 Poster: A snowHead
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I have only skied it once 5 years ago, I would rate it as a easy red beautifully quiet. If it is open should be a lovely run to finish the 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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Thanks I’ll give that valley run a go then - sounds really nice 
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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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Re the Aschau run, I've not skied it yet, but will let you know if I do this week. My understanding is that it's only classed as a ski route rather than a piste because it doesn't connect with the lifts, so it should be fully pisted.
We did the traverse across the Zillertal Arena and back from Zell am Ziller, and the 10 piste was open to finish the day. I would have said there was surprisingly little carnage given it was a sunny weekend and the last 2 pitches were pretty icy, but then I was missed by less that a metre by a guy barrelling down sans skis (they were about 100m up the slope), and he came to a halt in the snow banked up by the netting as the piste turns right. Seemed like he got away with just a bloodied nose. Over than 10 (which still had fluff right at most edges), pretty much all slopes are still in very good condition
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Managed to get out of work with time to ski to the Unterbergalm and back on Friday. Then later that evening we went tobogganing in Gerlosstein.
https://www.zillertalarena.com/en/winter/off-piste/tobogganing/gerlosstein-toboggan-run/
Really, really recommend this to anyone that comes on holiday, although maybe not on a Friday night as it was busy! We didn't get there until 8ish, and it was really busy, and by the time we hired toboggans and got the lift up it was probably 9.15pm. From the top of the Gerlossteinbahn you then have a 7km track back down, with a few restaurants open on the way for drinks etc. The Sonnalm was absolutely pumping with an outdoor DJ, firepit, schnapps bar etc, it was like Apres ski.
What we'd recommend if you were going to do it is, get the last lift at 4.30pm, go in to the Berghotel Gerlosstein for food and drink as it's right near the top of the cable car, then you've got loads of time once the lights go on at 7.30pm to stop off at the other bars.
Saturday morning was another GS training for me in Kaltenbach, this time my mate also came along from Rosenheim. Mrs Swskier then came for a ski once training was done, so i've actually explored the Hochzillertal area now, rather than 1 piste in Kaltenbach! A lovely lunch in the Holzalm Hütte, spare ribs and jacket potato. Nice restaurant, very busy and popular, a little bit on the pricey side, but not too bad.
Nice to then have a catch up with @SaraJ in the Ski Check shop before heading back over and home.
Then a very lazy day for me today, ended up in Gerlosstein around 1pm for an hour or so before driving over to the Horbergbahn to have some lunch in the Unterbergalm before skiing down with Mrs Swskier after she finished work. Yet again her boss forced me to have a beer and schnapps with her. Tough gig, and she makes me do it every time! 
Some nice pics from Gerlosstein today:
The view towards Mayrhofen with Dristner in the background
The view over to the Penken area with the Unterbergalm Hütte in view if you look carefully
And then a photo down to the valley where we can see our house whilst skiing 
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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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@swskier, sounds awesome. I had no idea they keep the huts open. Must do it next time we are over!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@Matrix, there's at least the Berghotel and the Sonnalm. There's a sign in the bottom of the lift station which tells you what's open and closed. Really recommend it. Especially if you can not be the driver unlike I was!
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@swskier, thank you for the tip.
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We've been skiing in Mayrhofen today, and Zillertal Arena the previous 2 days. Piste conditions are pretty good throughout, though the busiest and steepest slopes are getting a bit scraped (though this is from someone relatively averse to icy slopes, especially when on telemarks, which is most of the time). I'd say the best steeper pistes are 45 in Mayrhofen and 20a in Zillertal Arena. In Zillertal Arena the pistes were generally better the Zell am Ziller side compared to Gerlos.
