 Poster: A snowHead
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I normally stick to red runs but this year I'm determined to try and get used to skiing some steeper stuff - I know the problem is in my head!
Can anyone suggest any black runs in Saalbach which would be good for me to start on, although I know a lot can depend on the snow conditions on the day.
Thanks in advance! (I think......)
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Used to work there....Can't remember the names, but: the black from the zwolferkogel in hinterglemm is probably the best one to start on as it is likely to have the best snow conditions. I think there are only 2 blacks in the resort anyway! The other one has some options to retreat to the red run. Neither are too hard and rarely busy (in fact I often skied them alone). If its really icy just take it easy, otherwise you should find them fine. I'd suggest warming up for them by taking the gondola up to the top of the zwolferkogel from Hinterglemm village, then ski the run to mid station, stick on the left all the way down. Its about as steep as the blacks get so should convince you not to get worried about them. A good resort to start on black runs in my opinion.
Also, if you've not done it yet a night out at the Spielberghaus is essential for any visitor to saalbach. Best nights I've ever had in Austria were there, and i've had a lot of nights out in Austria! http://www.spielberghaus.at/
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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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Thanks Lewis, that's very useful and I'm pleased to hear there's only about 2 - less for me to avoid!  I thought there were more but looking at the piste map (always useful!) I see that's about right. I'm determined to try and crack this this year - I know its my mind saying - oooh its a black run careful gonna be steep and tricky and then my skiing goes very defensive & basically cr*p!
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Cathy Coins, at least in Canada you'll only have the choice of green, blue and black so you'll be able to do blacks while convincing yourself that it's "only a European red", although some of them are truly black even in European terms. Look out for Corkscrew at Big White if it's groomed, or ask one of the Snowhosts to show you how to cut into the bottom section only of Black Jack (there's a track across to it from Kalina's, but it's not marked) if you spot that the bottom has been groomed. It often is but it's never shown on the grooming report because they don't do the top bit, so the bottom bit hardly gets skied at all, but usually has great conditions. Up at Sun Peaks, Highway 22 is one of the easier ones if I remember rightly.
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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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Thanks Okanagan, that's been my way out so far, doing some blacks at Sunshine Village that I know aren't 'real' blacks in the European sense but still lets my mind get used to doing them - and gives me blagging rights to those that don't know . Very useful info re Big White & Sun Peaks, thanks.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Cathy Coins, there's a very nice black that goes down from the Schattberg X-Press gondola in Saalbach called the Schattberg Nordabfahrt. It's No. 1 on this piste map. It's in 2 parts, so you can bottle out and do the blue half way down if you need to, and although it's reasonably steep in parts, it's nice and wide.
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Cathy Coins, here are my pictures on the two black runs mentioned earlier:
This is the Zwolferkogel black piste (No. 15) from Westgipfel.
The upper part is marked black and this piste is often closed. From the middle to the valley it is red (No. 12).
A this is the narrow black under the Schattberg X-Press gondola (No. 1a) taken from the lift.
There is a very short black (No. 26) on the opposite side of the valley between a red and a blue runs.
It is a perfect warming-up for the black adventure.
And one more black run (No. 14) winding down from the other side of Zwolferkogel to the valley.
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Cathy Coins, I too have a mental block with blacks. Went to Saalbach over Christmas and avoided them completely! All I will say is that the Schattberg black looks terrifying from the lift! Hope you enjoy it!
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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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kerekip, my heart is pounding fast already just looking at those runs! Does anyone else find runs much more intimidating when you are at the bottom looking up at them than when when you are at the top looking down (or even on them!). Thank you all - I'm going to have to try one at least once just so I can report back here 
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Does anyone else find runs much more intimidating when you are at the bottom looking up at them than when when you are at the top looking down
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Yes! And half the time when I say, "Gosh, I could never get down that", someone says, "Well you went down it yesterday OK!" 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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Cathy Coins, Saalbach has 7 black runs, although one is not really a run.
The hardest (by some way) is the Zwolferkogel Nordfahrt (slope 14). This is 3km long with 1km vertical (to give you an idea of the gradient) is pretty narrow, icy and mogully in different places. This run is liable to close in bad conditions. This is the only run where they place additional "dangerous piste" warning signs.
