Poster: A snowHead
|
We are having a big family Christmas blow out this year and we are off to Lofer in Austria, really looking forward to it. We are a family who like cruise blues, seen a long range forecast suggesting a milder winter. Just wondering what happens if snow doesn't arrive, we will be happy to ski on the slopes between 1200m and 1600m.
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
2waterford, either drive/bus/train/taxi to somewhere that does have snow, or go to the pub/pool/shops. Not sure what long range forecast you are looking at but there has already been a bit of snow in Austria, and as the nights get cold enough the snow cannons will be in full swing, so the concept of 'no snow' is unlikely to be a reality.
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
queen bodecia, yeah there was quite lot of snow 30-100cm (even as low as Innsbruck and Flachau) some 3 weeks ago, but at the moment it's +10c even up on glaciers, so there's not much left from that snow. But it's still early, so I wouldn't worry just yet
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
2waterford, it looks as though most/all of the slopes are cannoned, so as long as it's cold enough, particularly at night, you should be OK.
But nothing is guaranteed...
Long range forecasts are sufficiently rubbish that the UK Met office has given up issuing them.
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
I thought everybody knows that.......
The best snow will be found on the upper slopes.
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Quote: |
But it's still early, so I wouldn't worry just yet
|
This. Start worrying mid December at the earliest.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Agree with previous posters. Dinnae fret. Twill be fine. A bigger problem in Austria is likely to be the eyeball-freezing cold.
|
|
|
|
|
|
If there's no snow (or even a crappy amount of man made) you don't ski. You claim a derisory amount back on your insurance fail to get a refund on your lift pass as they'll have at least something open even if its worthless, and try not to choke on your bitter tears. The last time I went skiing and was truly skunked it turned into a very memorable road trip instead.
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
fatbob, this is our first family holiday in 3 years and likely to be our last as oldest is 20 and bank of mum and dad wont be stretching to adult holidays in the near future and what you have described is a nightmare scenario. Will have to keep an eye on things.
|
|
|
|
|
|
2waterford, simply add 300m to all the heights you are reading for Lofer, then ask yourself if you would be worrying if these heights were in France? It is already freezing here and I'm lower than Lofer but only about 50kms away as the crow flies! With the piste management systems they have these days you will have plenty to ski on! Lovely little town as well, enjoy yourselves having a traditional Christmas
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
Samerberg Sue, thank you, will be checking back with you in a few weeks to see how those roadworks near Rosenheim are doing.
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Been out every christmas/new year for the last 12 years or so and have always had/found snow, asqueen bodecia, says sometimes you have to hunt for it, one of the reasons we always go by car.
|
|
|
|
|
|
2waterford, 's do not do negative thoughts !!!!
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
First decent fall of snow last year was not till the end of November
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
I don't expect any snow problems on the Loferer Alm at Christmas. The worst might be that the run down to the village isn't skiable. A couple of years ago it was very warm up till the beginning of December but then, about the 10th, the snow arrived. Each year is different but, if there's no snow then, I'll be complaining
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Ahhh the start of the annual 'no snow' panic.
It will snow.
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
I looked at SCGB historic snow records for Lofer Alm for the last week in December. The last 6 years were fine. Then, going further back there was a year with not enough snow on lower slopes for skiing, then 2 good years, then 5 years with only one year with enough snow. I haven't been there but I assume they now have snow making? It is very low, though.
Figures for last 20 years (depths on piste in cm, upper : lower slope) starting last year and going backwards:
90:42
95:23
88:42
44:30
110:41
130:15
20:n/a
155:70
74/22
n/a:n/a
n/a:n/a
138:38
n/a:n/a
n/a:n/a
122:40
88:n/a
50:10
120:20
50:15
50:23
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Good luck with that.
For future reference I know two approaches which avoid the issue:
(1) Don't book anywhere in advance until you know where the snow is. The tour companies want your money way earlier than this, but experience will teach you that it's a bad call.
(2) Book places with helicopters and large tenures. There's always snow, you just have to get to it.
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Lofer seems pretty low even by Austrian standards (top lift only 1670m)- but still you'll prob be fine at christmas, though I suspect you'll be stressed all the way if you follow the weather website and snow will probably only come at the last minute. I imagine Lofer can't have good snow record during November, and even if it did dump now it could easily get mild enough / rain before month is out to melt all the snow. As others have said, tune in around mid -december. Remember only takes one decent 24h dump to make it skiable
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
philwig, (1) is not applicable for very high season weeks, which, bizarrely, includes Xmas.
|
|
|
|
|
|
under a new name wrote: |
philwig, (1) is not applicable for very high season weeks, which, bizarrely, includes Xmas. |
Nonsense! I've skied at Christmas every year for the last 20 years (so never have a row about whose family to visit) and have never booked before the beginning of December even for Canada. Never not had snow either (although sometimes the off piste can be a bit limited)
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thanks guys. Will try and forget about me until dec 15th and then will start thinking about plan b if needed. At least we will have a rental car if we need to travel to other resorts
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
peanuthead wrote: |
I imagine Lofer can't have good snow record during November, and even if it did dump now it could easily get mild enough / rain before month is out to melt all the snow. As others have said, tune in around mid -december. Remember only takes one decent 24h dump to make it skiable |
For sure, snow now will only stick around on the glaciers and v high, shaded north-facing slopes.