Off-piste is pretty much untransformed, though that may change as it's started getting warmer. There's still good bouncing to be had off the side of several pistes
Probably heading to Hintertux tomorrow for the first time this trip
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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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Sorry to go off topic but can anyone help me find a good hotdog in Hochzillertal please? It’s my favourite 11am snack
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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We should do a snowheads list of the more obscure requests for tips. I think it was Zillertal where someone wanted to know where there were some good euroshops in the valley as one of the group was a non-skier and loved browsing them.
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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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You know it makes sense.
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Is that the meatloaf thing? I think I tried it in a petrol station out of curiosity and was delicious
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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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| 8611 wrote: |
| Is that the meatloaf thing? I think I tried it in a petrol station out of curiosity and was delicious |
Yes it is.
I've had it twice since we've been here, not a fan at all. Not often i'll leave half a meal uneaten, but I have done with that!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Bergmeister, AustroBavarian spam with extra lard!!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Heading to Mayrhofen/Zillertal for the first time next Saturday - so excited! Great pictures @swskier, really hope the warm weather hasn't/doesn't melt all that snow.
I'm going with my wife, 6-year-old daughter and my wife's parents (non skiiers). We wondered if anyone knows if there's a pedestrian pass available in winter? I can't find anything about one online.
Reason is our daughter is signed up for ski lessons with Fankhauser in Hippach (www.sport-fankhauser.at), who look great but it seems that you meet for the lessons at the top station of the Horbergbahn lift. My wife and I will have lift passes and so no problem to pick up and drop off there - but we were hoping to explore some of the other areas ourselves with my the parents doing pick-up and/or drop off some days.
But it seems a single trip up the Horbergbahn for a pedestrian is €28 return. Which is pretty steep just to pick up or drop off from a ski lesson! If there was a week pass or similar that would be ideal - I'm sure they'd use it to walk around/explore some of the other areas too.
Thanks for any advice!
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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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@EdM, it's typical spring conditions out there at the moment. If you can get up to Hintertux, do so, as snow is still great up there.
I'm picking up the other half after work from the Horbergbahn, so I'll nip in to the ticket office and ask about pedestrian passes, but like you say, all I can see online is €28 round trip ticket.
Edit:
Looking at Bergfex, the forecast is currently predicting a decent drop in temperature and snow coming from next weekend. Fingers crossed
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@EdM, just spoke to the lift pass office. It's either:
1 day for €28 or
5 days for €126
So the savings aren't great, but there is a saving to be had.
The other half thinks that possibly the ski schools meet at the bottom of the Horbergbahn, so it might be worth checking that out. She's going to have a look tomorrow on the way to work, but Fankhauser do have a shop/office at the top of the Horbergbahn on the left, so it could be that they meet there.
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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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@swskier thanks so much, that's so kind. Thanks to you and your other half.
If the €126 is an unlimited pass they might go for it, quite a big saving if you're going up and down twice in a day, or want to try out different lifts. But yes being able to meet at the bottom of the Horbergbahn would solve the problem.
Thanks again,
Ed
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@EdM, I suspect it's just 1 x round journey per day, but you'll have to double check that one.
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Hi all
How's it looking up Penken these days? Warm weather seems to not be letting go. Any insights from resort appreciated.
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@Ekposh, I haven't been to Penken recently but I was skiing with some people yesterday who were there on Saturday. They said it's not great, but one person's "not great" could be another person's "brilliant", so who knows?!
In Hochfügen it's still good above about 1800m, below that it's frozen in the morning, the shady slopes are staying hard all day and the pistes directly in the sun are slushy by midday.
The forecast is colder again towards the weekend and snow.
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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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@EdM, Try asking the ski school if they provide a transfer service.
The kids part of our ski school at Spieljoch offer that. I don't know if other ski schools do too.
Parents can register their children for the (free) transfer. They drop the kids off in the morning at the base station. They are then accompanied up the gondola to the ski area and are accompanied back down at the end of the day.
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@Ekposh, I skied the Penken area a bit on the weekend, and the other half has to ski up around there to get to and from work.
