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Summer snowboarding for beginner - Zermatt/Hintertux

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi,

As per topic, which of these two is more beginner-friendly for summer snowboard? I'll be in Europe this May, and free to do things on the last week of May. I put the choice of Zermatt/Hintertux because it seems easier to get around (infos are a lot!) to and from airport. But if you know any suitable place for summer snowboard for beginner, please shoot em.

Also, I have never done snowboard in summer before. The last I snowboard was 4 years ago in Nagano, and my experience is only 2.5 days of snowboard - so I'm pretty novice/beginner.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
From what I remember, Zermatt is very flat up the glacier, so might be very suitable.
But moreover, Zermatt is the -much- more interesting place to go. Larger, livelier, and of course: the Matterhorn.
Hintertux is tiny and remote
Do take into account that summerskiing is happening in the mornings only, as it is getting too warm from 12.00 onwards, and thus too slushy to ski/snowboard.

Since you're still a novice, you might also consider taking on skiing instead of snowboarding. Snowboarding is going out of fashion (I'm serious!) Spring/summer is low season, and you might easier get a good ski instructor
Do also take a good look at the openinghours, as spring is also the time closures for revision works on the lifts take place.
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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?
Welcome to snowHeads @red49 snowHead
if your just learning then any of them will suffice really, zermat, tignes, les2alpes etc.

I normally favour l2a just because the park there is far better than the others. you might want to check opening times though as end of may is a bit early for summer and late for winter. Zermat should be open though.

as for snowboarding going out of fashion, head to any glacier in the summer make your own decision. I'd much rather be part of the snowboarding crew riding park than the spandex crew hitting gates.
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I'd rather be on a snowboard riding slush than on skis. Closest thing to powder without powder and great for messing around on. They don't call it hero snow for nothing 😀
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Zermatt, for the nightlife Very Happy
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Okay, I have calculated the total cost.

Zermatt is totally out. It'll totally break my budget - 4 days there will cost me close to my one month salary lol. Rough calculation differs so much than when I did a more accurate calculation.

L2A is close, still doable. My only worry is France's overall safety. There's just too many bombings in recent months... Sad

Hintertux, Stubai is sooooo much cheaper - mainly because there is budget airline flying out from Iceland on the day that I wants. So I'll be scouring Austria, I guess.

Anyone has any opinions on the slope there for beginner? Is it okay?
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I don't think I've ever heard anyone rule out a ski resort based on a terrorism threat before. that's a new one on me!
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
I would recommend Stubai for beginners/early intermediates over Tux/Zermatt - more blues, fewer draglifts, no tricky reds you have to negotiate to get where you want
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Quote:
L2A is close, still doable. My only worry is France's overall safety. There's just too many bombings in recent months... Sad


Err, I think you need to assess your risk potentials. The chances of being blown up anywhere in Europe are significantly lower than dying in a car/bus or train crash. Do you use those forms of transport?
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@leggyblonde, +1
Random internet query comes up with:

Chance of dying in a terrorist attack = 0.01 in 100000
Chance of dying in a skiing accident = 0.06 in 100000
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
As they said, as a beginner anywhere with snow will do, so stuff like what you'll do when the snow turns to schmoo at 11:00 or so are more important. For me it's Zermatt all the way, because it's actually a summer resort and it's easy to get to. Expect lots of tourists, and expect to get bored with the riding pretty quickly.

Tignes has a more interesting glacier. I'm not sure if they're open then, but Solden isn't bad either, with a short steep section even. Parks? I think there are plenty of skate parks right here in the UK. Why chase snow to waste it?

This is the snowboarding section. As someone pointed out, snowboards are way more fun on Schmoo. If you get bored then try no-boarding, which needs soft stuff to work anyway.
---
In the US about 30 people are murdered each day by firearms. In the UK around 5 die each and every day on our roads. These appear to be significantly more risky than religious nutters on skis in France or anywhere else.
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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.
I know this is the snowboarding forum but you will need something else to do for the rest of the day. I've been to tignes and hintertux in the summer and you will need to occupy yourself in the afternoon.
The Ziller valley where hintertux is does have the full range of outdoor activities (walking, climbing, via feratta etc) And a great local brewery!
Did see folk practicing tricks on trampolines at tignes during the afternoons.

Also how are you on drag lifts, quite a few on the glaciers.

Did once base a holiday around boarding at tignes one summer, would never do it again as its too limited. Did have a proper powder day/few hours but really its not something I could do day in day out at this time of year on such limited terrain.
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 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
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
red49 wrote:
Okay, I have calculated the total cost.

Zermatt is totally out. It'll totally break my budget - 4 days there will cost me close to my one month salary lol. Rough calculation differs so much than when I did a more accurate calculation.


Which is exactly why you should go anyway. You get what you pay for - it's awesome.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@telford_mike

Any cheap hostel/motel that you know of there?
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@red49, http://www.matterhornhostel.com/en/index/
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Okay this will be a stupid question and totally unrelated to the topic.

I just remembered how bloody important a sunglass is at that altitude! The last time I went to 3.2km height, I can't see anything but just white.

Do they allow sunglass rental up there in Zermatt, because I can't find anything on the website. If they don't, how much is a decent one? I'm not looking for high reliability model, I'd be using them for only 2 days - and most probably not gonna use them ever after.

