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?
Just back from 3 days in Hintertux. Had a bit of wind, a bit of poor viz - but Friday was a total blue sky day. Snow conditions IMO were excellent. It's a great place.
They are busy building a playground for the boarders over the back of the top station, diggers, piste bashers and manual labour all working hard.
My skiing was better today, less aching legs. All going great until the point were I missed a turn and hit the piste face first! Now nursing a headache, cut lip and grazed nose and chin. Maybe I need a helmet with chinguard like the slalom skiers were sporting.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
To anybody who has been to both how does Stubai compare to Hintertux?
My memory of Hintertux is vague, but I'm about to renew my acquaintance with it soon. My gut feeling is that the Stubai is more extensive and Hintertux steeper.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Stubai had around 12 runs and at least 9 lifts open yesterday.
Most of the runs are Blue, maybe 2 red, one black, and more ski slalom poles than I have ever seen. There was potential for off-piste, although a lot of it looked rocky. Lots of space on the side of the pistes for gentle off-piste adventures. My guess is the snowboard park will be open soon, they were busy building it.
The car park at the base is huge, and has a bus shuttle if you end up at the wrong end. The gondola up to the glacier is around a 10min trip.
There seemed to be a constant stream of busses some from Innsbruck.
If you take a car it costs 2.50eu each way toll to get in to the valley.
Never been to hinterux so can't comper it, but off to Pitztal next weekend so will report back after that.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Hintertux is the best glacier I've skiied on. It's huge, with vast, wide-open pistes to cruise around on. There are a couple of nice blacks (none of them mega-steep) and some superb runs for trying out your best carved turns! Would love to go back.
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Piccadilly, they maybe wide but all to often large areas blocked off for training camps! Same on the Kitzsteinhorn. Hintertux is not that extensive compared with what is on offer in terms of safe terrain on Stubai but Stubai is a lot "flatter" i.e. gentler in the main. And that is probably why it is not used by many race camps. My favourite runs are over the back from the gondolas and are served by some ancient schleppers and a 2-man fixed chair (or they were the last time I was there about 6 years ago!).
stevev, The route called Wilde Grub'n is amazing and well worth the trip if they are skiing down to the bottom station.
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Samerberg Sue wrote:
Piccadilly, they maybe wide but all to often large areas blocked off for training camps! Same on the Kitzsteinhorn. Hintertux is not that extensive compared with what is on offer in terms of safe terrain on Stubai but Stubai is a lot "flatter" i.e. gentler in the main. And that is probably why it is not used by many race camps. My favourite runs are over the back from the gondolas and are served by some ancient schleppers and a 2-man fixed chair (or they were the last time I was there about 6 years ago!).
stevev, The route called Wilde Grub'n is amazing and well worth the trip if they are skiing down to the bottom station.
I wouldn't really describe Hintertux as 'steep'. A couple of areas I suppose. I've been twice and ski teams are a lot less intrusive than they are at Saas Fe.
If there is a better glacier ski area in Europe it must be pretty good.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Samerberg Sue, oh, none of it was blocked off for anything when we were there two years ago in January. It was just a vast expanse of endlessly wide pistes to play on!
Fifespud, I didn't say it was steep
I thought it was miles better than Kaprun, for instance.
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.
Piccadilly wrote:
Samerberg Sue, oh, none of it was blocked off for anything when we were there two years ago in January. It was just a vast expanse of endlessly wide pistes to play on!
January is mid winter,it's not going to be a problem when there is a lot of other places to go. The problem is NOW, in Autumn when there is no where else to train, then they congregate on glaciers.
The only time I notice them in Stubai was when they were warming up on a blue at mach2
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Snowline down to 500m tonight in Austria according to LocalRadio (FM4)
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Piccadilly, I only ski on the glaciers when the other areas have closed. The ski clubs, race teams, instructor training courses are also there for the same reason. In October the preparations for the opening races at Soelden on the third weekend of the month are at their most intensive. Lots of areas sectioned off at the Kitzsteinhorn and Hintertux because these give the steepness. I've skied on the Kitzsteinhorn in May, June and July and every time part of the glacier has been sectioned off, rented for the exclusive use of race teams from all over the world. There are 5 sections available for hire. Unfortunately you cannot find out until you are up there as the plan is posted on the board next to the info office in the Alpin Centre. At 41 Euro a day that is a bit of a gamble!
