So it took me all of 5 seconds to talk my husband into cancelling our planned UK NYE short break, based on cost, when he realised we won't be paying that much more to go skiing for a few days, which will just tie us over until we go to Canada in February.
Didn't spend much time looking before I came up with a package I put together, flights good, wide selection of accommodation, in Kaprun. I chose it for the glacier, as we're looking to go 4th-8th December.
We are both competent skiers, will happily ski blacks and some double diamond blacks in Lake Louise, but equally like long cruisy runs and won't mind if that's all we do in Kaprun.
Question is will we be limited in terrain going so early in the season? Obviously I'm not looking for a Michael Fish giving me a long term forecast here, but has anyone been there that early, if so how much is open. Planning to ski 3 days.
Also any specific recommendations for accommodation - there's a fair few coming up at very good prices, some half board the same prices as self catering so pretty tempting. Or would we be better off eating in town?
Thanks in advance
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
saskew, Kaprun is mostly rammed at weekends in the pre-season, they seem to attract huge numbers of Eastern Europeans for some reason and their media/marketing department is always coming up with new ideas to promote the weekend skiing. I've been disappointed a couple of times when I've driven over to have a slide (it's included on my season pass) and found I have to park down in Car Park 5 or 6 and take the bus up to the lifts! I've found that the Hintertux and Stubai glacier ski areas offer more terrain and better value for money with longer runs. Possibly because Tirol has more glaciers they can spread the load so to speak!
Accommodation in Hintertux itself is fairly limited and expensive, but there are plenty of places down the valley and linked with the free bus service. At Stubai the main accommodation (there is a single hotel at Mutterberg at the base of the glacier) is in Neustift where there is plenty of choice, or you can stay in Innsbruck itself and take the bus up (which is what the locals do). You can get some really good deals in the business class hotels for weekends.
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?
Samerberg Sue, in all fairness both Hintertux and Stubai can also be rammed on pre-season weekends. I've gone through the experience of the 1.5 hour wait to get to the ticket office and then get to the lift at all three places. I don't do that any more!
As a UK tourist you will most likely need to get the bus either way (no car). Best to get a deal where the ski ticket is included so you are not faffing about at the ticket office. Might be worth holding out for a few days as the snow is falling high up at the moment.
Kaprun has upgraded the lifts in various places over the last 10 years or so freeing up more lift served offpiste terrain. Had a few cracking off-season powder days there skiing the X2 to X5 freeride routes. (always stayed away from X1 as there are creavices in that area). The bus load imported East european guests tend to stick to the pistes which is another bonus.
Never skied Stubai and have only skied Hintertux pre-season a few times but it was always hard ice after the top layer had been scraped off. Does Hintertux offer much in the way of offpiste when the conditions are good ?
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
DB,
Quote:
Does Hintertux offer much in the way of offpiste when the conditions are good ?
Havn't been up there for a few years, but there were some quite nice off piste routes, which at the time were not official 'freeride' areas, with all the dangers associated with going off piste on a glacier. I suspect that may have changed.
Steilhang, What I've noticed over the past 5 or 6 seasons is that the Kaprun marketing people are targeting Czech, Polish and other Eastern European markets and having special events catering specifically for them. I know that Hintertux has its Hungarian weekend, but it never seems to be as full, possibly because they open more ticket office windows (there are only ever 2 open really at Kaprun). As I'm usually using one of my season passes it is not a big deal for me. Once up on the glaciers the queues are definitely shorte on both Hintertux and at Stubai, possibly the latter because their are more options, I'm not sure. The race teams training in the Autumn cause a few queues but they mostly disappear around 12:30 so the later you ski the better it gets on any of the glaciers.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Thanks very much everyone the advice is appreciated. I hadn't anticipated it being so busy at that time, was thinking the complete opposite! The comments about Eastern Europeans explains the masses of hotel reviews on booking.com from all those countries, I couldn't quite understand how there was hardly any from other countries.
I will have a look at Hintertux and Stubai as alternatives, bearing in mind anywhere in the area could be busy particularly for lift tickets.
Cheers everyone
After all it is free
After all it is free
Is there not a continental bank holiday (Christingle - advent) about this time - recall I was out at Kaprun somewhere around this time a few years ago and it was heaving.
I have also heard that in a good snow year by 8/12 the Zell am See slopes might be part open providing additional variation.
As for Kaprun village - it is quite large - plenty of noisy après bars - a range of accommodation - some a bit of a way out. Bus service seemed generally OK but there can be queues on the glacier for the tows if it is a busy period.