Firstly i'd say, it's been warm! Mid afternoon at the bottom of the Schneekar lift at around 1600m has been 8 degrees when I was there. As a result the snow has been quite slushy. That said, there's plenty of coverage, and there's no rocks or grass etc showing through.
The forecast is set to drop considerably from this weekend, with the freezing level during the day set to sit around the level of the valley from early next week, and 20+cm of fresh snow due as well up the mountain, so I wouldn't worry too much. We're looking at around a 10 degree drop in temperatures from the weekend onwards.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| snowheeeed wrote: |
| Hi, I'm taking the fam to Kaltenbach in Feb. We're staying in Aschau, what's the Valley run to Aschau like? Our hotel is 100m from the end of the valley run. Not sure if there is a lot of poling required or it's just a bit steep at the end as it looks like a black on the map. My fam can ski reds, preferably wide reds. Would just like to know a bit more before I commit to taking them down that way rather a download and bus ride back. Cheers. |
I have skied it many times (when it’s open)
It is often closed due to lack of snow near the bottom.
When it is open it won’t be pisted as it’s a ski route and left naturally, however it will be well skied so very piste like. If it’s snowed a lot it will be like off piste and bumped up etc. Sometimes there is a sign at the top saying ‘for good skiers only’ depending on the conditions.
It is quite wide though.
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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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Here's a picture from Hintertux on Sunday. Very quiet, but that's because the 2 t-bars at the top there were closed due to the winds.
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Appreciate that @swskier and @SaraJ. I'm arriving on 17th so if we get lucky, looks like some snow might save the day.
I usually go up to Hintertux for the day but we have kids in ski school in the morning this year so it's a big ask - unless I escape from the family alone...
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You know it makes sense.
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Totally random question sorry - do they sell Weetabix (or equivalent) IN Austria - specifically Mayrhofen?
Kids energy and all that 
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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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@Ekposh, not Mayrhofen, but I nipped in to Mpreis on my lunch break here in Jenbach, and got a picture of their cereal section for you
No weetabix, but plenty of cereals you'll recognise from the UK. There's no Mpreis in Mayrhofen (there is one in Ramsau) but the Billa and Spar will have a similar selection i'd imagine.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@snowheeeed, I got a picture of the Aschau run this morning while I was on the train to work
No idea how the bottom of it is as you can't see it from the train, but certainly looks like they've got enough snow all the way down there??
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks so much for the help and advice @Swskier and @SaraJ. Really appreciate it - you've gone above and beyond to help us holidaymakers.
For anyone else with the same query, we got in touch with the ski school (Fankhauser) and yes indeed, turns out they will do drop off and pick up at the bottom of the lift, so that will solve our problem. Very early on the way up (they say 8:55 for a 10am lesson), so may not do that unless our daughter makes a good friend who will do the same! But absolutely ideal for grandparents to pick up (they said 15-20 mins after lesson finishes).
On wheetabix @Ekposh, we were planning on bringing a sleeve of them for our daughter... But worried she's otherwise going to only eat nutella on bread and sausages/chips 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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| EdM wrote: |
Thanks so much for the help and advice @Swskier and @SaraJ. Really appreciate it - you've gone above and beyond to help us holidaymakers.
For anyone else with the same query, we got in touch with the ski school (Fankhauser) and yes indeed, turns out they will do drop off and pick up at the bottom of the lift, so that will solve our problem. Very early on the way up (they say 8:55 for a 10am lesson), so may not do that unless our daughter makes a good friend who will do the same! But absolutely ideal for grandparents to pick up (they said 15-20 mins after lesson finishes).
On wheetabix @Ekposh, we were planning on bringing a sleeve of them for our daughter... But worried she's otherwise going to only eat nutella on bread and sausages/chips for the whole week! |
Perhaps she could venture to a wienerschnitzel if she's feeling adventurous? And maybe a kaiserscharrn for dessert!
