 Poster: A snowHead
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I cleverly managed to persuade my wife to do our 'Autumn City break' in December in or near Innsbruck. I persuaded her with promise of Christmas markets and the opportunity to do some 'light skiing.'
Now we are getting closer to the date, I want more than just light skiing and fear that the weather gods are against this. There seems to have been some snow but nothing more due for the next week.
I have provisionally booked a nice hotel at a great rate in Seefeld but should I look to go nearer to a glacier? My thoughts are Fulpmes for Stubai or Garmisch? don't think I will get as good a hotel deal in either of these two places, so do you think a day trip to Stubai or the Garmisch glaciers are possible/ worthwhile froSeefeld? I know it's on the train line which is good as we are relying on public transport.
Any advice on travel times or the relative merits of the above resorts would be very much appreciated.
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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 would head up Stubaital to Fulpmes if I were you. Things are not looking too great for Garmisch, and the glacier up there will probably only have a couple of drag lifts open.
Day trips are definitely possible from Seefeld, but why not just go and stay up in Stubaital? I'm fairly sure you can get good deals at that time of year.
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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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Seefeld is OK for a day as long as you aren't too adventurous. Nothing too taxing, but it is a lovely place and I'm sure your wife will love it. The slopes look OK at the moment (I'm watching closely as I'm there again at Christmas), but with a warm week forecast you might be better off going elsewhere to ski. Will you have a car?
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When are you going?
I don't know what things are like in Garmisch/Seefeld.
Schlick2000, the ski area by Fulpmes, opens this weekend. Axamer Lizum will probably also open this weekend, though less certain.
Fulpmes itself isn't all that nice, to be honest, in my opinion. I would either stay in Neustift (just a bit further up the valley) if you definitely want to ski Stubai, or stay in Innsbruck itself and get the bus to whichever of Stubai, Schlick, Axamer or Kuhtai (limited opening last weekend) looks best on the day.
Also consider Obergurgl or Sölden, though may be a bit more fiddly on public transport.
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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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Go as high as possible. Unless you like ice or mud.
St Anton, Hochgurgl, Solden and Hintertux are all under 2 hours away from Innsbruck.
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Thanks for the feedback so far.
As @musher, points out, Seefeld looks like the prettiest place if you take skiing out of the equation and I haven't found anything nearly as good hotel-wise, even in Innsbruck. Interesting that @clarky999, doesn't rate Fulpmes as a village. Bearing in mind that going somewhere charming is part of the criteria, maybe we will stick to Seefeld and I will look into car hire possibilities (that would open up St Anton, Khutai and Stubai day trips- although wasn't really part of the initial plan).
If the car hire doesn't work, it doesn't look like Garmisch will be worth the journey (for skiing anyway), so a day at Stubai and then loads of Christmas Markets and possibly a half day in the mud above Seefeld might have to be the order of the day.
Has anyone done Seefeld to Stubai by public transport? Looks like it would be train then bus, taking 90 minutes-ish?
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Regional train from Seefeld to Garmisch, transfer on to the Zugspitzbahn cog railway (can buy your lift ticket right there at the Station). Take a book, the complete trip with transfer will probably take close to 2 hours. If you manage to get a car, drive to the Tirolzugspitzbahn in Ehrwald, as the cable car from Eibsee is being replaced.
Zugspitze opens for skiing this weekend. So far it's stayed cold and snowy, so it might not actually be that bad. However the piste skiing up there is limited in the best of times.
If using public transport, the trip to Stubai is probably comperable. Skiing would be more extensive, though.
Non-skiing: Mittenwald is a cute little village. Garmisch is worth a visit as well. A Little farther afield but also worthwhile would be a trip up to Oberammergau taking in the monestary at Ettal and the Linderhof palace.
Skiing won't be possbile yet, but also worthwhile to take the cable car up the Karwendel in Mittenwald and the Gondola up the Laber in Oberammergau. The view from the Zugspitze is also dramatic (makes the trip worthwhile even if the skiing is only so-so). For scenery alone, i rate it higher than Stubai.
If you've accepted you will only do some "light skiing", you will have a nice time there.
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I was going to suggest maybe Zugspitze.
clarky999 is the local expert, but public transport to Stubai & Kuhtai would probably mean a train into Innsbruck first, then you could get to any hill he mentioned. A taxi is quicker and only about 40 euro.
Which hotels are you looking at in Seefeld?
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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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@ami in berlin,
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| If you manage to get a car, drive to the Tirolzugspitzbahn in Ehrwald, as the cable car from Eibsee is being replaced. |
The new cable car is being built in parallel to the old one, so the old cable does still operate right now. The new one is scheduled to be ready in 2017 afaik. Anyway, you still have the train to the top, which is not much slower in total than going by cable car.
The Zugspitze area has limited piste skiing and great offpiste... but needs at least 3m of snow for that or you will destroy your skis.
Garmish is more or less out given that the Classic area won't open until mid-December!
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We have booked to stay in Hotel Tyrol-Alpenhof, which whilst not being the premier shed in Seefeld, still looks pretty good value at £53/night. Most negative reviews I've seen refer to dinner quality but we are on B&B (so restaurant recommendations would be most welcome). Anyway today is the last day I can cancel the booking for free which is why I've been grateful to your suggestions.
From what everyone has said, I think we may as well stay there as a base. If there's no new snow before we go, I think I will try to hire a car which will make getting to Stubai easier and possibly the Zugspitze (although not sure that will be up my wife's street for skiing). We would also have the option of Solden, St Anton and Kutai I guess, but I maybe getting carried away here. Even if there's a little bit of fresh snow I think we will stick with public transport and do a half day in the village, an away day to Stubai and then sight seeing in Innsbruck and Germany (Mittenwald, Oberammergau et).
Thank you everyone for helping with this. Feel free to keep suggestions/ snow updates coming if anything else occurs.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@EdYarker,
I don't know that hotel, but it is very handy for the nursery slopes if your wife is that way inclined. There is a good ski hire place just round the corner, Modern Ski.
At the Christmas market last year we got talking to some Eastern Europeans. Mrs M teaches English to Eastern European kids so we found plenty to talk about. I think it got very messy (I can't remember the details) and the kids disowned us. It's not Innsbruck but it is very good fun 
If you're still there at Christmas give me a shout.
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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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Thanks @musher, my wife is better than nursery now but the hotel does look like it's in a good position for most things. Unfortunately, there still doesn't seem to be much snow forecast for this week, so looks like we will have to rent a car. I will keep an eye out for Eastern Europeans if I fancy getting stuck into some serious Apres!
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