Mayrhofen 25 Jan (advice on getting back to resort)

A snowHead

Hi everyone

I'm going to Mayrhofen in a group of 8 at the end of Jan. We're in different hotels, but we're in the Garni Eder, which I'm told is nice. 2 skiers, 6 boarders. 3 of us pretty good, the rest are a range from 1 trip to a few.

I've read a load of stuff on other threads so I realise I need to be up early and use the bus/train to sample the other areas, so thanks to everyone. I'm hoping 25 Jan isn't a busy time!...

But the one thing I've not really got to understand is getting back to Mayrhofen itself. My main questions are:

1) Honestly, from when to when does the Penken get busy? I've read so much on this I don't know what to believe!!! Day 1 we're going to either have private lessons or go up the Ahorn to warm up I think, perhaps getting Penken around 11/11.30.

2) What time does the lift close coming down from Penken?! I guess they can't leave us up there....! Can you just drink until they physically boot you out?!

3) What is the route down to Horbergbahn like (piste 1 I think)? Given the altitdue I'm guessing it's not always open. Secondly, when is the last bus from there and, if that's missed, how much is the taxi? (i'll do anything to avoid the lift back down on principle!)

4) Ditto any other of the further day trips (Eggalm and further afield)

Thanks ever so much in advance and I promise to do a write up afterwards to help other snowheads!!!!

BB

A snowHead

I'm staying in the Eder next week so ill pop back then with any info but until then I'll watch this thread closely

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

If you don't want to come down the Penken bahn in the late afternoon you can ski down to Lanersback or another resort further down (sorry can't remember the name) and get the ski bus back to Mayerhofen. It's quite a way but doable. You can get the train then bus to Zel am Ziller but be aware that if you can't get back it'll cost a fair bit in a taxi! It cost us around £60 about 4 yr ago Sad

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Penken is usually busy around 9am (not been for years, so not sure what it's like now).

Never skied down from Horberg or Ahorn (but have skied down the one in Kaltenbach). I'd assume it's closed, or at least slushy snow cannon snow at the bottom.
Last fast bus from Horberg claims to be 5pm. Timetables here... https://www.mayrhofner-bergbahnen.com/en/info-and-service/ski-bus/

Lift times here... https://www.mayrhofner-bergbahnen.com/en/info-and-service/winter-prices-mayrhofner-bergbahnen/

Zell am Ziller is a nice day out. Pretty quiet there usually. Shuttle bus between Zell am Ziller station and the lifts (I assume - I have car when there, so not done that)

Kaltenbach is more convenient for a day out. Train from Mayrhofen to Kaltenbach, and clomp 200m to the lifts.

think the trains run until quite late?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Thanks so far!

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I've been to Mayrhofen in excess of 20 times so have some experience.

1) The week you are going is not too busy. The downlift on the Penken will be busy from 4pm onwards but will take no more than 5 mins to get on. Go to the right hand side of the queue and keep pushing forwards, go right to the end of the platform and push onto an almost full gondola, that is the quickest way to get down.

2) The problem with waiting to the last lift is that the bars stop serving about an hour before the last lift so it gets boring waiting for that option.

3) It is a disaster and a leg killer at the end of the day, done it a few times buyt wont do it again.

4) Eggalm is also an option to end up at, there is a good bar at the bottom called the Hexenkessel (or somthing similar) for apri then jump on the bus back.

However in low season the Penken queues are really not that bad, 5 mins top so not worth avoiding.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Jimbo, thanks for that.

Re 3) why is it a disaster? It is mogully and/or powdered?

When do the buses and/or trains stop?

Thanks again!

After all it is free

It never gets pisted, so 6 feet moguls at the top, lower donwn it has excessive thaw freeze so can have huge sheets of ice, but if you go down on the horgerban lift then busses are every 20 mins or so. So once you are down you can grab a beer if you just missed one and jump on the next one.

However at the end of Jan you are better queuing for 5 mins to come down on the Penken.

for 3) if it's anything like the Kaltenbach one, more heavy wet snow cannon slush. Next time, I'll go up, do a warm up run and do the valley run, then go back up the gondola. Both Kaltenbach and Zell am Ziller gondolas have been deserted every time I've gone up those, and usually no problem downloading either.

looks like last train from Kaltenbach is just after 8pm, then last bus after 9pm, and from zell am ziller a few minutes later.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

Andy/Jimbo - that's great stuff, thanks for all your help!

So I gather end of Jan is not quite peak?

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

The ques at the Penken at the end of the day always look worse than they really are, have a couple of beers at the top then a few in the ice bar at the bottom, the bit in the middle doesn't matter then!

Last year the wife and I ended up staying in Finkenberg (allocated on arrival) out of the way a little but the uplift was always easy on the Finkenberer Almbahn and the runs down to the bottom always great. You could downlift there and get the bus back into Mayrhofen. Check the times though, as the bar at the bottom station is quite good and you might end up losing track of time!

The Mrs is more accomplished now than she was on previous visits to Mayrhofen and we had a great time picking different resorts on different days. It's all on the pass and definitely worth it. the glacier is great, a day in Ziller is well worth the trip and the train is a doddle, I never made it further down the valley but it's all linked by train so easy.

Even the little area of Eggalm between Mayrhofen and hintertux is worth a visit. The morning we went there it was dead, it felt like we were the only folk on the mountain and ended up spending all day there doing laps on and between the pistes (heated chairlifts are amazing too)

Joe

snow reports

Yes you are better skiing to finkenberg having a few drinks there at the bottom and get the bus back. It is not far.

Stayed at Garni Eder last year lovely place, lovely people not a bad word to say.

You are closer to the Ahorn if you go around the back but is not far down the hill from Eder to the happy end bar and the butchers which is right across from the Penken. The Ahorn is pretty icy at the bottom man made snow when I was there. I did my warm up there too.

To be honest I would give the Penken area a miss except for an single day, go exploring, Kaltenbach, Gerlos, Zell have much less traffic and great fun. Get on the wee train.

Ask your hosts for help they are very friendly.

Have fun, it really is an excellent place.

Thanks so much, Joe1978 and Roscoeh.

How many different resorts does the train take you to?

You know it makes sense.

Train to Zell and Kaltenbach/Fugen. You can ski over to Gerlos/Zillertaler Arena from Zell. It's probably better to cathch th 8.20 ish bus from the station to Gerlos as it's a bit of a trek from Zell.

Re Penken queues, they will be fairly manageable that week (unlike New Year when 2 hours to get up and an hour top get back down wasn't fun- and Hobergbahn wasn't much better)

The run to Kaltenbach isn't always slush, but it will be at the moment.

Help!!

Mayrhofen 25 Jan (advice on getting back to resort)

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