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I was just saying what I thought when I was there
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Got to dig my car out this morning and I'm only on the border! The rain turned to snow overnight and more is forecast for today and tomorrow. Not a great deal yet but it is falling on to semi-frozen ground this time!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Off to Pitztal tomorrow for a couple of days, the weather looks excellent again.
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?
Weather was great in Ptztal, Snow was just as good.
Pitztal Galcier is quite different from Stubai, steeper, mostly reds rather than Stubai which was mostly blues.
Only problem I found was the slow access in the morning. There is a train up to the glacier rather than a lift and it took a while to get up there. The queues at 8:45 were pretty bad, it is probably ok in the main season, but at the moment no so good. It took me 40min from getting in the queue to arriving at the top. Wasted 30mins of that stood in a queue. In that time three trans went up the hill.
The main Blue run was fed off a long draglift which took forever to get to the top. The rest of the area was fed by two gondola lifts and a chairlift.
The view from the top was great.
I stayed in a great hotel, Hotel Wildspitze, very near to the ski station.
http://www.hotel-wildspitze.com/
Nice rooms and a great Spa. I had my first experience of Austrian saunas, quite revealing for someone used to UK gym saunas.
Warm weather forecast for West Austrian mountains tomorrow, up to 21degC
Morgen etwas Regen, im W Föhn
Morgen im Osten und Süden meist trüb und zeitweise Nieseln oder etwas Regen, vor allem in Osttirol und Kärnten. Von Vorarlberg bis ins Mostviertel dagegen trocken und zeitweise sonnig. Lebhafter bis starker Südostwind, an der Alpennordseite teils stürmischer Föhn. 7 bis 13 Grad, bei Föhn bis zu 21.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Nice reports stevev, Yeah shame about the weather warming but still early days.
Back in England this coming weekend, but looking for suggestions for the weekend after. Done Stubai and Pitztal, so were next. I live in Friedrichshafen so Hintertux is a bit of a trek. Is there anywhere else open, besides Soelden?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Argh, that picture is making me jelly as I'm sitting here reading books on public policy and administration, 53 days till I can escape, maybe 5-6 days earlier if I can wangle it.....
After all it is free
After all it is free
Have you tried Kuhnertal (sp) yet, stevev. I believe that is in Tirol.
We have a strong föhn blowing here in Oberbayern as well. giving me headaches ohne Ende!
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Sounds like a nice place Sue, but it's a long way up the valley to the resorts. Thanks for the tip though.
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stevev, just checked my facts and there is Kaunertal which is one over towards you from Pitztal and the other place I was thinking of was Kühtai but that is not a glacier area. It is a tourer's paradise and also has a very long season as I remember. I think it is now marketed as Özttal skiing and you start skiing at 2000m, but I don't think it is open for normal skiing yet. It has a really long season though and is great for late season skiing.
If you've done Pitztal, I don't think Kaunnertal is any further away to be honest.
Solden is fun - The Tiefenbach glacier has some very flattering blue runs, ideal for testing out any equipment/techniques. The Rettenbach is a bit more testing, especially the World Cup Hang which is often a very icy black but fun when it is completely open to ski. It is suicidal during the race weekend as the public bit is reduced to the width of a small country lane full of wannabes trying to show how fast they can ski and yelling at you to get out of their way!
I prefer to park at Tiefenbach if I drive up (costs and extra 17 Euros to use the road up) or I park in the Gaislachkogl Car Park (free) at the further end of town and catch the bus up (included in the pass).
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Kaunertal is the one google suggested for your misspelling, it looks good but I can't work out the prices. According to the site the toll road down the glacier road to the resort cost 22eu per day, plus 38eu for a pass, that is well expensive. I assumed the pass included the road but can't find that anywhere.
