 Poster: A snowHead
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I have just come across this, the book I always intended to write but, as usual with my bright ideas, someone else with more gumption got there first - John Barr. The document (of 189 pages) is available in two forms, as a PDF which can be downloaded free here and as a book for £10 from Amazon (the PDF says - actually here Amazon UK currently offer it for £7.20). I'll call it a book here.
The book covers the ski areas of Kitzbühel, Schneewinkel and SkiWelt, both with descriptions of their pistes (piste-colour coded), suggestions of routes on these pistes and also collections of useful information (mountain huts, shops, ski schools, etc.). It claims to be a "comprehensive guide to skiing" in these areas and, in the brief look I have had up till now, it makes a very competent impression on me. Many useful tips. The reader aimed at is the "average holiday skier". The book contains some adverts but, at least in the PDF version, not so many as to be annoying.
My impression is that the book is well researched by someone with good knowledge of the area. Well worth a look by anyone interested in piste skiing in this area.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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That looks like a really good guide.
I see it will also be distributed free in all the resorts covered.
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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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I'm the author of this ski guide - many thanks for the publicity. 
The main way of getting this in the hands of skiers is through tourist information offices, ski lift offices etc in the resorts - where it is free as the guide is funded by adverts. But if you want to read it before you arrive in the resort you can download it (again for free) from www.austriaskiguide.com. Or, if you want a paper copy of the book (with tons of great photos that don't appear in the download version) before you leave home you can buy it on Amazon. The price (including post and packing) is £10 for UK residents.
If you have skied in the Kitzbuhel Alps please take a look at the guide and let me know your favourite pistes, mountain restaurants etc The more input I have from a broad range of skier the more valuable later editions will be for the skiing community.
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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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johnbarr, sorted. It was my iPhone - working fine on my iPad.
Great guide which I will go through in fine detail this evening 
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There was a thread on here recently with someone wanting to know about off piste routes in the area. Is there anything specific on that, or does any other guide talk about that? The off piste guide book for St Anton is famous, of course but I know nothing similar for other Austrian areas.
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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 don't cover off piste in my guide. There are some German language guides that cover off piste, such as PowderGuide Tirol: Die besten Freeride-Touren, but I can't really comment on the content as both my German language and off piste skills are somewhat lacking. Having said that, Fieberbrunn is popular with the locals who want to explore the backcountry, both to the side of and beyond the top of the Hochhörndl chair lift.
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I read the guide- very useful. I usually stay in Zell am See, but will be doing a few nights in Kitzbuhel this winter so I liked the guide. I do plan on doing some off piste for a day there, so I would've liked to see more on that, but otherwise a useful guide. Looks like Fieberbrunn is the place for off piste in the area
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Kitzbuhel is my favourite ski resort/area, while I am getting to know it well after 5 visits, it is nice to have a "proper" guide to read and follow. a good read Thankyou
I will have to check out the piste numbers and let you know my favourite ones. I have a tendency to head for lifts in the distance and not take note of piste numbers. Just had a quick look and Black 53 a lovely wide steepish "easy" big arcs black, easy enough for 55 year old nervous lady friend to do, Black 43 just because I always have fun skiing it a variation of terrain, narrow step to a bit wider Red 70 a nice wide undulating piste, easy cruising or great for improving your skiing.
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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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What a fantastic guide! Been going to Kitz since 2003 and get there every year but there is still some surprises in there.
What I find most interesting is the different resorts nearby that I haven't heard of and sound worth a visit. It'll depend on buses. We are to be staying the Kaiser over New Year so are quite well placed with the train station down the road.
We were going to try to do a long day by catching the bus to Mittersal. From there, ski to Kitz via Jochburg (and new lift cos happy about losing that awful 2-seater and drag), over to Westondorf and Brix. Cross that road onto the SkiWelt and along as far as we can go. If time, try to catch a bus to St. johan and ski there. Do you reckon that is possible?
