Ski amade

A snowHead

Ne1 I alway hire a car and drive but biggest bases are schladming resorts, flachau-wagrain-alpendorf and to some extent gastein. Imho prettiest villages are in hochkoenig.

A snowHead

NE1 I’ve done most of my skiing in France but have been lucky enough to also ski in both Austria (Ski Amade) and Italy for the past few years too and I have no firm favourite, I like them all, but for different reasons.

As many have said before, the Ski Amade has a great lift system, quiet slopes, good après, quality accommodation, (not forgetting superb toilets on the mountains!) and it’s pretty much only 45 mins transfer from Salzburg, rather than 2.5 -3.5 for Geneva to 3V or E.Killy. But the absolute clincher if you’re looking for enjoyable value, is the excellent but inexpensive food and drink.

It’s difficult to make a comparison between a French mega resort and Ski Amade as they’re a completely different experience (think ski or beach holiday? – you may have a preference but what do you use to compare them? Ever tried to convince a non-skiing beach fan that skiing is a good idea? It’s a tough gig!)

I personally like the ‘feel’ of Austria; it feels friendly and welcoming. The ‘prettiness’ makes it feel authentic and natural. The quiet slopes can sometimes make you feel like they’re there just for you. It feels relaxed and beautiful.
Some of the mega resorts like Tignes and Val T can ‘feel’ exposed, functional, busy, impersonal, aggressive, commercial and competitive. That doesn’t stop me going to them both, most years, because they certainly have their merits too, it’s just a different ‘experience’ that’s hard to quantify.

If Snowheads has whet your appetite for Ski Amade, please don’t give up on the idea so easily, I think it would be a real shame if you missed out on the Austrian experience because you unwittingly used an ‘offensive’ smiley.

Besides if you did plump for giving Ski Amade a go,

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

pam w

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pam w, do you have anything to add about ski amade region? no! thought not. sometimes silence is a fine thing.

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

Nightcap, yours was a perfectly sensible comparison of smaller resorts versus bigger resorts. Whether they are in France or Austria. wink

After all it is free

pam w, As you like, I'll leave the sweeping statements to you, I'll stick with the specifics wink

waynos,
if those in a position to give details about the region had done so, the OP might have been better served. He asked about the extent of the skiing available from the various centres without having to use buses. Nobody gave any specific information then he was told to push off and ski in France when he said he was unconvinced - surely people don't need to go off on one because of a smiley?

This is a potential newcomer to the area. What happened to gemütlichkeit?

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I'm just catching up with this. If the behaviour of some of our Austrian based ex-pats on this thread is anything to go by, I won't be in a hurry to visit. Nightcap, good balanced opinion from someone who has done both. NE1 if you fancy something less 'mega' but still French, Serre Chevalier has a lot to offer, is cheaper and there is no need to get on a ski bus, although there is one if you wish to use it.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

pam w, Yup, I do think the "locals" could have done a bit more. His original specific worry was hardly dealt with.

snow reports

My view - I prefer smaller French resorts, Austrian resorts and Italian. Larger Swiss and French mega resorts are great fun with a large gang or on a Bash but stupidly expensive for food and drink, plus big lift queues. Chamonix is pricy but the scenery and the food quality make up for it Toofy Grin

That said, I'm skiing the Amade region all winter. I'll be taking my car but if I didn't have it I'd feel happy catching the free ski buses. The time for travel is made up for by being able to ski so many resorts. I'll second Schladming for being fairly central, Flachau also for the links, or try the Gastein area, although I've only skied there the one day.

pam w, don't dare tar me or anyone else with what Samerberg Sue says. We 'locals' are individuals thank you very much, though I'm not too local this season. Why don't you and Sue start your own little forum together - you both have too much to say and both get your panties in a twist when you aren't happy with a comment about France or Austria. I skied many times in France, Austria, Canada, New Zealand and more places. I've enjoyed all my ski experiences and if someone says they prefers a French resort to an Austrian resort or whatever that doesn't bother me.

Frosty the Snowman, sorry but didn't know there was a time limit on responses by 'locals' Nightcap, response was fairly good, I don't personally feel the need to add much more.

You know it makes sense.

Flangesax always greats new guests by showing them his Flachay Winkl Shocked

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

waynos, your comment to me was pretty unpleasant; you can be your very own individual Rude Person without any assistance, it seems.

A snowHead

A snowHead

Well the Op did ask for info, three people, myself included gave some but as we don't don't know the area all that well left it to others to give more factual information and the only response was rolling eyes

. I took it as fairly good natured but looking back, if the OP had said, "Cheers, but I'm still not convinced" and then asked more about specifics I'm sure more people would have attempted to help, or as said, even put a wink it. Banter is fine here, but asking people for advice and then not even saying thanks is a little bit rude.

Nearly as rude as a Flachay Winkl Shocked

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Being rude. I'll put that on my list of achievements in 2014.

[quote="pam w"]

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Frosty the Snowman, How do you make "I've stayed in Radstadt, and am doing so again this winter. I drive out but have also used the ski buses, they run frequently and give you a lot of choice of resorts." as not giving info on the question of "how doable is it without own transport?"

The poster already appeared to know that the resorts are spread out and that it will not simply be a case of jumping on a transfer bus from the airport in the same manner that you would do in a mega-resort.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

waynos, Was that a resolution ticked off already? Wink

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Are you lot falling out again ?

After all it is free

Thought it was already September silly season again already, for a moment Wink

Tarquin, I think its like a proper fall out!!! Ange rolling eyes

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Why would anyone want to go? Its too low, there are wild animals roaming the off-piste that one would expect to see in Africa, cheap drinks lead to over-indulgence and unsuspecting skiers seem to get stopped and asked to take photos of people on their knees. Its really no fun... NehNeh