 Poster: A snowHead
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@johnbarr So the golf season will be over soon then!! You around the 4th to the 10th at all?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@jafa, I've sent you a PM re January
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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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| johnbarr wrote: |
I skied at Leogang yesterday with snowhead espri and a friend from the UK. The new Steinbergbahn gondola whisked us to the top.
In places the snow was thin...
...but the slopes that were open were in pretty good shape until they softened up around mid-afternoon.
The forecast is now predicting colder conditions with snow down to village level on Christmas day and a bigger dump next weekend. Fingers crossed! |
Hope that comes through.
Will you be around during the week from the 10th onwards? If so, do you fancy meeting up?
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i will give a try tomorrow....the 3rd photo persuaded me....
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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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Forecast has swapped round. Biggish fall (20cm) now forecast for 25th and 26th in Saalbach, Leogang etc. (so should happen I hope as only two days out). The event at the weekend is now passing further south- just 2cm forecast for Saalbach. But cold in either case with village barely at freezing for a week - so serious snowmaking I expect...
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Now the forecast has changed. 2cm at the weekend has become 32cm... The projected storm path has moved further north. And temps down to -21C.
part of the Alps is going to get very lucky ... Which part...?
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@Scorpio88, You're not working for a taxi firm by any chance? I only ask because we are staying in Ellmau but spending our evenings in Kitz and need a kind taxi firm to take us back on New Year's Night about 2am! Any fare charged is worth it for seeing Colin and Ali in the Jegerwirt for the NYE party!
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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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@Dougie, Nope sorry mate, working at the ski school, which makes the lack of snow even worse 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I'm here right now and it's snowing. Snow is so much better today but it's quite busy because a lot of the ski schools are here. There is quite a bit forecast over the weekend and into next week.
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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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Forecast has reduced amount to fall to about 30cm from 45cm. But plenty of snowmaking too I guess low down to come.
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snowing on top?? definitely not in the resort
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You know it makes sense.
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I walked up to Pointenhof (a hotel/restaurant at about 1,000 m) for a Christmas drink at lunch time. There was no snow at that level, although it was trying to snow on us on the way home (more like dandruff). Most forecasts have the temperature dropping over the next few days, getting below -10 at resort level later in the week, with snow flurries most days.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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Skied the Skiwelt all week, was very busy earlier in the week but quietened down the last two days. It wouldn't be busy if a wider area was available. Had a feeling of de ja vu most of the week. Today it was snowing most of the day, although very light with the occasional heavy flurry for a few mins, it had barely sprinkled the grassy bits by the end of the day. The cannons came on at about 3pm apart from Sunday they haven't been on all week (with little evidence that they were used overnight).
Fingers crossed for a dump overnight, it's been trying to start for the last few hours down here in Soll - it doesn't feel too cold here but the paths are icy.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@hammerite, Hope the expected snow lands for you. We are setting off for Ellmau Sunday afternoon so will be skiing by Monday morning. Finger crossed... 
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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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We had 4 inches of fresh powder in the valley last night, which usually translates in to twice that amount higher up. The first snowplough of the year has just been down our road - it feels like the season has finally arrived!
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St Johann opens tomorrow. A few runs that don't have snow machine cover will be closed, but they are hoping to have all higher pistes and the main run down to the gondola valley station open.
Waidring and Fieberbrunn both have about half of the resort open, but if the low temperatures persist and we get the predicted snowfall, that situation will improve quickly.
On the SkiWelt the links between Ellmau, Scheffau and Brixen are now open. Although the piste to the valley is not yet officially open, there were tracks down to the gondola station in Scheffau this morning. Soell plans to open at least one run down to the valley tomorrow.
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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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Went skiing on the 24th in Kitz / Kirchberg. Snow is pretty hard and the slopes are fairly busy, but the skiing wasn't too bad and only had a bit of a wait (10 mins) at two of the chairlifts after lunch. The Steinbergkogel area is probably the best section for me - black run 23 is very nice. Also blue run 30 off the Pengelstein was enjoyable - especially the top section!
For those worried about snow conditions - take heart - it has been snowing pretty much non-stop since around 00:00 last night up until around 12:00'ish with more snow predicted for the remainder of today
If it was easier to post photos I would but it is not looking too bad at all...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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As John says woke up to a good 10cm down in Soll this morning. It wasn't snowing at 2.30am when I woke in the night and looked out the window so must have come down pretty hard. Unfortunately Skiwelt decided they couldn't open any new runs today I think so they can crack on preparing them for this weekend's new arrivals. Still had fun messing around in the new stuff. Conditions should be pretty good for you Dougie.
Snow cannons were on all day too which meant I resembled a snowman by the end of the day.
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@hammerite, Shame it wasn't open for you. The website has listed the runs opening tomorrow and Sunday. Think that means the rest of them, but not sure.
http://www.skiwelt.at/en/skiwelt-winter-seasonstart.html
Are you around for the weekend? If so, enjoy yourself in the fresh stuff.
