 Poster: A snowHead
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Is it good? Are the après ski bars all open? Any info?
I skied in hinterglemn two years ago the week before Xmas and not much was open but the skiing was fantastic. This year they claim they are going to open this Friday but that seems somewhat unlikely given the green state of the mountains. If it snows the week before Xmas, will the snow making mean the skiing is good?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@madlondoner, my daughter's school certainly hopes so - they travel out on 13th. Like you say the webscams indicate they should take hiking boots rather than skiboots...
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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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@madlondoner, Christmas week is usually a good week to ski, but not everything is likely to be open, as you know from your last trip. It is a lot quieter than New Year and the season is just getting going - some of the main bars really only start to get busy from 25th Dec onwards.
I hope that the snow soon appears too - I'm flying out next week and it all looks very green at the moment, but snow is forecast for the weekend. The temperature at the moment is too high for the snow making, but as soon as it drops to below freezing, they can make an incredible amount of snow in a very short time.
The resort was due to open last weekend and have now pushed it back to the coming weekend, which clearly isn't going to happen. What is happening is the Bergfest, featuring The Hives and loads of other bands, and the snowmobile racing in the streets of Hinterglemm. The snow for this has been stored over the summer in a big depot by the Zwolfer-Nord lift.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Booked it. Just need snow now!
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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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As soon as the mercury reaches -4 the cannons will be on 24/7.
I have been to Saalbach 4 times but never this early or with the family. Should be a whole new experience.
Desperately checking the forecasts and webcams but i am glad its 2 weeks away not 1 ! Saying that i know where i would rather spend christmas snow or no snow.
I think Hinterhag Alm doesnt kick off until the 24th, not sure about others.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Looked on their website. Said 22 days to opening which is boxingday. :/
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I'm over here now, currently very very green, but temps dropping day by day. Only 10 days ago it was t shirt weather during the day, but the ski jacket came out today. Forecast looks good for the weekend so fingers crossed.
g
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Reminiscent of 2006, when the snow arrived late, but in time for Christmas. Let's hope that, once the temperature drops, as it will this weekend, it stays low!
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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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Sorry ML, i remember Hinterhagalm being one day off Christmas day but thought it was the other way.
Not sure if i should tackle it as we are heading home on the 27th. The family have never experienced it so feel i should.
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Pirate, is that looking back towards Saalbach from Hinterglemm?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The view is from the top of the Mitarbeiterhaus/MPreis supermarket on the road to Hinterglemm, looking back towards Saalbach.
In the background, on the left, are all of the cruisy blues on the sunny Kohlmais side of the valley above Saalbach. All looking very green 
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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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...but all apparently about to change 
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A bit of good news, we now have some snow at least, even a little bit a village level. 
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You know it makes sense.
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It's looking nice and white in the valley today, but we've got some pretty high temps forecast for next week (5 degrees!). 
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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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Looks like it won't be great... They reckon temperatures will reach 7degreez halfway up the mountain. Am staying in Saalbacherhof though which looks super nice!
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Poster: A snowHead
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ML, Bergfex are saying 7 deg in the village Friday but prior to that hopefully some snow and colder. Big killer for me is rain. Bloody miserable skiing in the rain as it is almost mocking you. Knowing for the sake of a couple of degrees it would be lovely white pleasure.
It is a shame but count our blessings there is skiing back to the village although limited at the moment. Had considered Morzine for Xmas week as we stayed in the Viking which is up the mountain on the Les Gets side a couple of years back in March and it was great. That is extremely dire at the moment.
Saalbacherhof, i am extremely jealous. Lovely hotel, not that i have been inside but from staring longingly from the outside.
Keep doing the snowdance. Although i would prefer to be in Saalbach rather than the in the shopping scrum that passes for Christmas in the UK.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@ianbradders,
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Bloody miserable skiing in the rain as it is almost mocking you.
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We can always drown our sorrows in Bobby's. Mind you, there's another cold front predicted for next weekend.
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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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I went to morzinr one March where there was hardly any snow and we spent a fortune on the après.
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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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We can always drown our sorrows in Bobby's.
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TT, i can think of several places (cough, Flaine, cough) where the thought of no skiing and having to make do with the bars thoroughly depressing.
However the bars of Saalbach do hold a certain appeal.
I am still confident that i am not going to have to claim on the "Tatman Tours Christmas Snow Guarantee", i will check the terms of the contract that was agreed some months back. 
Who is going to arrange the Snowheads alternative to skiing bar crawl?
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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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ML, i did a lads trip quite a few years back to Morzine where the snow was excellent, yet still "we spent a fortune on the apres".
This was going back to the times of 1 for 1 on the Euro/Pound.
Exchange is more favourable and the beer is cheaper and nicer IMHO in Saalbach.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Morzine is one of the cheaper and livelier French resorts!
I'm always torn be cause I usually go to Austria but have had some pretty poor weeks snow wise there, but the accommodation and après is so much cheaper than France, where who knows the skiing might end up being poor too. (Great snow but a whiteout everyday isn't much use). In soll it was incredible how good value for money it was. In Austria you get four star hotels with swimming pool, top quality food and reasonable sized room for the same price as a box room in France with food served by chalet staff.
