 Poster: A snowHead
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I've just booked to go to St Johann in Tyrol next week.
It's just me and the OH and hopefully this area will fit our requirements for plentiful skiing, pretty locations and interesting resort. I do have a couple of questions and would be very grateful for any information from Snowheads who know the area.
1) Is it worth buying the Allstar pass for an extra £25ish for the week?
We are both decent skiers and like covering miles, but I fear that if we buy it, I may get carried away and insist we head out on the train the Kitzbuhel or Post Bus the Ski Welt every day. In other words, will the Scheewinkl be enough for 6 days decent skiing.
2) Where's the best local area to ski in poor conditions?
I did tonnes of research and saw conditions there are pretty good but as soon as I had booked a weather site showed rain forecast for Friday. Is there one area which tends to hold snow better/ stay colder etc?
3) Recommendations to watch England v Ireland rugby on Sunday pm?
I don't normally seek out Irish bars on ski trips but would welcome one (or a Brit friendly Sports Bar) just for 2 hours on Sunday?
4) Any other recommendations?
Favourite ski huts, runs, bars? Is the swimming pool, toboggan run, night skiing worth a visit?
Thank you
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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1. Schneewinkl is enough for a week. Although I think the Allstar pass is good value, we deliberately didn't buy it so we weren't tempted to go to Kitz every day.
2. The Steinplatte holds snow well. There's plenty of snow and looks like snow not rain on Bergfex.
3. Don't know.
4. Buchensteinwand ski area. Huber brewery and top of tower restaurant (St. J)
http://www.schneewinkel-tirol.com/
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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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1. Scneewinkl is good for a week
2. Steinplatte as above and also fieberbrunn which is round the other side of the mountain from St Johann and just a short bus ride. Snow was bad in St Johann when I was there but we found plenty at the other two locations.
3. Max Pub at the very bottom of the main run back into St Johann is excellent. Can't recall name of the Irish type bar, may be Bunnys, Its just over the railway crossing heading out of town only a short walk from the main Gondola Station. I think it was run by a Canadian guy who was very hospitable, did good grub and beer. There are two bars one loud one quieter I'm sure they'll have rugby on.
4. My favourite restaurant on the mountain and again don't recall the name was at Fieberbrunn. Go up to midstation in gondola then take the button lift on the right to the top and the restaurant there did beautiful goulash soup and the tyroler grostle mit Spiegel was fantastic.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Thanks Guys,
I really appreciate these replies.
It's just the type of thing I was hoping for. The Allstar pass is tempting, especiallyas the train journey to Kitzbuhel is quicker than the bus trips around Scheewinkl, but I have already done a week there (and 2 in Ski Welt), so I really should explore new areas (+ save £25).
I will check out Bunnys on the first night (+ some others) and if none of them are going to show the rugby the following day, that can make my decision for me, as Kitzbuhel will have places showing it, so I can ski there for the day first on Sunday.
I've only heard good things about Steinplatte and Fieberbrunn and you two back this up. Thanks for the tip about Buchensteinwald- I may have overlooked that. Also will defo check out the goulash soup/ tyroler grostle hut- my 2 favourites!
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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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Yes Max's at the bottom, listen out for the siren and the fight to stand under the tap pouring schnapps out the ceiling  Rogi's bar as well. Noichl ski hire has a depot nearest the main lift, it's a 10 minute walk from the centre of St. Johann. Good grub in the Angereralm and the Pointenhof has a big glass conservatory nice to sit in. Black piste 7a was good and not that black, only couple of steep bits. Study the bus timetables, it's not that straightforward.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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The Fieberbrunn restaurant mentioned by jirac18 is the Wildalpgatterl.
All the areas on the Schneewinkl card are small compared to linked areas like Kitzbühel or the SkiWelt but they do provide plenty of skiing, probably more than enough for a week. But if you like covering miles without repeating pistes too often, then the AllStar card will offer more scope.
Conditions shouldn't be bad. Although the snow isn't great at present, especially off piste, the runs are in good condition.
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I think Bunny's Bar is closed. I believe where it was has been replaced by place called Rogis but they were advertising Sky Sports a few weeks back so am sure they'll show the rugby. Also, small bar on the right of main square as you face the church and opposite post office puts on premiership football games. They seem to have access to Sky and BT Sport channels so hopefully will be able to find the rugby. Don't think he realised there was a game on when I asked so might be worth flagging it up with him the day before
May be more convenient for you than Max's or Rogis if staying in town centre.
You should try and get to the bar on top of the Huber Brewery tower as well. You can just have one or two of their beers here but also best place for trying out local dishes and very reasonable price wise. Great views from the tower.
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Thanks for this. We are getting in early evening on Saturday and staying in the centre, so we should have a chance to have a wander on Saturday evening and check out the bars mentioned. I will definitely give the tower bar a try, although we are on half board so may not sample their food.
I've just discovered that a couple of friends are in Zell am See the same week, so we may get a Salzerburger pass and jump on the train to meet for a day. Has anyone done this? It looks like a fairly reasonable journey, or would we be better splitting it and meeting in Leogang and doing the Saalbach Ski Circus?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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The railway stations in both Zell and Leogang are a bit away from the lifts, so you'd probably need a taxi to reach the slopes. Shouldn't be a problem, certainly in Zell; I'm not sure whether taxis will be waiting at Leogang station (don't be confused by the fact that there are two stations in Leogang; you would use the first you reach coming from St. Johann, Leogang not Leogang-Steinberge). The nearest stop for the skibus is ca. 700 metres from Leogang station. The nearest lifts are cityXpress in Zell, the Steinbergbahn in Leogang (the Asitzbahn in Leogang isn't much further away and has more challenging skiing at the end of the valley run, if you want).
Both areas would make for a good day. The main advantage of Leogang would be that your journey would be shorter, so you might manage a slightly longer ski day (if the train schedules allow it). But practically Zell might be easier, for there would be only one train trip to worry about (and maybe your friends will only have a ski pass for Zell).
BTW both Zell am See and the Saalbach Ski Circus are also on the Kitzbühel Alps AllStar Card.
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@EdYarker, its about 5 minute walk from Zell train station to the City Xpress gondola, you can pick up some nice cakes from the Mosshammer bakery on the way to the lift
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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If you like ribs, there is a restaurant in town on the main high street, just down from bunnys can't remember it's name though (and the rail way crossing) that does really excellent ones. He has them on special offer some nights. What he also is a range of chilli sauces. They are 111 hot, 333 very hot & 666 extremely hot. The manager doesn't recommend 666 straight away due to its heat. Needless to say that's what I went straight for and he was right to warn me but I loved it too. Just make sure you wash your hands well BEFORE you visit the gents!
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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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Nice tip on the ribs daveqpr, I will work my way up from 111 I think.
Excellent advice about the train journey as well guys. Thanks. I notice that both ZAS and Ski Circus are on the All Star pass, which surprised me. It's really good value isn't it? I wish I was staying for longer than a week! It looks like Zell am See would be the sensible choice for a day trip. We stayed in Hinterglemm last year and would love to pay another visit as it's such a great ski area, but it looks like Leogang station is a bit more of a faff and it'll be nice to ski somewhere new as well. As you rightly point our espri, it'll also save our friends upgrading their pass.
Finally, I have noticed that the weather forecast now shows rain on Sunday (but thankfully colder weather afterwards). Where would you recommend to ski? Most sites show freeze levels to be at about 1900, which means even the highest slopes in St Johann will be damp.
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