Departed St Anton this morning, I feel for anyone coming this weekend/next week as the conditions are dreadful. Was a depressing sight driving past the die harders waiting for the ski bus to attempt water skiing for the day.
Nonsense
Arlberg has the best snowpack & conditons in the European Alps ...
Today....
Approx 3.5 Metrre of Snowpack
85 out of 85 Lifts operational -- 100%
279km out of 302km Ski Pistes Open -- 92.3% available ..
Off Piste ... You take your choices..
Its Wintertime .. You have to take the bad with the good ... If you only rock up for 1 week or 2 its always a risk ..
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
Folks Friday could be interesting
End Of the Spring Break Holidays ..
Thursday
A Föhn from the South will push into Austria when temperatures rise sharply,
Emerging snow
In the night to Friday, the rain in the Southern Alps will increasingly turn into snow; and in the 24 hours that follow, the entire Alpine region will have its turn for a pack of snow.
It is worth noting that the snow, which will also fall in Austria, does not come from a nordstau (i.e. from the north), but from the south.
This is the same situation as at the beginning of December when we got Dumped on with lot of snow on both the south and north side of the Alps (and which we had to live on for a long time afterwards).
At the moment probable amounts of 20 to 50 centimeters in large parts of Austria.
Changeover day
What about Saturdays when many winter sports enthusiasts return? Most of the snow will have fallen by then, but you have to keep in mind that some snow can still fall. This is possible throughout the Alpine region.
A lot of doom and gloom on this thread…no one going to mention that it’s about to dump ~10” over the next 24h?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@fox15, Maybe, the weather over the next few days is coming from the south, there is likely to be some snow but how much for the Arlberg? The prevailing weather is from the north / north west which is where most snow comes. Ideally the Arlberg gets a northern "stau" with stationary low pressure over the southern Baltic. This can bring huge amounts of snow (think January 2019). At the moment we are looking at a succession of "Genoa" lows which bring heavy snow south of the main ridge (Livigno & St Moritz might do well), but might mean more Föhn type conditions for the Arlberg. A bit of a top up yes, deep powder no. No issue for the pistes as the depths are so good, might be good for a few hours Saturday morning but not likely to be a great improvement off piste.
After all it is free
After all it is free
How much you got in Anton this morning? I was gonna drive over but I'm closer to Ischgl and looks like they got more here
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@munich_irish, bergfex still saying 340cm up the mountain for today.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
sorry 340mm lol
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@blkball, Wepowder's algorithm is suggesting 15 cm for Galzig, which seems to fit in with the local bod's views on the Tourist office site. Always difficult to predict the amount of snow, a predicted few snowflakes turn into a dump and most often the other way around! This time more snow for places south and east of the Arlberg which is unusual.
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.
@munich_irish, ah ok, im heading over next Friday so hoping for the best case scenario. I see its warm again next week so not ideal.
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
Great conditions in St Anton today. Sunny and warm, and the new snow on Friday has made all the pistes really good. The snow is fairly loose on the pistes too, not too packed down. Tomorrow is not looking so good, more cloud but the week ahead doesnt look bad. Currently Thursday is supposed to be the best weather but that can change quickly. Yesterday was also good in most of St Anton but a few clouds appeared over Galzig and more over Kappal
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
From looking at the images I thought as much. Hopefully next weekend good too, there is a suggestion of more snow at the end of the week.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Can anyone recommend a place to get skis serviced in Oberlech or Lech?
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Russeh, Sportalp in Lech, next to the Schlegelkopfbahn. In Oberlech: SportHuber, in Hotel Sonnenburg
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Langerzug thank you
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?
@munich_irish, thanks to your advice I've booked St Anton (rather than Serfaus/Fiss) for Jan 25. Now the fun of looking at piste maps. Old maps show no link to Lech/Zurs so I assume Flexen is the new lift that does this. I can't see how Lech and Zurs are linked easily though - is that a bus link (there is a ski route one way in a fairly roundabout route from Zurs to Lech). And the piste map doesn't show which way Blue 126 goes, though it only makes sense that it runs from Lech to Zurs (and involves a drag)
@buchanan101, the skiroute connecting Zürs and Lech via Zug (nr 170) is always groomed. It's like a long red piste.
Piste 126 goes from Hexenboden down in direction Zürs. It is not near Lech.
