Innsbruck & Tirol 22/23 Snow

A snowHead

@clarky999, I thought you’d been a bit quiet wink

congrats!

A snowHead

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

@clarky999, how's baby sleeping? I'm pretty sure I'm still suffering from sleep deprivation 6 years after my last one was born. Everyone told me "hang in in there it will get better"
All the best and enjoy your time with him it flies by.
Skiing wise its alright here in Kirchberg and surrounding areas. Lower down at the end of the day on the south sides is carnage but north facing are firm and grippy everywhere else is spring skiing. Zero off piste but we really are having a great time skiing.

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@clarky999, congrats.

You got a baby seat for the back of your MTB yet? wink

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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We are staying in Innsbruck on Saturday 21st for a night before flying home on the Sunday morning. Is the city fairly small in that it doesn't matter the location of the hotel we pick as long as it's fairly central? We'll want to have a wander around, and grab a meal somewhere.

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@swskier, if you are flying out of Innsbruck, then somewhere near the Hauptbahnhof or near one of the stops for the airport bus will save you some faff, unless you want to get a taxi, in which case it doesn't matter. It is pretty small, though I would probably look for somewhere near the Altstadt as that's the nicest area in the centre. Hotel Innsbruck is quite nice, by the river and Marktplatz.

After all it is free

@Scarlet, thank you. Found a nice looking hotel at a decent price, Hotel Schwarzer Adler. Seems to be a 5 minute walk from Alstadt, and 10 minutes to the Hbf for Sunday morning. So seeing as that seems to roughly tie in with your guide, might well book that, unless you've heard horror stories?

@swskier, No, I haven't heard any horror stories about any of the hotels TBH, but then I probably don't move in the right circles for that! I'm sure it will be fine – 50m from the police station so unlikely to attract any trouble, and right next door to my favourite pub wink

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@Scarlet, perfect, that'll be where we sleep then!

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@clarky999, congratulations dude!

@Scarlet, @neilkav, @Mother hucker, @Dave of the Marmottes, @pam w, @leggyblonde, thanks all! He's a little dream so far.

@Mother hucker we only brought him home yesterday so a bit early to say, but so far he sleeps from 4am-9am and 4pm-9pm like a champ, but less so from 11pm-4am Laughing

@swskier, my parents have stayed there a couple of times, also shortly before Christmas. Has always seemed decent! Location is good too and a short walk from the city centre and old town, but yes, in Innsbruck you can walk from pretty much anywhere to anything you'd want to see. As well as the Irish pub next door one of my favourite restaurants is just over the road - Himal (Nepalese food).

You know it makes sense.

@clarky999, thank you, and congrats!

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

@clarky999, Congratulations, we are awaiting the arrival of our Enkelin in April. We will then be able to say we are Oma and Opa so will be proper Austrians Toofy Grin

A snowHead

A hopefully easy one, but I can't quite see the info on their website. Are all hire cars from Innsbruck airport equipped with winter tyres? Is that a legal requirement in Austria? We have a rental car from Sixt we're collecting on Friday.

A snowHead

@swskier, Yes, it is a legal requirement, so they really should be. I don't know if it will also have chains, but you can check with the desk.

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@Scarlet, thank you

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Have the smaller areas around Innsbruck had much snow over the last couple of days?

Webcams suggest there has been some. I'm just trying to work out whether there has been enough to justify a 3 day trip starting this Sunday.

I like to cruise on pistes, so don't need thigh deep powder.

@Scarlet, and @clarky999, I'm looking at you! Congrats on your new born by the way.

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@mikeycharlton, It hasn't snowed a lot around Innsbruck itself so far. Thin snow is now down to about 900m – I've not been out in it myself, but the Avalanche Forecast says 5-20cm, and they know what they're talking about.

A lot more snow has fallen to the west (up to 50cm so far), so that's where I would go – stay in Kappl or See and ski the Paznauntal, or head to the Arlberg.

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@Scarlet, thanks, I'm trying to keep costs down.

I have found a couple of good deals; Gotzens (including Axamer Lizum lift pass and half board / £330 for 4 nights), and Igls £270 (much smaller area, 4 nights half board + lift pass). Both are based on single occupancy.

I'm veering towards Gotzens based on what the lift pass covers, and also because of the altitude that Axamer Lizum offers. Granted it's not as far West as you've suggested but I'm trying to convince myself that it's a good compromise.

After all it is free

@mikeycharlton,
Kaprun had 70cm a couple of days ago and the Zillertal area had approx. 40cm in the last 24 hours.