(Or you could sell yours to me cheaply...)
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I've rented clothes and helmet in the past at the hire shop at the bottom of the Furi gondola. I'm sure they'd rent some goggles too.
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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?
Hintertux is a great (the best? in Europe?) summer glacier, I think it may be the only one large enough to be open 365 days a year. However it is best to stay down in Mayrhofen and bus it, takes about 40mins or 30 mins by car.

They have also added a new chair this year which means you don't need to use any drag lines to access the main areas.

The best snow will be before the start of July, any time after that can be a risk for the lower (upper) slopes, I have been there then and had to ride down a km of blue ice after the snow ran out.

Another thing to check is that you can definitely get lessons wherever you chose, you don't see many beginners at glaciers at that time of the year, its mainly the hardcore nuts and ski teams.
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Okay, I have decided on Hintertux. Flight ticket bought, now waiting for actual date to fly there and snowboard..

The only things I'm still not clear is:

1. Sunglass/Goggles - None of the sport shop's website there states that they provide eyewear for buy/rental. Common sense says there should, but why none of them states it? I did sent email to a few shops there, none replied.

2. Transportation - Since I'll be arriving at Munich instead, I have to take the train from Munchen hbf to Innsbruck hbf and stay the night there (I will arrive late evening). There's one cheap EC ticket, but should I buy it now -or- can I buy the ticket when I get there instead (and still cost the same)?

3. Equipment rental process - So I'll be taking bus from Mayrhofen to Tux area. Then... should I just walk into any sport shop, rent and walk to the cable car to go up there? Is that how it's done there?

4. Slope map - I can't find slope map for summer... So, which cable car is open during last week of May?
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
just walk into any ski shop, they will hire out boards. not sure about eye wear, but you should be able to buy a cheap pair of goggle for 20 euros.

this is the piste map:

http://www.hintertuxergletscher.at/en/skiing/hintertux-glacier.html
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Choose carefully.

European glaciers are melting and disappearing fast.

Zermatt is the last remaining major glacier on the planet to guarantee 365-days-a-year skiing.

It has been very warm and snowless this Winter. The Alpine Summer glaciers are going to suffer bad this year.

Hintertux should be fine in May/ June.

But any later than that (Aug / Sep) and conditions may well be very poor this year.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
leggyblonde wrote:
Quote:
L2A is close, still doable. My only worry is France's overall safety. There's just too many bombings in recent months... Sad


Err, I think you need to assess your risk potentials. The chances of being blown up anywhere in Europe are significantly lower than dying in a car/bus or train crash.



They are. But vehicle accidents are coming down. Terror attacks are going up.

Terrorism is now the new normal in Western Europe.

Currently, an attack is taking place on average every 2 to 8 weeks.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
1) Almost everyone owns their own goggles and glasses, that is why there is no rental.

2) Never use the train so cant help here, but expect booking in advance will be cheaper. I would also plan to stay the night in Jenbach as you need to change trains here to get on to the small gauge railway that heads up to Mayrhofen.

Buy your lift pass in da Hoff and use it as a pass on the green line bus to get up to Tux (check with the tourist information in advance that this is ok to do in May).

3) Rent your board in da Hoff, it will be cheaper there, go to see Ian Kilgour in Sport2000/RentforFun opposite the Penken gondola for a good deal. The busses are used to carting boards and skis up and down to Tux.

4) All the Tux gondolas (except for the duplicates used when busy) will be on, summer boarding is from the top down to the Tuxerfernerhaus café, and if you are lucky it may still be open down to the Sommerberg. Runs down to the village will be closed.
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Imagine attending a school in the USA must be more dangerous than travelling in Austria. Forget about the terrorism!

Have been to Hintertux in Winter. Should be good. The villages enroute from Mayrhofen looked quiet and strung out but lots of hotels on the 30 minute bus ride. Mayrhofen should be a good base. Nice town and presumably fever drunks in the Summer. Great value and seemed lots to do in the Summer.
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Oops 'Fever Drunks'. Imagine a few of them did have high temperatures. Must say it was not an issue for us. Mayrhofen is a Winter party town
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Been a few times to Mayrhofen in the summer and its very pleasant. Some good places to eat and drink and obviously much , much quieter than winter.
The one day i've had on the glacier we rented at the shop at the bottom.
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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.
Thanks a lot guys. I'm currently looking at accommodation, now just surveying, will book in a day or two.

One more question on the eyewear: Do I REALLY need cat. 4 sunglass? I read that anywhere higher than 3000m, then I would need cat. 4 sunglass. But my colleague said she has never need any cat. 4 glasses when skiing in Austria (though she never mentioned where and how high..).

So... normal cat. 2/3 glass would be sufficient or do I need cat. 4? If I need cat. 4, I need to order from Amazon latest next week.
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 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
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
@red49,

Sunglasses - Pretty much any half-way decent sunglasses will do. You don't need Cat 4. Some here will tell you that you can't be seen dead in sunglasses with a helmet (up to you), but you can buy them on Amazon for about £5.

Terrorism - I hate to sound harsh, but if the infinitessimally low risk of terrorism pust you off skiing in France then you should probably stay at home. I appreciate that you may never have been to France before but however you look at it it is one of the safest countries in the world.
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