Zell am See at Easter?

A snowHead

What are people's opinion of Zell am See for Easter? Specifically for going out on 5th April.

I have done a search and seen both recommendation and caution for there for that time of year. Obvious there is ano magic wand but I don't know much about it.

Also any comments about the area itself especially ski school for children and what the skiing is like.

Thanks

A snowHead

It should be OK NickyJ, as it was open at that time this past very warm season. They manage the snow and pistes extremely well and have a state of the art snow-making system that is used at every opportunity to ensure that a good base is built up as early as possible. There will be no snow making when you plan to be there as there is a ban on using the systems after March 15th each season.

It is a great area and has good nursery areas at all levels. There are obviously some here who ski it more regularly than I do, zellmainiac and robboj are the ones who immediately spring to mind. It does have the back up of the Kitzsteinhorn, but to be honest, if you need to use the glacier so does everyone else and it get horrendously crowded. That's the same for any area with a "back-up option" of a glacier by the way. The skiing is very good and varied with some steeps but also a wide range of blues and reds, the mountain huts are also excellent and give you outstanding value for money. The town itself is great, a real town with an interesting centre with plenty to keep you occupied outside of skiing time.

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

NickyJ, I went the third week in March 2010. My recollection is that this was a poor end to the season generally (got too warm), but conditions in Zell were pretty poor - to the extent that the slopes there were near deserted. Everyone just headed up to Kitzsteinhorn every day, and it was manically busy. I've skied other resorts at the same time of year which have fared much better.

As Sue says, it's lovely town with good skiing - and I would definitely recommend a visit there at some point. Actually, I'd like to go back Happy

. But I wouldn't personally book now to go at Easter - if I wanted to go at Easter I'd do it on a wait-and-see basis.

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By end of March 2010 it was horrendous everywhere.

As to why Easter. I am stuck to school holidays, hence the timing.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I've been out there at the start of April when the snow has been so good that I cancelled my travel plans and stayed an extra week. I've also been there when there was only one run open at the top (kept open for ski school beginners). However you have the glacier there so will always get skiing in.

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NickyJ, 2009/10 was an adequate snow year at ZamS. I was there for the whole of January 2010 and the skiing was good as it was cold with regular small top ups. IIRC the cold weather held until mid March and then the lack of any great snow depth did for things quite quickly.

2011 was much the same with maybe more snow but the same warm early spring. Even in 2012 after the bitter cold of Jan and Feb spring came in fast. Bizarrely this year after an poorish winter the snow seemed to last much better. They are a very wealthy mountain company and have the best of kit and snowmaking so it should be ok?

There are plenty resorts nearby too so if you want to go I would chance it although I might delay booking as long as possible just to see? i.e. if they're up to their necks in it by Xmas then go for it. At least Easter is at a more average point in the calendar next year.

After all it is free

NickyJ, The upper slopes in Zell am See are likely to be open, but the lower slopes suffer at the end of every season. As Samerberg Sue, says, when the snow starts to get a bit thin, everyone tends to head over to Kitzsteinhorn, where there is a guarantee of snow, but also guaranteed mega-queues, as guests from the surrounding resorts also head up there. I'm based in Saalbach, just up the valley from Zell. Saalbach-Hinterglemm can also suffer from a lack of snow on the lower slopes in April, but compared with Zell, there is far more skiing above mid-station and they can usually keep well over half of the resort (i.e. 100 km +) open through until Easter, which of course falls relatively early next season. My last ski day this year was 17th April, when I spent 4 hours skiing on fresh snow at the top of Schattberg, in glorious sunshine. There were fewer than 20 people there all morning - bliss.

NickyJ,

Much as I love Zell, I have to agree that April skiing conditions are variable. As quinton, says the lower runs will likely be closing and you will be left with the higher runs - which will get pretty boring after a couple of days. For a small additional fee however you can add Saalbach to the ski pass and have that option to fall back on. There is a regular bus service to Saalbach (don't rely on any rumors of a link opening between Zell and Saalbach).

In Zell the more difficult runs are the lower runs which tend to close early - so this might not be too bad for you if you have young kids who are beginners.

At that time of year Zell has some non-skiing attractions such as walks round the lake - it's very pretty.

So in summary go to Zell if you are not too worried about only skiing the easier runs at the top of the mountain and you are willing to take trips to the Kitzsteinhorn and Saalbach - or if you are happy staying in a lovely place where other activities are possible. However if you want a full on skiing holiday with lots of runs I think you'll need to look elsewhere.

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Mayrhofen or Solden/Obergurgl would seem like a better bet at that time of the year.

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We skied in Zell Easter 2013 and all but a couple of the lower runs were open and the skiing was brilliant. There was a dump on the first day we arrived which helped matters. We went to Saalbach this Easter and although there were only a handful of lifts open there was enough to keep the family entertained for a week. As the others have said the glacier at Kaprun will be open so you can always head up there if things are bad in Zell. The taxi driver who took us from the airport to Saalbach said we should try Obertauern, about an hour away from Salzburg, next year as the snow tends to be better than the surrounding areas later in the season. Not sure if this is true but I guess he's got local knowledge..

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We went to Zell in February half term this year, I know its wasn't the best year for snow but most of it was open although it was very slushy on the lower slopes, it was probably the worst conditions we have ever experienced. We went to Kaprun beginning of April a few years ago the skiing in Kaprun was excellent, unfortunately Zell was really suffering from the heat. I like Zell its a really lovely ski resort and town but I wouldn't personally go that late again. Not sure if its true but I hear they are putting a link in from Kaprun to Saalbach for this coming season?

You know it makes sense.

Thanks all. I have decided to stick with our original booking which is St Anton for the 12th April. I was considering switchg to Zell for the 5th but clearly that isn't advisable.

All the feedback has been very helpful as I would like to go there one year but probably be when the kids are quite a bit older and we can then do it completely independently (at the moment we are very married to doing it with a family specialist offering kids clubs etc).

Help!!

Zell am See at Easter?

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