Returning from Lech you take Rüfikopfbahn, then piste 180, then Towlift Schüttboden, piste 185, Trittalmbahn, Piste 123 which brings you down to Zürs and towards Trittkopf/Flexenbahn back to St.Anton
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Langerzug wrote:
@buchanan101, the skiroute connecting Zürs and Lech via Zug (nr 170) is always groomed. It's like a long red piste.
Piste 126 goes from Hexenboden down in direction Zürs. It is not near Lech.
Returning from Lech you take Rüfikopfbahn, then piste 180, then Towlift Schüttboden, piste 185, Trittalmbahn, Piste 123 which brings you down to Zürs and towards Trittkopf/Flexenbahn back to St.Anton
Thanks - I read a blurred map wrong - that was the return route I was talking about. I'm guessing that can be a busy link if it's relying on a tow, and no way to avoid it if making the return
How long is the whole loop St Anton/Zurs/Zug/Lech/Zurs/St Anton? I can do the Sella Ronda both ways in a day (65km and 30+ lifts) easily. The reputation of St Anton suggests the skiing will be harder though (the SR is pretty gently stuff). Lech looks like you have to walk from one side to the other. What is StAnton like for queues generally (in January)
Thanks
@buchanan101, I'm always staying in Lech, and never do the round to St.Anton anymore so can't really help on that. But I know it is easily done within a day. Somewhat similar to Sella Ronda I'd think in length, but indeed definitely more spicy reds etc. Queues should be fine in general in January.
Slight remark: if you like the skiing in the Dolomites, you might prefer the Lech side over the St.Anton side...Lech is more central too.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Langerzug, Thanks, I will look - have a pretty good hotel price for St Anton at the moment the Mossmer (4 star, central) for £1300 for a single room B&B), but will check Lech.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@buchanan101, You must be looking at a pretty old map, the Flexenbahn has been in place for a few years now. It is the primary link between the "St Anton" side and the "Lech" side. There are a few die hards such as myself who continue to use the buses on occasions as it can facilitate more actual skiing eg get the 08:40 bus from St Anton and you will be on the lift at Zürs by 09:10, you would be hard pushed to do that using the Flexenbahn.
Links between Zürs & Lech are a bit fragmented. Assuming it is open then the Madloch ski route is a must do run which goes to the updated chair at Zug or direct to the backstreets of Lech. There are plans afoot (not appreciated by regulars) to build a chair lift from Zug to the Madloch col and turn the ski route into a piste, this will improve the connection considerably from a tourist office perspective but take away some of the soul of the Arlberg.
The return from Lech is via the Ruffikopf cable cars, then via some pleasant but unremarkable pistes to Zürs. The shuttle bus every 10 mins from the stop outside the cable car station in the centre of Lech is a quicker way to get to Zürs, helpful if you plan on going to Warth & back or have a late lunch.
The round St Anton to Lech & back is very easy in a day (extending to Warth can be a bit keen), Madloch would be the most "challenging" run. If you are going to get the Flexenbahn do so via the Schindler gondola (take the "experts" option, it only leads to a short red unless you fancy jumping off cliffs, couloirs etc) first thing, it then gives a very long run (around 1000m drop) all the way to Alp Rauz, later in the day it can get rather moguled. Queues can be an issue but generally only in the mornings they seem to evaporate around 12:00
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.
@munich_irish, the 'updated chair at Zug' is a gondola...
The lift from Zug up to Madloch is not likely to come anytime soon. But the remodeling of the Madloch route indeed is coming, and possibly even this summer already.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Supposedly 4 lifts planned (two gondolas, two chairs). 3 are replacements of 2 man chairs and drag, one is new...
@buchanan101, you should not take Skiresort.info too seriously.
Grubenalpbahn is off the list, not allowed; Dorfbahn Schröcken is a very ambitious plan for many years already...
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.
@Langerzug, ok, they seemed to be right for Obergurgl and Saalbach in the past...
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
Folks...Quick update
Below Freezing on the hill & Its been snowing (clearing up now) ... we have some fresh dandruff on the slopes ..
The remainder of the week is a mixed weather of Clouds, Sun , and some light precipiation...
We are still battling these Southerly Föhn Systems but a new low system is incoming this Friday which could give us some FRESH POW !
@buchanan101, Dolomites+Saalbach+Obergurgl....more and more pointers for skiing Lech instead of St.Anton
(apart from the aprés-ski which is sedate in Lech)
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Another question for those who know the Arlberg area better than i do. I'm trying to remember/plan if there is a way back from St Anton to Zurs that my wife could do (e.g. blues) I seem to recall from the top of Galzig there is a short black and then it's all blue to the bottom of the Flexenbahn. It looks like piste 59 takes you to the same place but without going down the black, is that right?
