A week in Solden

A snowHead

We went to Soelden ( I cannot work out where the umlaut is ) w/c 15 December and this is what I thought of it. I should mention we are 6 namely me and Mrs A , 2 friends of ours ( all of us in our 50s ) and my daughter and her friend, both aged 12. We cover between us the full ability range of intermediate skiers . I admit the kids are at the top and the rest of us descend from there. I am experienced but quite slow and cautious . I mention all this as I think it relevant to our views as to the severity of the slopes, the grooming etc. We skied the same week last year in Lech.

Transport/Chalet

We went with SkiWorld - good flight early from Gatwick at 07.15 with Sleazyjet - reasonable seat room unlike Monarch on the way back . At Innsbruck it only took about 40 mins to get off 'plane and on to coach - just over an hours' pleasant drive and we were at Chalet Karl Riml at about 12.00. Off to ski hire - Sport 4 U near Giggijoch lift - who had brand new kit for early season - and collected passes so we were skiing that afternoon.

The chalet is an old pension - dated but very clean and big comfortable en suite rooms. The dining room is very cramped for the 28 or so there. There is a cellar bar but they do not have a licence to sell booze so no-one used it when we were there which is a pity as would be good as a bar - and a photo of it features in the brochure. There is a ski room with a new heated boot rack. The week cost about £450- 470 pp which was great value for money - but was the first week they were open.

The breakfast was the usual chalet stuff - with porridge and 2 or 3 hot items - excellent afternoon cakes, evening meal was variable from tasteless to very good by the end of the week and the wine was copious and drinkable. The staff were really excellent and made it a very good chalet. Special mention for Becky who was the resort rep who did a brilliant job ( Skiworld have another chalet opposite which was about to open called the Paul Gruner - there are I think no other UK TOs in Soelden apart from Ski Total who have a very big chalet up the hill and some distance apparently from the town centre ).

The chalet is well placed being close to the lifts and the town.

Snow

It had not snowed properly for 2 weeks before we arrived and it did not snow when we were there. It was as the resort weather reports said unseasonably warm - up to 5C on the mountain. However the snow making is superb and at all times you could ski from the top - over 3300m - down to Soelden at 1360m. The cannons were going night and day - likewise the piste bashers - there were not the lumpy pistes we were used to in France by say lunchtime . It was the opposite of Lech last year when it would not stop snowing.

Ski Area

Three big mountains at 3000m and more , 2 with glacier skiing so subject to weather ( it seemed they close the glacier in high winds ) it is snow sure even if some of it is artificial. I think there are about 33 lifts and 144 km of runs - almost all of which were open the whole week.

The pass cost about €231 incl Obergurgl ( see below ) .

Access is by the Giggijoch or Gaislachkogl gondolas - the former being a pleasant stroll - mainly along by the river - from the chalet. The brochure says it is 350m but it seemed shorter to me . We never queued for it bit were told in high season the wait or rather scrum for it can be up to 90 mins if you are not there early ( they open at 08.00 ). If packed as other Snowheads have said go to Gaislachkogl - by the free ski buses- and apparently there are very few queues there. You can walk there in 20 mins as well.

We saw no-one off piste due to lack of snow cover on the lower slopes. The skiing is I think great for intermediates - mainly wide but always well bashed pistes whatever grading which flatter your skiing . The runs are graded blue/red/black but we were all happy skiing just about anywhere as the black runs are not much harder than the reds save Piste 31 which is the Mens' Olympic Downhill which is steep ( or so my daughter tells me ! ).

Personally I found the glacier area bleak and far preferred the Gaislachkogl area which is varied and wooded lower down.

There was enough piste skiing to keep us happy for the week, and no queues which was great. The lifts all seem to be modern. There are a couple of T bars which I reckon are the work of the devil but could be avoided. There is a slow but modern 2 man chair, number A15 on Gaislachkogl which is great as it means you can see and hear the wild life.

Huts and Food

Some of the huts are great eg Heidealm has superb views . The food at Gampe Thaya was great esp the Tiroler Grostl. . The mountain restaurants were good especially the restaurant at the top of Gaislachkog lwhich is a superb new building with amazing views. Coffee is €3 but worth it for the place itself. Everywhere the buildings seemed very well designed and built. The people working whether in restaurants or on the lift staff were very helpful . Overall everything seemed a cut above what we are used to in the mega French resorts and food and drink was better value for money.

Obergurgl / Hochgurgl

When you buy your lift pass you can pay an extra €10 for a day there. This is well worth it - there is a free ski bus which takes about 30 mins basically to drive to the end of the valley. Personally I thought Soelden was a far better and more varied area. It was also odd after being used to not hearing English voices to hearing them all the time.

Apres Ski

We are not the ones to ask about this. We did however go to the Kucku and the Schirm Bar - the latter being a swaying mass of drunken blokes mainly Germans, Scandinavians and Austrians singing along to various anthems with lots of fists punching the air but without that undercurrent of violence which I think the presence of lots of Brits may bring.

Mainly we went to the Weinfassl a little old lift station hut near our chalet. That had loads of Danes in it as well. The smoking is off putting however especially in the small bars.

the Town

As others have said it is not the prettiest Austrian town but I liked it - the river has waterside paths and there are lots of shops including a big bakery , Spa etc. There are tons of up market hotels on " our " side of the river. As ever the quality of food and drink and the built environment is high. I liked the footbridges across the river. There is a very good sports area called Freizeit which the kids loved - €5 each for an evening in a brilliant pool area.

Overall

We would go back - for what it does better than France such as superbly prepared pistes, friendly people, better on aveage food at cheaper cost , well designed and built , - basically everything seemed good value for money. But I did miss the long journeys you can do in the big French resorts. Skiworld were good too.

A snowHead

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

Thanks . I should have added that we also did 3 days ski hosting which was very good especially as not mentioned in the brochure ( I think if it was not the first week there would be just a day or two ).

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Nice report thanks!

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Interesting report, thanks. I have a friend going to Sölden later on this season, so I'll pass it on to him.

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

Thanks for the report, heading there Jan next year. Is it 20 mins walk between the two lifts (approx)?

After all it is free

Yes, at a reasonably fast pace. I had just missed the bus when I did it but it is an effort in boots carrying skis. Hope you enjoy it, we did. We are this Christmas going back to the 3 Valleys after several December trips to Austria and I am sure we will miss the higher standards of service and food , and the built environment. But we won't miss the smoking in the bars.

Thanks for the info alltnaha, i believe we're staying bang in the middle of the two lifts right next to a funicular which it looks like we can get up and then ski down to the gondola. Might be a better option, not sure if you used that route at all?

Help!!

A week in Solden

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