@clarky999,
Congrats. Your equipment purchases may now change. Instead of freeride & touring skis, mountainbikes etc it's time for prams, baby carriers, baby phones, nappies etc. Enjoy it they grow up fast, won't be long before he's on skis. Very Happy

Hi all
I’m heading to St Johann in Tirol in 3 weeks time and want to visit Steinplatte a couple of times as it has some lovely wide runs my beginner husband can practice on. Their website says the runs on the German side are closed from 24/12 due to lack of snow. Does anyone know if this is a permanent season decision or might it open in the next couple of weeks if there’s enough snow? My 10 year old loves the novelty of saying we’ve skied over a border!
Thanks

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For the first excursion since the last time it snowed, in December, we looked for somewhere in the sun above the fog, and ended up in Kühtai. Having not been out recently, I didn't really know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised. It was not windy either when we arrived, though it did pick up later.

After the recent fresh snow, the pistes are pretty good condition. There had been around 10cm of snow overnight, which freshened things up nicely. Off piste there were small stashes here and there out of the wind, but the wind has been brutal, and because the snow cover is so thin, many areas were still too rocky. There were a few tracks between the stones and bushes, but this is a challenge for rock skis only, and not for me.

Sorry, big image, but I need the res here. This was taken from behind the Dreiseenbahn, early afternoon. The two big gullies in the centre are the pistes. These had good snow because of how they are naturally protected from the wind and were not too mogulled, even at the end of the day. You can see how wind affected the left side of the ridges are, and the wind lips on the right. Apart from the large bands of rocks towards the top, it is normally possible to ski pretty much everywhere you can see here, just avoiding the odd tree near the bottom. In the foreground you can also see exposed rocks and holes, that would normally be well buried.

The Arlberg/Lechtal/Paznauntal is doing alright, if also wind affected, but around these parts we still need more snow.

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Also, if you’re driving around near Innsbruck, keep your eyes open for a large bird of prey that’s hanging out along the motorway. I think it’s a buzzard. It may be at windscreen level Shocked

Assuming it’s the same one, I’ve seen it a couple of times dodging trucks south of the city, and then today sitting on a speed limit sign at the junction at Kematen!

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So quick update after a couple of days in Sclick 2000 with the family and friends. Very little new snow compared to some other Austrian areas but the pistes are absolutely fine and are delight to ski most of the day. Due to very low volume there are pretty much zero moguls forming and all pistes seem in great condition. Off piste not really suitable but no surprise there. Magic hour or two today around 1.30 pm when snow was perfect for blasting down the nice reds in the area. Weather has been mostly cloudy but with some sun, 10-15 cm snow forecast for tonight and tomorrow.
Only smallish area so might head up to Stubai in next few days. Overall nice little area and for our mixed group it’s great.
Could obviously do with more snow so let’s see what tomorrow brings Very Happy

Really nice meal tonight in Da Rocco.

First time in the city, and it's really nice especially with some snow around! Just a short visit before we fly home in the morning. Also very impressed with the Hotel Schwarzer Adler.

You know it makes sense.

I've been able to get out for a couple of hours sliding a couple of times over the last two weeks, so was curious to see how conditions have been. The verdict: despite a better start than last season, this has been the worst season for snowfall (central Tirol) since I first started doing seasons in 2008. Most of the post-Christmas snow seemed to not make it far past the Arlberg, and for example Nordkette hasn't even been able to open yet. But what does that actually mean for skiers?

For piste skiing actually not a lot at all. The pistes seem to have been pretty ok throughout. I was also at Kühtai for a couple of laps when Scarlet posted that photo above (was good to get a lap with you btw!) and she had it spot on: offpiste only possible in very selective spots and gulleys, but the pistes for the most part ok (some spots icy, other spots nice wind blown snow).

A couple of days later I got a few laps in at Seefeld too, and same thing: pistes were actually really nice!

Offpiste though has been a different matter, with no base to speak of in many places. Really only either high or shaded/sheltered slopes had a skiable base amongst the sharks. Luckily that started changing from Thursday when a decent storm blew in, with 5-10cm down to the city and up to around 50cm in some of the local Innsbruck resorts (some much less though).

Very thankful that my gf and the little guy let me out to play in the powder for a couple of hours each day! "It's good for us to get used to being alone before you go back to work" - really I think she was pretty pleased to get some quiet time though!

Axamer Lizum seemed to me the sweet spot. I got a few laps in on Friday morning with up to around 20cms of fresh snow on top of a mix of rock solid old snow and frozen bushes/grass. Was still pretty nice after the drought though, especially with basically no-one around.

