Winter walking (for the none skiers in our group) ??

A snowHead

Hi All,

me and my girlfriend will be having a week snowboarding in the alps as we do every year in January.
2 members of our group (my mum & dad) are none skiers but love to go walking on trails in the snow.
(prefibly walkway / paths / trails) as apposed to being knee deep in powder !!!

* They are not bothered about dog slaying / toboganning etc .... just walking and stopping off for some drinks here &
there on the way, and maybe a bit of shopping thrown in aswell

With this in mind, there also has to be a few decent places to go for a meal of an evening, as we are not sure weather were going to
go hotel type board or self catering. A bit of a night life aswell would be good (not partying away all hours), but just a few decent bars to chill out in and that sort of thing.

We have a prefered idea of were we would like to go (bearing in mind, it has to be suitable for none skiers)
and those are Maryhofen (Austria) - and - Morzine / Avoriaz

So its France vs Aaustria from us, and this is wewre you lovely peeps come into this.....in your experience which resort would you say will be the best for the aformentioned criteria.

Thanks Guys,

Si.

A snowHead

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

@Si_Dean,
Many years ago (nearly 30) I went with my parents to Avoriaz and they enjoyed the walking, mainly going down to Les Prodains in the cable car I think.
In general though I would say that Switzerland in particular and Austria are better set up for winter walking.

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Another one you might want to consider, again Austria, is Lech. They have a number of cleared walking paths, including up to Oberlech where you could ski to and meet them for lunch, or they could sit on the sun terrace of one of the many hotels/restaurants/drinking holes there and watch the world go by. Bus and train options for days out too.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I have noticed that in Les Arcs Arc Adventures and bureaux des guides offer guided walks. I suspect this is the case in most ski resorts.

Like @Alastair Pink, I do not know anywhere where slaying of dogs is pemitted. But I really liked that new resort of Maryhofen best.

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Pros and cons for each.....

A valley resort in Austria (Mayrhofen) would also offer opportunities for trips out to places like Innsbruck and Salzburg (by public transport). And from Mayrhofen you can go up the mountains at numerous points up and down the valley, rather than just in (say) Morzine or Avoriaz. Also has more in the way of restaurants, nice cafes and shops.

They could also go up to the top of Hintertux Glacier at 3000m+ (with leisurely lunch en route at the fairly new posh restaurant at the Tuxer Fernerhaus, 2600m); followed by a guided trip down into the glacier - the 'Nature's Ice Palace' - which is brilliant. That's at the top of the glacier, where the views are amazing.

On the other hand, up the mountain (albeit purpose-built Avoriaz etc) is more likely to be knee deep in snow with a winter wonderland ambience than a low Austrian valley resort.

Don't most ski areas have scenic, marked winter walking routes at altitude?? Though snowshoes may be required to make the most of them. Good fun and easy to get the hang of - the difference when you take them off is just amazing wink

.

My vote would be for Mayrhofen Smile

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

In my area of France there are pisted walking tracks and marked tracks for snowshoeing and plenty of guided walks and snowshoe outings of different levels of intensity. Venturing off the marked and open trails obviously raises avalanche risk.

Walking in more than a very little snow without snow shoes gets tiring. Impossible once the snow is a bit deeper.

Snowshoes are easy and fun - long poles and good gaiters are useful.

One thing to check is availability of lifts for pedestrians. Not much fun walking along a flat Valley floors.

After all it is free

I like Morzine, but I think I'd pick Mayrhofen - easy day trips on public transport to Innsbruck and Salzburg (a lot more going on than any ski resort) clinches it for the non-skiers.

When last in saalbach/hinterglemm, there were a number of pisted walking trails most of which conveniently passed mountain huts en route. The tourist office produced a booklet profiling the walk as well as its length, difficulty and approx duration. Each morning over breakfast my partner, who wasn't skiing, would decide which walk she wanted to do. That determined which hut she could reach by lunchtime so that I could head of skiing and meet her there to eat. We'd then head our separate ways again for the afternoon meeting in an agreed après bar at the end of the day - worked really well.
There is plenty of night life and restaurants and the resort is within fairly easy access of Salzburg by public transport.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

How about Bad Gastein?

Does guided snow shoe hikes. Good varied night life.

Open air bathing.

Direct train to Salzburg for a day out.
Also direct train back from Ljubljana and Bled so a day out there is possible.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

@Si_Dean, As suggested by @nickH, Saalbach-Hinterglemm would a perfect choice - scenic riverside walks between the two villages, also on the mountains with 50 or so mountain restaurants and a weekly guided walk programme, plenty of options for convenient rendezvous between skiers and walkers, attractive village centres with numerous reasonably-priced restaurants and bars and a lively atmosphere, slopes at village height (unlike Mayrhofen) with fun for young and old at the Hinterhagalm, Bauers Schialm, Spitzbub, Schwarzacher and Goassstall apres-ski parties, easily-arranged excursions to Zell am See and Salzburg.

Help!!

Winter walking (for the none skiers in our group) ??

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