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@Dougie, yes looks like all the runs will be open within a couple of days. Unfortunately we're not around at the weekend, currently typing this at Salzburg airport! No new snow overnight but all the cannons were on full blast as we left Soll.
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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 skied at Fieberbrunn this morning with espri, who thankfully had a spare pair of gloves in his car after I managed to leave one of mine at home! Most of the lifts were open, but only a limited selection of narrow runs. They were pumping out tons of snow, and the real stuff started to fall around lunch time (and is still going now after sunset). A few more days like this and most resorts will be more or less fully open.
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Skied parts of the SkiWelt from Ellmau yesterday. Very cold especially in the wind on tops. Very busy as well. Runs were ok considering the amount of snow; bit icy, bit patchy, but ok. Went down to Brixen to ski on Westondorf but gondola was only loading the cars. Got skibus to Kirchberg and Fleckambahn closed. Ended up in Kitzbuhel having a few drinks until bed about half 8.
Woke up to loads of snow. Supposed to not be as cold today and much more should be open.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Dougie, As you started this thread in anticipation of your holiday - I hope you enjoy the skiing. There is certainly enough snow - I've just cleared last night's snow off my drive and I guess I'll have to do it again after lunch. Hopefully as the skiers are distributed over more (and wider) runs, the place will become less busy.
Are any of the valley runs open yet - Kitzbuhel or SkiWelt? Web sites say no but I'd have thought we now had enough snow on the lower slopes.
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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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@johnbarr, They opened the family Streif into Kitz on Monday afternoon although quite patchy. We skied down late yesterday afternoon after a lovely Goulash soup in the Seidlalm restaurant. Icy and rutted but fine. As for the SkiWelt, we skied the Brixen run from the Salve side and from Westondorf side and both Westondorf runs to the bottom. They were all good. Getting on the train at Ellmau, people were skiing down so that is open. Don't know about others but will find out today. My only complaint is the KiWest gondola still shut so we had to get the postbus to Kirchberg to ski there. Surely it will open soon. It is still snowing but I believe it is due to clear up this afternoon for some beautiful bluebird skiing tomorrow.
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@Dougie, Thanks for the update. I've just cleared my drive again, I reckon we've had almost a metre of soft, fluffy stuff fall since Christmas. I'll give Kitzbuhel a go tomorrow, nice and early while the most people are nursing their New Year hangovers!
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You know it makes sense.
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@johnbarr, If you get a chance tomorrow it would be interesting to see another pic of the Streif from the same spot as the one you posted the other day. It must be about a fortnight until the snow control so it will be interesting to see what has become possible. I suppose having seen the pic the other day we should simply be grateful if the race happens but it would also be a disappointment to see it without the Hausbergkante jump again this year. I mention this as it did rather look as though they had given up even trying to cover it and the traverse to the Zielschuss.
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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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Cannot believe that I slept in! Off to Kitzbuhel today and the sky is blue. A quality night in the Jegerwirt and only €50 taxi back to Ellmau ("only" being comparative to what would have been charged in UK for the trip.
Please please please let KiWest be open today...
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Poster: A snowHead
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They seem to be running out of water in the reservoirs at Saalbach they've been making so much snow. I assume they refill them slow time?
This was almost full a week ago.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| robboj wrote: |
| @johnbarr, If you get a chance tomorrow it would be interesting to see another pic of the Streif from the same spot as the one you posted the other day. It must be about a fortnight until the snow control so it will be interesting to see what has become possible. I suppose having seen the pic the other day we should simply be grateful if the race happens but it would also be a disappointment to see it without the Hausbergkante jump again this year. I mention this as it did rather look as though they had given up even trying to cover it and the traverse to the Zielschuss. |
the problem last year was that it was too warm to get snow to take properly on that jump you mention
Skied the streif a number of times last year late feb - was fine first thing in the morning but a nightmare at the end of the day - slushy moguls. yuck.
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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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What a difference a bit of visibility makes! Skied from Ellmau over to KiWest. The new section of piste to Brixen from Hohe Salve (1b) was absolutely amazing! KiWest was a means to an end, dreadful in places. I can see now why it has not been open. No base whatsoever so skiing on beautifully posted flat sections then piles of snow with grass between in steeper parts. Not complaining though. Up the Penglestein for late lunch. Some tremendous Black runs in Kitzbuhel, perfect even late in the day. Down th Family Streif to end the day. That was really much better and probably the best condition at the end of the day that I have skied it for years.
For anyone in the area, my suggestions would be the Black pistes from the Steinbekorgel (sp.?) and Westondorf (not KiWest piste though)
On to tomorrow now and our final day's ski.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Dougie was that run actually officially open? Sounds like lumps of man made waiting to be pisted
Yes those blacks off the Steinbergkogel hold snow well as North facing.
Good that family Streif skied well. Can be a nightmare as you know
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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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@buchanan101, was definitely open but shouldn't have been IMO. Still, glad it was as saved a bus journey.