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I arrived in Saalbach this afternoon, having taken the train from Munich, which stopped at various ski resorts on the way, including Kirchberg, Kitzbuehel, Sankt Johann in Tirol, Leogang, Zell am See. The general picture seemed to be the same everywhere: a sparse sprinkling of snow with the grass showing through and no evidence of any skiing in progress - except for Saalbach, which has the Bernkogel open with skiers coming right down to the village, and also Schattberg above mid-station. It seems that, amongst the non-glacier resorts in this region (admittedly I could only see the lower slopes of the villages mentioned), Saalbach may be better off than most, thanks presumably to its extra height and fairly comprehensive snow-making. The resort website does show that some of the other lifts and runs are open for skiing, including the Leogang connection and parts of the Hinterglemm sector.
It does feel seasonably cold, and the general atmosphere is of cheerful expectancy, rather than negativity. As I returned from the supermarket, lots of school kids were clomping through the village, evidently on their way back from skiing, and they all seemed very upbeat. Presumably it's a good time for school trips from the point of view of price and availability.
It looks as if we're getting some mixed weather this week with colder temperatures forecast for the weekend. I'll keep you updated. I may have some more news when I've popped down to Bobby's for a burger and a weissbier or two this evening!
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Snow predicted for saturday
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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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A Slovenian friend of mine - a ski nut - has just messaged me and mentioned that he's recently spent a couple of days skiing the Zwoelferkogel and Schattberg Westgipfel.
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We have had skiing since Friday from around 20 lifts and 10 pistes on a mixture of real, artificial and snow saved from last year its not fantastic by any means but its a whole lot better than anywhere else at this elevation. They can actually open up most of the mountain with just 3 days snow making, but they need temperatures of at least -3 to start the machines.
We have do have rain forecast at all levels for Thursday but it looks like its cooling down for the weekend. One tiny bit of good news is that the actual temperatures during the day have been a couple of degrees cooler than forecast, so fingers crossed we might get a little snow on Thursday instead of rain.
All the apres bars are slowly coming to life and by next week they are all expected to be open.
Taken about half way down the Bernkogel on Friday afternoon.
And to be honest, Saalbach isnt a bad place to spend Christmas even without snow.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks LLP, that pic from Bernkogel looks a whole lot better than the webcam from village level.
Even the lower run from Hinterhagalm down to Bauers looks okay from this view.
As said the temperature is the one thing that no one has any control over but will ultimately make or break it.
Hinterglemm looks better but they do have more north facing slopes. Hope the poor cover keeps the crowds away. Want it all to myself.
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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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TT, good to have you on reccy.
I am just hoping i have enough piste to get my girls improving. Big worry is limited piste that is too busy for them to get confident turns in.
Most importantly i want them to love Saalbach as a village as much as a ski resort as i do.
I genuinely feel the difference between Sally and where we have visited in France will hopefully bowl them over.
Not knocking France but for me and my family the comfort levels should be worlds apart.
Thats a wife and 2 young girls for you!
TT all the best for an excellent season. When are your family arriving?
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You know it makes sense.
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I've been skiing every day since Saalbach opened on Friday. There is not a lot to ski on, but what there is is actually quite good. Zvolferkogel is open from top to bottom, but a bit narrow in places. It was very busy at the weekend but empty yesterday. Reiterkogel above the gondola is also very nice. Bernkogel is open from the top of the gondola to the bottom - narrow but OK. The back of Schattberg to the Limberg lift is also fine. Westgipfel is open but not good below mid-station. The baby lifts in the centre of Saalbach and Hglemm are crowded with English and German school groups who all seem to be having fun. It might actually snow a bit today but I'm not holding my breath.
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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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Ok, so it's good news/bad news time.
THe bad, it's been raining all day at village level.
The good, it's snowing above 1500m
The runs are actually pretty decent above mid stations, especially those around Hinterglemm.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@ianbradders, They start arriving the day after tomorrow, and it looks as though we'll be entertaining them until 10th Jan. If, for any reason (e.g. the conditions) your family don't get to see Saalbach at its best, we have an apartment available during the weeks commencing 10/01, 17/01, 07/02 and 07/03, although I realise that you may be restricted to school holidays. I fully empathise with how you must feel!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I see that, according to snow-forecast, the predicted heavy rain on Thursday has been changed to 'light rain/rain showers', and we now have a prediction of 5-10cm of new snow on Saturday night. Let's hope this forecast is correct (or even, dare I say, an understatement of the snowfall).
There is a nice atmosphere here in Saalbach - a feeling of anticipation (which admittedly may well change to foreboding if it doesn't snow before the Christmas and New Year crowds arrive). Yesterday there were loads of English school kids around; they probably don't realise how lucky they are - at least (for beginners and lower intermediates) the Turmwiese nursery slope and the Bernkogel lower section are open, which is probably more than they would have had in many other resorts. I was shocked to read yesterday recent press reports about conditions in France - e.g. one lift open in Les Arcs! (although I noticed that Peter Hardy thinks there is no problem!)
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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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Any recommendations for ski hire?
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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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@madlondoner, Go to Hansi's Best-Price, next door but one to Bobby's Pub, and tell Hansi that I sent you (for a good discount).
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