 Poster: A snowHead
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Please advise which Alpine resort for a January week for 3 snowboarders with the following criteria:
- high chance of fresh snow
- high chance of fresh tracks 24 hours after a dump (i.e. doesn't get tracked out instantly)
- decent proper off piste terrain
- decent apres
We would like to try somewhere new so preferably not any of the below:
Avoriaz
Chamonix
Tignes
Val d'Isere
La Plagne
La Rosiere
La Clusaz
Arlberg
Ischgl
Solden
Obergurgl
Ski Welt
Monterosa
Switzerland
Cheers 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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val Thorens.
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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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Schladming,
Bad Gastein
Großarl
Saalbach-Hinterglemm
Fieberbrunn
Edited to remove a stupid auto-correct 
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Tue 26-11-13 19:07; edited 1 time in total
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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removed coz I didnt read the question correctly
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Tue 26-11-13 17:28; edited 1 time in total
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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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LDA
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Montgenevre. Apres isn't that hot but there is a bit. The best end of the Milky Way ski area for off piste (including some good tree skiing) and the best snow.
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Snowball is right but don't tell everyone
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We've narrowed it down to either Obertauern, Schladming or Bad Gastein for dates 11-18 Jan. Which of those would be best based on the criteria in my first post?
Has anyone stayed in Hotel Münchnerhof in Bad Gastein? I've found a very cheap deal to stay there halfboard 41 euros pppn...seems too cheap...suspicious 
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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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hd, I don't know much about Hotel Münchnerhof in Bad Gastein but it's fairly close to the lift (couple of of stops on the bus or a flat walk)
Have you tried the Youth Hostel? Probably worth contacting them although I wouldn't be surprised if they're booked - www.euro-youth-hotel.at. Don't get put off it's a youth hostel, a friend of mine stayed there a few months ago and it's very good. They have an excellent bar though, I always go there when i'm in town. It's also opposite the main lift in the town.
Cheers and let me know if you need any further info.
Cheers
Kersh
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Cheers Kersh, we've decided on Obertauern as our destination, although having some trouble finding reasonably priced accommodation there.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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hd, that is not a surprise.
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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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If you can't find anything, go for Schladming.
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You know it makes sense.
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Think we have found somewhere to stay. HoneyBunny yes we considered Schladming but as far as I can tell it has a similar sized area as Obertauern (excluding the rest of Ski Amade) but much lower altitude and inferior apres? Am I missing something?
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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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Where on earth did you get that ideahd?
Schladming is a real all-year round town and always one of the first non-glacier ski resorts to open in Austria. Obertauern is a village at the top of a pass and is dead as a dodo in summer. Schladming has been open for about 3weeks whilst Obertauern only opened one piste and 3 lifts the Thursday before last. Take a look on YouTube for the Après, especially on Race Night for example. There is way more skiing and lots of pastes running between the trees for when the weather clags in. I ski both regularly, but if I had to choose, I would take Schladming with its 4mountains over Obertauern any day! Sorry no real contest between the two.
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Poster: A snowHead
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wtss.co.uk
Schladming
One slope may be rather like another here, but with its four linked mountains Schladming offers the keen intermediate a real sense of travelling around on the snow. And its solid, valley-town ambience makes it a pleasant change from the Austrian rustic-village norm.
The upside
Ideal for intermediate cruising
Very sheltered slopes, among trees
Lots of good mountain restaurants
Appealing town with friendly people
Very cheap for meals and drinks
The downside
Slopes lack variety
Very little to entertain experts
Nursery slopes not central
Runs to valley level are not easy
Obertauern
Obertauern’s combination of attractions is unique. If you’re hooked on Austrian après-ski but looking for a change from slush and ice, moving up in the world by 1000m or so could be just the ticket.
The upside
Excellent snow record
Quite a lot of ski-in/ski-out lodging
Efficient modern lifts
Good mountain restaurants
Lively but not intrusive après-ski
The downside
Village not notably charming, and spreads along the pass a long way
Slopes limited in extent and in vertical, in particular
Bleak, exposed setting
Few off-slope diversions
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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, 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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Samerberg Sue has said it all. Schladming is a great resort. Loads of mileage, plenty of challenging terrain if you want it and brilliant apres! I'd choose it over Obertauern (which is much more limited) anyday.
Out of interest, why wasn't St Anton on your list? Rocking, legendary apres and enough tough stuff there to keep the experts busy. North face of the Valluga and all that.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I spent a weekend in Obertauern a few years back riding with Shaun Palmer, the area was ok but nothing special. I would not plan to return.
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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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WTSS makes Schladming sound far more attractive than Obertauern.
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why wasn't St Anton on your list?
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Been there want to go somewhere new, it seems.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| HoneyBunny wrote: |
| Out of interest, why wasn't St Anton on your list? |
See first post. Wot pam said plus it's one of the worst places in the world for powder stress.
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Ahh Arlberg, missed that - sorry.
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www.worldsnowboardguide.com/resorts/austria/schladming
Schladming is not a hardcore or advanced rider’s destination.
www.worldsnowboardguide.com/resorts/austria/obertauern
It's definitely worth a holiday for people who like to smell powder every day and don't wanna hike too much.
The terrain is very much freeride-orientated with lots of areas to check out suited to all levels, and it's noted for its excellent snow record.
You can basically pick your spot and head off-piste whenever you see some powder, and then pick up the piste further down the mountain. If you’re in the know, or with someone who does then there’s some excellent areas where you’re almost always guaranteed to cut fresh tracks. A lot of these areas aren’t particularly hard-core to get to, but they are nicely hidden from your regular piste hugger.
There are also some epic freeride opportunities that you have to hike to.
It's far from a big town, but it's got everything you need and in typical Austria style theres some lively après-ski that morphs this picturesque village into a hardcore party town.
It's a tricky balance between some wicked drinking sessions, and getting those fresh lines; our advice - sleep when you get home.
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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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wepowder.com/playgrounds/obertauern
World class when the pieces fall in place.
The area offers almost endless freeride opportunities unlike any other in Austria. There is a variety of possibilities in 'der OT'. You'll find tree-runs from the Zehnerkarbahn or just plain open fields from the Gamsleiten 2. Through the years more and more people have been moving away from the groomed tracks, but it is still a fairly calm area so the powder stays untouched for some time.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Flaine is great for fresh tracks but less so for aprés. Val Thorens is a good shout but it will be cold in January.. 
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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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| hd wrote: |
wtss.co.uk
Obertauern
Obertauern’s combination of attractions is unique. If you’re hooked on Austrian après-ski but looking for a change from slush and ice, moving up in the world by 1000m or so could be just the ticket.
The upside
Excellent snow record
Quite a lot of ski-in/ski-out lodging
Efficient modern lifts
Good mountain restaurants
Lively but not intrusive après-ski
The downside
Village not notably charming, and spreads along the pass a long way
Slopes limited in extent and in vertical, in particular
Bleak, exposed setting
Few off-slope diversions |
For the record, the WTSS description of Obertauern correlated pretty much perfectly with our experience of the resort last week, the only difference being that I was pleasantly surprised by the length of some of the runs.
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| Samerberg Sue wrote: |
| I can count the bluebird days there on one hand where I could actually see from one side of the valley to the other at Obertauern. |
3 out of 6 days in Obertauern were bluebird last week.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Val Thorens is a good shout but it will be cold in January..
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what a difference a few weeks make - nearly everywhere has been a bit too warm up to now. But "bleak" and "exposed" isn't a problem in a heatwave. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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serre chevalier
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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FAQ