Couple of weeks time and anything that falls should start to stick around.
|
|
|
|
|
|
2waterford, Lofer is usually fine - you're skiing on the mountain, not on the main street, so above 1300m should be OK.
If not, you can jump in the car and drive 20 mins to Leogang, (turn right in Saalfelden) where you can enter the Saalbach-Hinterglemm-Leogang ski circus. Or turn left in Saalfelden and go to Maria Alm. Or drive through Saalfelden and on to Saalbach. Or if it's really poor snow, continue on through Zell am See to the glacier at Kaprun, which is still only 40 mins away.
Don't buy your lift ticket until you arrive in resort, so you can see what the conditions are like. There is a ticket (Salzburg Super Ski Card) that covers all these resorts, incl. Lofer, that costs €241 for 6 days. Your Lofer ticket alone will cost €185.
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
quinton, thank you for that gives me a basis for plan b
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Tiger2 wrote: |
... I've skied at Christmas every year for the last 20 years ... and have never booked before the beginning of December even for Canada. Never not had snow either (although sometimes the off piste can be a bit limited) |
Me too, although make that 30 years in my case
Obviously if you want one specific room in a small place more than you want snow, then fair enough. Me, I laugh at people asking "which is the best resort", because the best resort is always the place with the best snow. Everything else is optional, that isn't.
There are of course lots of reasons people may not have, or want, the flexibility to work that way. In which case you just have live with the angst and the poor snow should you be unlucky enough to get it.
It depends where you are, but in some places XMAS is far from peak season for lots of reasons.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tiger2, Nonsense.
Our 3 apartments have been fully booked, as has been the case in the last three years, since September.
So if you wanted to stay there, you're too late.
Last minute bookings work absolutely fine if you're not fussed where you're going or where you're staying.
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
2waterford,
Last year we have no snow in Chamonix until something like the 17th...
And then we had really quite a lot...
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
bit early than that, we were snowboarding in the backgarden on the 5th of december...
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
eddiethebus, was it?
I won't argue.
It was certainly about the 17th the year before as it arrived just immediately before our first guests.
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Tiger2, we are a party of 6 so to pickup a 2 bed apartment at christmas we needed to book early. Fine if you are a party of 2 but on our initial enquiries in Lofer there seems to be a huge amount of repeat bookings over the christmas period.
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
under a new name,
Can't disagree with that. If you want a particular apartment or chalet then it is true that they might be full at the time you want to go. (And as an owner, encouraging bookings as early as possible is clearly preferable).
If you want to secure your choice of accommodation then book early but you also have to take your chances on the snow conditions. If you are the sort of person who is worried about whether there will be snow (OP) it might be better to be flexible and wait. Worrying won't change the weather.
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Tiger2, indeed. But you and philwig, are absolutely correct if you are happy to take a bit of a chance about where you end up & sometimes there's no risk at all. And you know where the snow has arrived.
TBH, it's probably what I'd do myself.
And worrying won't change the weather at all. Snow dancing buck naked in the middle of your local Tescos might help. The results will certainly take your mind off worrying about snow.
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
The snow dancing was sounding quite interesting until I remembered the BMI of most people I see there. Actually I was thinking that there is a correlation between different supermarket market segments and BMI. There's also a noticeable difference in how people smell; the more upmarket places have fewer smokers in the checkout queues. But I digress...
It sounds like people are dangerously close to having similar views: you either have certainty over where you'll go and stay (book early), or certainty that you'll have the best available snow (book late). Pay money, make choice...
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
quinton wrote: |
2waterford, Lofer is usually fine - you're skiing on the mountain, not on the main street, so above 1300m should be OK.
If not, you can jump in the car and drive 20 mins to Leogang, (turn right in Saalfelden) where you can enter the Saalbach-Hinterglemm-Leogang ski circus. Or turn left in Saalfelden and go to Maria Alm. Or drive through Saalfelden and on to Saalbach. Or if it's really poor snow, continue on through Zell am See to the glacier at Kaprun, which is still only 40 mins away.
Don't buy your lift ticket until you arrive in resort, so you can see what the conditions are like. There is a ticket (Salzburg Super Ski Card) that covers all these resorts, incl. Lofer, that costs €241 for 6 days. Your Lofer ticket alone will cost €185. |
Good info
|
|
|
|
|
|
philwig, Inoticed a similar differentiation the first time I flew charter after years of enjoying BAs finest service.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Booked Saalbach around 2 months ago from 14 - 21st of December, am I worried about snow . . . nope.
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Worrying about the snow passes the time
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rhumage wrote: |
Booked Saalbach around 2 months ago from 14 - 21st of December, am I worried about snow . . . nope. |
Wish I had your confidence, booked la tania for the 14th this year, far earlier than I usually go, and am now on daily forecast checks. when we get a little closer it will be daily webcam checks. Then twice daily.
But to be honest, its all part of the fun/excitement in the leadup to the trip!
|
|
|
|
|
|