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Langerzug wrote:
@buchanan101, Dolomites+Saalbach+Obergurgl....more and more pointers for skiing Lech instead of St.Anton
(apart from the aprés-ski which is sedate in Lech)
Have skied several times in Ischgl which is predominantly red runs so I imagine more like St Anton. I will keep looking for Lech hotels.
Yes, Obergurgl, where one run that should be blue is for some reason black (if you know Obergurgl you'll know the one - it's great as it puts people off and it is dark blue at worst)... Though Solden is a bit more "red" overall
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@buchanan101, the issue with St.Anton is that it greatly lacks the Autobahn like cruise-carve pistes. Many bottle necks, moguls. etc.
Don't get me wrong, I used to like St.Anton a lot just because of that. But many people get disappointed about the difference between its 'fame' and its reality.
There also is a large contingent of people loving Ischgl but despising St.Anton, exactly because of this....The reds in Ischgl are much much smoother than those in St.Anton.
And due to the new connection between St.Anton and Zürs, and the above, a great carve piste like no 100 turns into a mogul field early in the day, because of the crowds 'fleeing' to Flexenbahn to head for the pistes of Zürs and Lech.
Many Arlberg regulars are nowadays advising to use the bus (the old way) instead of the Flexenbahn (download!) because of this.
In short: if you like skiroutes, off-piste, mogul and other challenges and some 'tough work' when skiing, you will love or at least be fine in St.Anton. If not, you might get disappointed about St.Anton.
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?
@Russeh, indeed from Galzig you can take the 59 (the black one is not necessary) and than the 76 and Arlenmähderbahn, and then the 100. All blue, but since the new Flexenbahn and its crowds, the no 100 turns into a huge and long mogul field early in the day....Not sure your wife is gonna like that....
@Russeh, No issue Zürs to St Anton, take the Flexenbahn then Valfagehrbahn there is then a long schuss followed by a blue run all the way back to St Anton. The issue has been that the blue run (Steissbachtal) has been closed due to being threatened by unstable slopes above, this leaves the only alternative of taking the Kandahar black, which while not crazy steep often builds up some big mushy moguls and gets pretty crazy when too many folk try to come down it (see image above). In the other direction from Galzig there is a blue option to get to the Arlenmähder chair (avoids direct short black) then long blue to Alpe Rauz (best done first thing otherwise can turn into endless moguls). For Zürs perhaps best stay on lift, skiing alternatives are not straightforward (ski routes, walking, red with narrow sections).
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Russeh, in short, for people sticking to gentle pistes, St.Anton simply doesn't work. Just not, sadly.
@Langerzug, I'm a first lift person, so I would beat most of the crowds to 100. I feel like I should do the area one day before I get too old, but I will keep looking at Lech hotels. I always book cancellable hotels anyway...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
The comparison between St Anton & Lech has been done to death, they are both good! St Anton has the more varied skiing, not many "cruisy blues" (if you want that go to France!) but lots of different challenges from keen sporty beginners to rubbed legged experts. It is also more "lively" though some of the mountain town atmosphere has been lost in recent times with the move to make it more expensive. Lech is more sedate though too much posing for my liking (the Bogner ski suit and Strolz boot stereotype lives!) and the skiing is a bit bland, yes there are some steep ski routes and there is Langerzug (which is really a steep though groomed black) but the pistes are nothing special. I think the Lech home runs tend to mush more than the St Anton ones do but not a lot of difference, both have piles of sugar come any sort of sunny afternoon. Lech is a nice place and the ideal spot for many for a winter holiday especially if a decent lunch is a priority, St Anton better is you want to ski from first to last and then drink beer! Zürs probably has the "best" skiing (certainly from a piste perspective) but nothing of interest to do there, resorted to buying coffee from the machine in the lift station last time as didnt want to waste half an hour trying to get served in the only piste side spot.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@munich_irish, Thanks - had assumed Zurs being higher and central is most expensive, but not the case from the limited hotels currently available.
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.
@munich_irish, Variety goes both ways.....exactly because St.Anton lacks the cruisy blues, it's Lech-Zürs (which is and was always one skiarea) that has most variety. With -since 2014- the proximity of 100% north facing Warth as an extra bonus.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Langerzug wrote:
Lech-Zürs (which is and was always one skiarea)
A unified ski area with no linking pistes........
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads on Tue 27-02-24 15:05; edited 1 time in total
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