The 2nd hardest, is probably the Schattberg black (1a). Although it isn't that tough. The gradient is relatively steep in places and it can get a little icy, however it's mostly reasonably wide. The only danger would be getting too much speed up.
Over in Leogang - there is a small black chute off red 59 that cuts the corner. This is often harder then it looks as it's quite steep and tends to have loose snow sitting on hardpack underneath. In good snow, this is possibly very easy, but it can be tricky.
In Leogang there's also run 89. This is the only one I haven't been down (was closed when I've been there)
The 2nd easiest is probably the top half of the world cup run (15). It's a little steep but fairly wide.
The easiest black is almost certainly run 7a, which is pretty redish. The hardest thing about this one is probably getting off the chairlift at the top!
The one i've missed out is black 26, which again was closed when I've b een there.
For your first run - I'd recommend doing either 15 on Zwolferkogel or 7a and then 1a (both on Schattberg)
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Cathy Coins, definitely start on the No15 world cup run over at Hinterglemm. It is steep but very wide and rarely icy you can also veer off to the right if you bottle it and ski down a shorter part of the black onto a blue.
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much  on Tue 10-01-06 10:35; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks kamikaze & hayley t, very useful. Must remember to print this off before I go.
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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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Cathy Coins,
Never been so my suggestion may be of no use. If the problem is partly in the head would it be worth getting a short private lesson and explaining the problem. The instructor can then see if you are competent to go down the black runs and will also know the ones with the best snow (Which IMHO is probably more important than what colour they nominally are). He can also give you a hand if you are finding a problem part way down then bingo you have done a black run and will have the confidence to do another on your own.
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Poster: A snowHead
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T Bar, that's an idea I might take up. I was probably going to have a morning private lesson so this could be one problem to tackle then. Thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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My wife and I were in Saalbach two seasons ago, she was still a tentative early border just progressing onto reds and improving on blues... By "mistake" she was taken down the black off Zwolferkogel, but, bless her, she didn't realise and at the bottom merely commented that "I thought it was a little steep !" - its different for a boarder I guess, as she simply realised it was a bit steep, so she side slipped some of the way before the gradient got a little more sensible and then managed to put in a few turns....
I've got a couple of good photos which indicate the steepness, but not sure how to attach to a reply... I'll try and get them up on snowMedia...
It was probably THE best way to do your first black - we handled the first red in the same way - if you don't know what it is then you simply adapt your skiing / boarding to the terrain you are presented with. She has since knowingly and willingly taken a few more blacks, including Suisse in Courchevel ( i only mention that as i've seen a number of people will know it well ! ) - we simply pointed it out from the lift, she said it looked ok - we informed her that it was a black but as she had seen it she felt ok about giving it a go !
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Richie_S, thanks ever so much, those photos are great & if the snow is good I could ski that! Mr C has very kindly said I've skied slopes that are steeper so I will definitely have a try!
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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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Well I did ski a black run, no 26 at Hochalm. It was only a short run and I could see the whole of the piste on the way up the chairlift so I knew there'd be no surprises
But I wasn't very pleased with my skiing as a whole during the week - it felt like I'd progressed backwards several weeks. Yes, I got down the black without falling & in control but it was just survival & with minimum of style/technique. Made me think I wouldn't try any more difficult blacks at Saalbach but have some lessons at Big White.
And guess what - our hotel room looked right onto the black 1a under the Schattberg Express! We had double doors onto the balcony from the bedroom and the bathroom and I could lie there looking up at the piste and think- no way am I coming down there!!
So yes I did 'do' a black although not a difficult one but I don't think I'm ready to tackle them confidently - I need some good lessons behind me!
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Cathy Coins, I bet you feel a bit more confident about them now though. The black under the Schattberg is a bit lethal near the bottom but don't let it put you off tackling more blacks!
I've got to the point where I'll just give them a go and see what happens. I think a lot of it is dependent on having a good pair of skis which you have confidence in should you hit some ice or powder on a steep run. This year in Bad Gastein my skis were briliant and it does wonders for the confidence. In just under 5 weeks time we'll be in Saalbach and we're going to tackle the Zwolfkogel (name?) black! 
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