I know Kuhtai, went ski oturing there when I was in Munich a few winters ago, nice but not open yet.
I am leaving Soelden until the full area is open, my mate wants to go their in December.
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.
stevev wrote:
Kaunertal is the one google suggested for your misspelling, it looks good but I can't work out the prices. According to the site the toll road down the glacier road to the resort cost 22eu per day, plus 38eu for a pass, that is well expensive. I assumed the pass included the road but can't find that anywhere.
I know Kuhtai, went ski oturing there when I was in Munich a few winters ago, nice but not open yet.
I am leaving Soelden until the full area is open, my mate wants to go their in December.
Has anyone skied Matrei/Kals? Also wondering about the Molltaller glacier which has runs above 3 thousand meters ---
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Had a perfect day today on the Stubai glacier for the start of my season. Quite busy but lift queues not too bad (enough to give my legs time to recover). Virtually no wind and very warm. A few icy patches but mostly not bad. Here are 3 photos...
The view from the Gamsgarten top station, looking at the Eisjoch chairlift and the main skiing area.
Looking up from outside the Eisgrat top station, towards the Schaufelspitze.
Impressive mountain panorama from the top of the Fernau chairlift, looking west (towards Sölden on the left and with the Gaisskarferner T-bar and Snowpark on the right; those with good eyes can maybe spot the Hildesheimer Hütte perched on a ridge in the middle).
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
When did you go espri? I was there last Saturday with SaraJ (from Fügen). There was a snowboard Test/Fun day going on over the back on the pistes by the Gaisskarferner And in the Snow Park. But it was a gorgeous day and the lift queues were not bad anywhere except at the link from the Gamsgarten/Schaufelspitze link!.
Just a pity my ankle and knee did not hold out for a better period of time plus my total lack of fitness. I have seriously underestimated how bad that knock on effect of my broken ankle is! I am going to have to start slowly between now and the main season and build up to some semblance of fitness, otherwise it is not going t be any good me buying my season ticket!
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Samerberg Sue wrote:
When did you go espri?
espri wrote:
... today ...
I.e. yesterday.
This coming week I won't be skiing but after that I hope to go to the Kitzsteinhorn a few times before the proper snow arrives. Interested? Trust the ankle will pick up with a litle exercise but these things probably do take a while.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
espri, DUH - coffee obviously had not yet kicked in!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I am trying to decide whether to head out to the glaciers this weekend, I am considering Kaunertal Glacier, but the weather doesn't look great.
I hope it is reasonable to ask here. Does anyone have any accommodation to offer for the weekend of the 12th - 13th November, anywhere near a ski resort in Austria? I am being sent to Munich for a meeting again the Monday / Tuesday after that and would like to get a few turns in. It is just one person,
not much snow around here. It's unseasonably warm in S.germany this week.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Apparently, autumn is coming back at the weekend... So hopefully the snow will arrive soon
After all it is free
After all it is free
I skied on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, near Kaprun, today. The weather was terrific. Snow was generally hard but mostly with a good grip (only the main glacier and down to the Alpincenter open). Not too busy, indeed in the afternoon after many of the training groups had left midday, the slopes were quite empty. Here are some photos...
Looking down over the glacier, with the lake at Zell am See in the middle of the picture
View "over the back" from the top of the glacier, towards the Grossglockner - off left - the prominent, snowy peak
in the middle is the Großvenediger
The Kitz T-bars
Lunchtime at the Alpincenter
(Alpine) choughed at a free lunch - the wine may be more difficult
View up the glacier, with snow cannons supplying what nature hasn't provided recently
The Kitzsteinhorn in the late afternoon sun, with the langlauf training loipe and fun park
Edit: cleared up what mountains could be seen in photo.
Last edited by After all it is free on Tue 15-11-11 21:07; edited 1 time in total
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Great Pics!!
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
espri, nice pics. May go there myself next week. Have a season pass now, so need to ski.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
Where's my snow 