Good news on the pickup/drop offs, if it's meet for 8.55 that'll probably mean getting on the gondola around 9, and it's pretty much 15 minutes up the lift, so she'll be up the top around 9.15 I guess.
Just some ideas for your parents. There's a walking route between the Finkenbergalm lift and the Penken lift. I did this with a mate and the dog back in December. We took the Finkenberg lift to the middle station, walked to the top of the Penken lift, then got on the Penken Kombi lift and then walked from there to the top of the Finkenberg lift where we had lunch before riding the 2 gondolas down to Finkenberg. This costs about an extra €5 vs the regular €28 pass.
There's also a path between Penken and Horbergbahn. Part of it might make up the ski route back down to the valley, but unless something drastic happens weather wise over the next week, that'll be closed anyway. You can see the path in this screenshot from Fatmap.
As I've mentioned above in previous posts, I really do recommend the tobogganing in Gerlosstein one evening!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| swskier wrote: |
@Ekposh, not Mayrhofen, but I nipped in to Mpreis on my lunch break here in Jenbach, and got a picture of their cereal section for you
No weetabix, but plenty of cereals you'll recognise from the UK. There's no Mpreis in Mayrhofen (there is one in Ramsau) but the Billa and Spar will have a similar selection i'd imagine. |
Thanks so much.. So so helpful.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@SaraJ, ah yes of course there is! I forgot about that one! 
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MAYRHOFEN / ZILLERTAL Itinerary Question?
We have a 6 day trip to the Zillertal coming up in just over a week, based in Mayrhofen and wondered if any kind soul has a good itinerary for making the most out of the different areas within that. I have been before (around COVID) and we just did the Penken ( & Ahorn) and the Hintertux, without touching the other areas.
Any guidance on what to do with them, and how long, and best public transport to get there would be much appreciated.
Cheers BarneyBill
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Definitely do a day at Hintertux, you'll be able to ski most of the runs there within a day, all if you wanted to.
1 day in Penken. As you've skied this before. Maybe try and do a loop type day taking in the runs from Unterbergalm in the north side right over towards the Eggalmbahn on the south side.
2 days in Zell am Ziller. Take the 4094 bus from Mayrhofen Bahnhof at 08:20 arriving at the Rosenalmbahn gondola at 08:35. Maybe on one day do the full arena tour and on the other day tick off all/as many runs between Zell and Gerlos as you can.
https://skibus.zillertalarena.com/backend/index.php/pdf/e3ca8539-030a-4a81-bc5e-59a5eff8e489/281cb829-b90d-4d73-9451-a8259ca65854
2 days in Hochzillertal. Take the train from Mayrhofen to Kaltenbach and then it's about a 5 minute walk to the lift from there. You could spend the 2 days exploring and ticking off all the runs.
If you fancy something a bit different too, you could spend a 1/2 day to a day in Gerlosstein, there's not many runs up there, but it's seriously quiet.
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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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I'll be in ZT from March 13-16 and then heading for Italy (San Cassiano). Google has me going over Brenner Pass which I find sort of tedious. Is the route over Gerlospass to Lienz and on from there open/advisable? I went from Kitz to Lienz last year and it was beautiful. thx
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@Scooter in Seattle, as things stand you'll be fine it currently says open but you need snowchains. Looking at the webcam I think that's just precautionary. If there's a massive snowstorm it wouldn't be such a great route.
https://www.tirol.gv.at/verkehr/strassenbau-und-strassenerhaltung/webcams/webcams-bezirk-schwaz/b-165-gerlosstrasse/
We had to drive to Kals am Großglockner on 23rd December in the middle of a snowstorm. We chose to go via the Inntal Autobahn, across to Kitzbühel and down over Pass Thurn and up and through the Felbertauerntunnel. The same route you will have taken from Kitzbühel. It was slow going, but we got there fine. In the middle of March i'm sure you'll likely be fine.
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FAQ
