transfers we had very little to do with them - bit different to a chalet holiday in that respect.

I also agree with Frank on the skiing, mountain food and apres, which were also excellent (and as a skier, I quite liked some of the flat schusses through the trees!). Some particular thoughts below:

- we rented kit from Scharnagl just by Bauer's and the majority of the lifts. Service there was excellent with great equipment (they really seemed keen to supply kit that we liked - less common that you'd hope!) and you could leave everything there overnight, including stuff not rented from them. Around a 3 minute walk from the hotel.

- we did lessons with Snow Academy. In some respects this was great, as both John and Ksenia are great instructors and the format (mornings and afternoons, with a lunch stop on the mountain somewhere) was fun - like a cross between ski school and having a guide. Unfortunately the groups were too large and contained too great a spectrum of abilities, so I started in the advanced class and was stuck at the back (and injured myself trying to keep up) and ended in the beginner class, which I was far too advanced for (was my fourth week but some there were on their third day on skis - other class people had 10ish weeks on snow). As such, only a cautious recommendation here.

- all the skiing between Kohlmais and Schonleitenbahn was fairly easy and pretty although in reality some of the blues are basically linking tracks and the others are much more like the reds in difficulty. We particularly liked blue 65 for a sweeping descent down to midstation. Great Grostl at the Asteralm too.

- blue down under the Bernkogel lift is awesome for sustained descent on a wide slope, but isn't particularly easy, especially at the end of the day: great for intermediates but not for beginners! The restaurant at the top of the Bernkogel is mediocre though.

- runs across from the top of Bernkogel towards the end of the valley above Hinterglemm are similar to the Kohlmais ones, although watch for blue 22 which becomes ridiculously steep for a run of that grade, and there are some bumps on blue 28 that ended with me in hopsital in Zell am See (the keeping up with the class thing referred to above).

- the blues off the Zwolferkogel were straightforward but the reds were pretty tricky.

- Grabenhutte's homemade bratwurst and sauerkraut were superb, and it gets the sun nicely too (and we did some off-piste to get there and back - it's not exactly on piste 11a).

- I didn't ski off Schattberg West (injured) but glad I went up one afternoon until last lift to take photos - really beautiful views across to Leogang and to the Grossglockner in the distance the other way.

- run 2a is pretty difficult for a blue, especially when chopped up in the afternoons

- in general, you really can get around easily, with hardly any queueing and a great sense of travel. I'm a pretty bad skier, so being able to go from Saalbach to the Grabbenhutte and back without repeating a piste made for one of the best days I've had in the mountains (route: 46 for a warm-up, back up to the top of Bernkogel, then pistes 48, 32, 28, 22a, 11, 11a, 38, 37, 46). And my friends did the biggest circuit without too much difficulty. Plus the buses were great when I was injured.

- Hinterhag Alm really is amazing. You have to go there and see Effie throwing the hearts - I can't explain how bizarre, hilarious and wonderful the whole thing is. This is my new favourite song
http://youtube.com/v/awQwlJc463w

- By contrast, Bauer's was packed in an unpleasant way and seemed a bit sleazy, although decent for a couple straight off the pistes

- the only good thing about being injured was getting to see Zell am See, which is stunning, and only about 20-30 mins' drive away (in an ambulance on the way there!)

Feel free to ask any questions!

cheers

Nick

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Last 2 days have been magic, ok yesterday vis not at best but dumped it down and great powder if you are that way inclined. Spacey was on top form as the snow just kept coming down. Blue sky today and powder magic, thank you my dear friend up above

After all it is free

Yes, the Baernalm at the top of the cable car/bottom of the t-bar...

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Hey any one know a good fondue place in saalbach - one that does raclet and meat fondue ?

Help!!

Saalbach/Hinterglemm 2014/2015 Official Unofficial Thread

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