After negotiating the 15 (I counted!) cars blocking the road to put chains on (must have been summer tyres as there was max 5cm on the road!) the following morning on Saturday there'd been another ~20cms, with a lot more people around. Above the treeline was actually really deep in places (up to half a metre), but very little visibility. The extra snow had brought more of the tree runs into condition too:

Really no base to speak of lower down though, but some of the sneakier stashes were still doable (for the first one down at least):

http://youtube.com/v/eC3szkZDSeI

I only had time for a couple of runs but the falling snow was still building up on my car when I got down:

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

And then Saturday the skies cleared and it went blue snowHead

I didn't get to the hill until about 10am 'cos the little guy was too happy sleeping on my chest Very Happy

But once he woke up and decided it was time for a few hours of boob time I was packed off again. The main resort runs were obviously already completely tracked, so I went straight for one of the slightly more obscure valley runs:

http://youtube.com/v/zrokYKW94lI

Or in vertical if you're on a phone:

http://youtube.com/v/QYkKKbdXHlg

The clearing skies overnight had allowed the snow to dry out a bit and it was REALLY nice to ski. I reckon storm totals were around the 50cm mark, but on top of an early December style base. See all the bumps? Super fun to ski but normally that would be filled in by now:

Looking back up from where my weak legs (the base isn't the only thing that still feels like early season!) needed a break haha:

My second and last run I skied straight off the back of Hoadl into Kemater Alm. Slightly more exposed terrain where you want to pick your line carefully (and a choke at the bottom you want to get through quickly) but again great cold and stable snow. Looking up and to the side to the Kalkkögel though you can see lots of bushes still showing through in the run outs:

Looks like more snow is due at the weekend and the start of next week, so lets hope the season is now getting back on track!

A snowHead

A snowHead

Howdy. Arrive in Kuhtai Saturday 4th (driving from Amsterdam with Dutch friends for my first time in the area). Looks like a good old Nordstau being predicted by lots of outlets end of this week coming (just before we arrive).

Too much out in FI? Or can I start to dream about big fluffy clouds?

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Arriving on 4th for Mayrhoffen with guide. Forecast looks v good!

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It does indeed look like the snow is coming, although as always, exact quantity and location in subject to change. Keep an eye on the forecast this week in case there is enough to affect travel. It is still too early to say, but that will become clearer as the week goes on.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Skied Westendorf on Sunday with my Dad, sister and her boyfriend. Lovely sunny day, not as cold as forecast (around -2°C in the car park). Snow was generally good for pistencruisen, and the sunny slopes like the KiWest run were great. Shadier pistes tended to be scraped to the rock solid boilerplate in the middle, with ~5-10cms of the scraped off snow to the sides (v nice to ski on!). Skied a couple of little powder-on-grass offpiste stashes but there really isn't much of a base anywhere offpiste. The whole mountain and valley are white though so at least everything looks(ed) wintery in the SkiWelt again!

Last night a little dusting fell on the mountains around Innsbruck; only a centimetre or two though. First avalanche bombs of the season at Nordkette this morning (crazy that that took until the end of Jan!), but I think only to make sure everything unstable was cleared out before the coming snow. AT Nordkette still only the park is open for skiing.

Looks like some decent snowfall coming this week, mostly on Thursday and into Friday (maybe Saturday too). Most of the snowfall seems to be concentrated further east, but the Nordstau spots (Arlberg, Nordkette, Seefeld, etc) should pick up some solid snowfall too. Kühtai will get a bit less because it's more inner-alpine and sheltered, but you can probably expect ~30cms there too. Possibility of a little something extra early next week too plus sharply dropping temperatures... Could be fun Smile

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Flying to INN w/c 12/2, first time in Austria for about a decade and bringing my young apprentice who's building confidence off piste.
Anyone care to recommend me a resort or 2? Looking for snow (forecast looking good) and interesting, accessible/safe terrain above all else; not really bothered about mileage or apres... apart from good pizza!
Guess we either;
A. stay in Innsbruck and bus/train out daily (Axamer Lizum looks interesting)
B. head East; Zillertal? Hochfugen?
C. head West to the obvious... although have done St.Anton/Lech a few times in the distant past.
Any chance at all of dodging the half-term hordes???
Appreciate any input - TIA!
Cheers.

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@J2Dave, I'll be in Hochfugen next week. Plenty in the ziller valley to get your young grasshopper testing the ungroomed

After all it is free

@J2Dave, Im there next Friday. yes been before, also worth skiing zell as there's plenty of safe freeriding there

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@J2Dave, I would head to the Zillertal, whilst I pretty much always go to the Arlberg these days accommodation is hard to find at the moment so maybe better to head elsewhere. From what I remember Hochfügen is a cluster of hotels around some lifts so might be a bit quiet. Not much in Kaltenbach at all so probably best look at Zell or Mayrhofen.

Help!!

Innsbruck & Tirol 22/23 Snow

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