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Hi Dougie, I'm glad you like the ski guide. The route I include at the end of the guide from Kitz across to Westendorf and then round the SkiWelt takes a full day for a group (less if you are on your own and know the route well). Starting at Mittersill AND skiing to all of the villages in the SkiWelt might be possible, but no chance to do that in time to get the bus to St Johann as well. If you plan to give this a go drop me an email (john.barr@chello.at) as I'd be interested in joining you!
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You know it makes sense.
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Just to state the (possibly) obvious and to avoid confusion, you can't start your route in Mittersill itself. The starting points could be Pass Thurn Rester Höhe (for the Resterhöhe chairlift) or, just after the pass, Pass Thurn Breitmoos (for the middle station of the Panoramabahn gondola - this would probably be best). Have fun
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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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Hi Espri, Yes, you are right. I meant Breitmoos.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks for the guide,
Id started a thread about offpiste routes in Kitz but good to know more about the on piste options too, defo fancy the 10 resort challenge when I go in Jan. Hopefully meeting up with a local when we're there so they might be able to help more with the offpiste bits
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well corrected Espri. I meant the Panoramabahn.
The idea I had was Panoramabahn, Jochberg, Aschau, Westondorf, Brixen, Sheffau, Ellmau, Going, St. Johann. Does that sound more plausible?
Last year, we set off from the H'kamm, Kirchberg, Westondorf, Brixen, Sheffau, Ellmau, Brixen, Ki-West. We missed the bus to Kirchberg, that would have got us back up the mountain and down the H'kamm, by minutes. This meant we stayed on the bus back to Kitz. We had a long break at the top of Brixen because we only thought of that route over a coffee and applestrudel. Without this break, I reckon we could have got back up mountain and to 3S to be down at Jochberg for the fireworks that night. Ski Tracks app logged it as 31.5 ski miles (I know, another thread!)
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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 don't cover off piste in my guide. There are some German language guides that cover off piste, such as PowderGuide Tirol: Die besten Freeride-Touren, but I can't really comment on the content as both my German language and off piste skills are somewhat lacking. Having said that, Fieberbrunn is popular with the locals who want to explore the backcountry, both to the side of and beyond the top of the Hochhörndl chair lift. |
PowderGuide Tirol is great if you can understand the German, but it mostly deals with freeride touring rather than from the lifts.
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johnbarr, had a quick look at your guide. Looks good and useful. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on one of our pub ideas. Starting at the Breitmoos skiing from there to Pengelstein - Skirast - KiWest - Brixen - Going and back in a day?
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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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Hi HutToHut,
Interesting idea! I've looked at the time for skiing various segments on www.skiline.cc
Breitmoos to Skirast: 1 1/2 hours, KiWest to Hoch Brixen: 1 1/4 hours, Jochbahn to Going: 1 1/4 hours
So that's around 4 hours one way. The Breitmoos gondola opens at 8:45. In the spring lifts are open until 4:30, so I guess it's just about possible. It would be slightly easier starting from Pass Thurn, as you can get back there as long as you are at the top of the Zweitausender lift when the lifts close. To get back to Breitmoos requires two more lifts.
Do you holiday in Hollersbach, or were you just looking for a crazy day out?
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it was just an idea discussed over a few beers really, 'would it be possible to ski from... yes, no, well there's only one way to find out!' It has been priced up as a DIY holiday staying in Mittersill, so may happen one day. We've skied Kitz quite a few times and the Ski Welt a couple of times. We can get about Kitz's area fine but find the Ski Welt maps and piste signs make a navigational nightmare.
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Yes, the SkiWelt piste map is over ambitious. It is better to follow signs to villages rather than work out the route yourself. The "SkiWelt Circuits" on the back of the piste map are useful - by linking them together you can work out a route from anywhere to more or less anywhere else. Of course, a good ski guide book would help!
I may try your suggested route this season, but I'll start at the other end as Going is a 10 minute drive from home. If I know that I have to get back to my car to avoid a bus or a taxi fare that should stop me dawdling too much.
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Many thanks to Snowheads that have given me feedback on the ski guide. If you ski in Kitzbuhel, the SkiWelt or Schneewinkel and have favourite pistes, restaurants, bars etc, please check out the free guide at www.austriaskiguide.com and let me know what I have missed.
Thanks
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FAQ