Gettable to from Salzburg etc and Munich by train to Zell and then a bus from outside the Zell railway station.
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.
8th December iirc.
Soelden was heaving on those 2 days when I was there around those dates. Can't speak for other resorts.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Steilhang wrote:
DB,
Quote:
Does Hintertux offer much in the way of offpiste when the conditions are good ?
Havn't been up there for a few years, but there were some quite nice off piste routes, which at the time were not official 'freeride' areas, with all the dangers associated with going off piste on a glacier. I suspect that may have changed.
Just checked this out. The glacier itself doesn't have any official ski routes, though I did spend quite a bit of time skiing on the 'Gefrorene Wand' which is quite steep and quite nice in places, with the usual caveat that this is a glacier with crevasses n'all. When the run to the mid station is open ( i.e. in winter ) then they now have quite a number of ski routes from the glacier down to the mid station. Looks quite good actually, I think I will have to go and take a look again.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I would personally rather consider Stubai or Hintertux as they seem bigger for me and less reliant on T Bars (specially Stubai). But maybe it is my wrong impression.
In Hintertux if you lucky with weather you might have Mayrhofen and other places open as well. Same Zell Am See next to Kaprun.
Kaprun might have a proper village to stay in though, other glaciers are rather bus ride away. (I think )
Or just consider Solden with 2 glaciers as it might be almost fully open by that time anyway and you can do a day trip to another early starter close by - Obergurgl. (short ride by bus)
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.
countryman wrote:
I have also heard that in a good snow year by 8/12 the Zell am See slopes might be part open providing additional variation.
This year Zell am See is scheduled to open on the 29th Nov, so if the early snow is good you'll have the whole area to play in
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
countryman wrote:
Is there not a continental bank holiday (Christingle - advent) about this time - recall I was out at Kaprun somewhere around this time a few years ago and it was heaving.
Maria Empfängnis 08/12 is a Bank holiday which in 2013 falls on a Sunday so no long weekend = not so busy.
The 1st Nov is a National holiday and the 15th Nov is a holiday in Vienna & Lower Austria.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Mikeg36 wrote:
countryman wrote:
I have also heard that in a good snow year by 8/12 the Zell am See slopes might be part open providing additional variation.
This year Zell am See is scheduled to open on the 29th Nov, so if the early snow is good you'll have the whole area to play in
Doubt it'll be a full opening at that time of year, whatever the snow conditions.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
DB wrote:
Maria Empfängnis 08/12 is a Bank holiday which in 2013 falls on a Sunday so no long weekend = not so busy.
bugger, I was hoping for another long weekend - never mind always next year!
1st November is also a national holiday here, but again it is on a Saturday this year so no long weekend there either We also have a day called Buß-und-Betttag on 20th November where the school kids are free but not anyone else - plenty of organisations like ski shops organise day trips on that day.
Kaprun is usually full of Czechs one weekend due to a National holiday in November and the Poles get another one. I think their Bank holidays may be like the British ones where it moves to the nearest Monday if it is at a weekend.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Samerberg Sue wrote:
DB wrote:
Maria Empfängnis 08/12 is a Bank holiday which in 2013 falls on a Sunday so no long weekend = not so busy.
bugger, I was hoping for another long weekend - never mind always next year!
You don't even get that holiday, only us Austrians
Coming back to the original post, I usually ski Kaprun/Kitzsteinhorn from mid-November, though avoiding weekends. It can be busy with Czechs and Poles around their national holidays but I have never found it too bad, especially away from the Kitz and Kees T-bars (the central pistes 4). Often the skiing is only (officially) open down to the Alpincenter but now that there is snow-making on the "Black Mamba" piste, 14 (classified as ski route X4 in earlier seasons), maybe they will be able to open that run down to Langwied earlier and so spread the crowds. Here's the revised piste plan from Bergfex.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
28 Oct = Czech Indepenence Day
17 Nov = Czech Struggle for freedom & democracy day
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?
As stated by most Tux, is a better option than Kaprun unless Kaprun is much more convenient for you. The terrain is much more varied and there is more of it.
However if there is good weather forecast, pre season weekends are rammed. If you have a hire car then stay in Mayrhofen, if you bus it up, also expect the bussed to be rammed.
Typical pre season car park carnage when the weather is nice. Cheeky work/ski trip November 2005.
While digging through some old pics I came across this video from Mayrhofen 13th December 2006 quite a contrast, although it was a Thursday, so if you can delay a bit and go mid week, you will be sorted.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
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We also have a day called Buß-und-Betttag on 20th November where the school kids are free but not anyone else - plenty of organisations like ski shops organise day trips on that day.