Skied final day Friday by driving to Kitz and parking in H'kamm car park. Brilliant day despite the fact it was RAMMED! The Blue 26 to Kirchberg was amazing and the Black 38 and 23 were outstanding. Unbelievably, the Family Streif was still in very good nick, perhaps even better than the other day. The bathers were out preparing the race sections at the Alterschniser (sp.) and on the Hausbergkanter (sp. Again).
Finished now and, after leaving Kitz at 3.30pm, finally made it home by 10am.
Hope all have great skiing this season. See you all next year around September when I start obsessively checking webcams and weather reports.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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P.S. The AlpKing hostel, Ellmau is fantastic. Clean, inexpensive, friendly and in a brill location. I highly recommend.
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Ah - they do pump up the reservoirs - they aren't a one shot for the whole winter. One in Saalbach slowly filling, compare with pic higher up from two days ago
Sorry the whole business of snow making is quite interesting.
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I started the New Year skiing with johnbarr in the Kirchberg/Kitzbühel area. The weather was pretty well perfect, blue skies and sun, and the new snow of the past week had improved conditions considerably. You can compare this photo taken from the Ehrenbachhöhe with the one from 19th December which I posted earlier...
We started from the Fleckalmbahn, skiing down into Kitzbühel on the Familienstreif. As others have reported it, it was in a good condition. Here are some shots of how the Streif downhill track is looking now, first a view from the Walde lift towards the Mausefalle just below the start on the Hahnenkamm...
And, for robboj, a photo looking down from the Hausbergkante and then another (rather blurred and misty) looking back towards it across the Traverse...
The situation is completely different from that before Christmas. I presume that the race will go ahead on (and about) 24th January. On the final schuss a platform was being built for the jump (I hadn't realised they did this but I surmise they probably do it every year to give constant conditions) and I have seen photos of the course being tramped down.
Leaving the Streif there was one novelty to see: the wire tow (called Märchenwald) which used to pull people's arms off on the way back to the race Starthaus on the Hahnenkamm has been replaced by a long "magic carpet", the only new lift in the Kitzbühel area this season, I think (not counting the Bichlalm chairlift on the other side of the valley which is still without cables and with a farmhouse in the middle of its track)...
Our aim for the day was to ski the Kitzbühel Ski Safari, all the way to Pass Thurn and back, so we set off southwards. The pistes were quite busy and there were queues at some lifts but nothing too desperate. The photo below shows John near the top of the Resterkogel above Pass Thurn with Mittersill in the background...
We went all the way and then lunched well at the Berghotel Breitmoos, near the middle station of the Panoramabahn gondola (as far down as the ski piste goes). On the return journey we skied down to Pass Thurn and I took this photo looking north after coming back up the Resterhöhe chairlift...
On the way back to Kirchberg we had time to ski to the Pengelstein I gondola, on a piste which had been closed when I was there a fortnight before. Conditions have indeed improved, though we still need more snow to provide good cover. When skiing alongside the pistes, I found the snow heavy and difficult. However, it was still a very good day on the slopes.
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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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Hi everyone.
I am Dougie's older, some might say better looking brother, and also a Snowheads newbie! I had no idea he had so many friends! No wonder he never spoke to me at breakfast and food/drinks stops in Kitz last week; he was too busy telling you lot all about it!
Anyhow, I was going to drop in a picture of him in action but I clearly need to learn how to put a picture on this board first.
Other than that, we were so lucky to ski over new year and enjoy the full range of weather and piste conditions in 5 days. 3 days of great, if tough at times, skiing in ever increasing amounts of in groomed powder followed by 2 days of enjoying the sun and increased visibility on slopes that, in the main, were in great condition considering what they looked like the week before!
As Dougie said, the blacks from Steinbergkogel were in superb nick and the blue (26?) down to Kitchberg has long been one of my favourite pistes anywhere (especially if you can catch it at a quieter moment - first thing or dinner time often good).
But my highlight was skiing down from the Hohe Salve to Itter on what transpired to be a closed piste ( we didn't realise it was closed until we were too far down the road to turn back) It was NYE and the piste clearly hadn't been groomed at all, meaning 3 days of snow lay on it with only a few tracks carved through it. I am not an off-piste skier at all and would never have chosen to ski those conditions, but once I had to we enjoyed a sensational ski through knee, sometimes waist, deep powder. I can actually see what all the fuss is about off-piste now! (I'm still too chicken though, this was perfect because technically we were on a marked piste.)
I hope everyone off to the Kitz/Soll area enjoys the same luck as us. I am very jealous that many of you can go in January for half the cost and a fraction of the traffic on the lift system! For me, it's just fingers crossed that the conditions are good in the run up to this years Hahnenkamm race.
Happy skiing everyone![/img]
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Snowheads newbie lesson 1; check what you've typed for mistakes before hitting 'submit'. (in groomed = ungroomed!) I'll leave you to work the rest out!
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