Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all,
long time no see
After a couple of surprisingly lovely weekends in Andorra (so much snow, and great weather), it's time for some serious skiing, teheh... And I'd love to get some advice.
I'm flying to Munich this coming Sunday and will return in two weeks time (can't do Sat-Sat this year). I'm traveling alone (only me and my laptop - I'm a translator, so I ski during the day and work in the afternoon and evening). Not really sure where to go to find a wide resort with good snow AND avoid the Carnival/Fasching mass during the first week.
My original plan was to go to Brixen for the first week, hoping to avoid the masses hopping between Kitz and Skiwelt, and St. Anton the second week. But snow conditions really seem too poor in Kitz/Skiwelt (sigh), so... where should I go?
About me: I'm pretty good on-piste, easily ski all sorts and colours of slopes. Not into off-piste (I do apologize, tehe). Easily bored, so I tend to favour large resorts. Traveling without a car. So far, my favourite in Austria has been Kitz-Skiwelt. Loved Lech-Zuers and Ischgl (both with lovely slopes and landscapes, though a tad repetitive for a week (I told you I like to cover a lot of ground!) - didn't travel to St. Anton when I was in Lech-Zuers). Mayrhofen was ok but didn't thrill me, apart from a few slopes and obviously Hintertux. Didn't really like Saalbach (boooring!).
All in all, if every resort is going to be packed for Carnival I'd rather go for the largest ones so at least people spread out (I was in Ischgl for Fasching and the queues were sooo long). So for the moment I'm thinking I should go to St. Anton (staying in the cheaper and well-communicated St:.Jakob, I guess?) the first week, then perhaps try something new the second week (possibly Serfaus?). But if any of you can advise a less gentrified, but still large enough resort (around 200kms?) for the first week, I could go there and leave St.Anton for the second week. I've been considering Ski Amadé for instance, but is it going to be just as full? And how well connected is it? I don't mind taking a skibus everyday of course, but wouldn't want to spend a whole hour on it every morning, so I'm looking for a reasonably well connected resort. Open to all suggestions and really trusting your experience so... I'll really appreciate your help
Slide on!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The skiing in the Kitz area is fine, its just the fact that the valleys are looking green.
The problem you have is the same as at any time of the year. A dump of snow makes the whole place look better, but not necessarily ski better.
We always seem to get more snow in March (snow records show its then we have the biggest depth) but the valleys turn green quickly as the ground has got warmer lower down.
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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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nobrainbcn, take the train to somewhere in the Ski amadé region and stay somewhere off slope. Even at New Year it was not too bad. I suspect many of the Bavarian and Baden-Württemburger populace will be heading for the Ost-Tirol and Dolomites as they are notoriously finicky about snow. Most of my colleagues do not believe me when I say I have skied every day that I want to in the Amadé region with no problems as the media here is reporting catastrophic conditions with flowers on the pistes instead of snow! Even my local resort (Sudelfeld) is functioning well with all the lifts and pistes open and that is relatively low compared to the Austrian locations.
You can get a train from the Ostbahnhof in Munich directly to Radstat for example, then a taxi to any of the locations in the neighbourhood. Bischhofshofen serves the Hochkönig area as does Saalfelden. Schladming, St Johann im Pongau and Zell am See are more likely to be quite full.
If you have a car then you are free to wander so to speak!
Snow conditions, while not brilliant for this time of year are more than OK in the Ski Welt. Brixen is suffering due to its south-facing pistes, but once at the top everything else is in good nick. Take a look at the Ski Welt thread for more up-to-date reports from people who are either there or have just returned.
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Maybe Saalbach? Lots of piste and lots of uplift options from the village so crowds get dispersed quite well.
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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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Thanks to all!
Sue, I've searched for the Ski Welt thread but couldn't find it! Also: since I won't have a car, if I go to Ski Amadé, how does it work with skibuses? is it a long ride to switch from one resort to the other? as far as I understood, most of them are small and connected via skibus, not slopes...
Clarky, I didn't like Saalbach too much as I wrote - thanks anyway
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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nobrainbcn, sorry, missed that bit!
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nobrainbcn, when you skied Mayrhofen, did you take advantage of the other, train-served Zillertal resorts? All very accessible and easy.
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Cacciatore: while staying in Mayrhofen I only tried Hintertux, which I really liked. You mean places like Zillertal Arena, I guess? Doesn't seem like there's much snow there either...
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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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...Just FYI, after reading your replies and getting some information, in the end I've decided to shift the dates to 9-23 March.
I might find slightly better snow (not quite sure about that anyway, things might even get better!), but I'll certainly avoid the Fasching crowd.
Most likely I'll go to St. Anton one week, then look for another place with good snow conditions for the other week.
Thanks to everyone for your help, i really appreciate it!
Slide on
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