 Poster: A snowHead
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Hey Folks,
As above, where would you recommend for a wee warm up trip early Nov? Obviously it's going to be somewhere glacial, but where?
I've skied Tignes early Dec but never thought of heading anywhere this early before. Never skied Austria so that may be tempting.
Not a park rat so don't care about giant jumps, looking for the largest, most challanging area available (although I appreciate the skiing will likely be very limited).
Cheers!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Hintertux looking pretty good at the moment, just got back. I believe most Austrian glaciers are in pretty good shape. You're not going to get a huge area in Europe at this time of year, but there is certainly good piste skiing in Hintertux right now.
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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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If you haven't skied in Austria you'd love it - just such a lovely place and any of their glaciers would fit the bill.
Hintertux or Stubai are most extensive but don't discount Soelden, Pitztal and Kaunertal. All are fairly close together for a road trip, although we have also combined Stubai and Hintertux in the same visit. Then there's Kaprun and Moelltal which are also good. We also once combined Kaprun and Hintertux on the same trip.
Can't comment on Dachstein, as never been.
Saas Fee in Switzerland is worth a look too - but will be expensive due to the state of sterling.
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If you haven't skied in Austria you'd love it - just such a lovely place and any of their glaciers would fit the bill.
Hintertux or Stubai are most extensive but don't discount Soelden, Pitztal and Kaunertal. All are fairly close together for a road trip, although we have also combined Stubai and Hintertux in the same holiday. Then there's Kaprun and Moelltal which are also good. We also once combined Kaprun and Hintertux on the same trip.
Can't comment on Dachstein, as never been.
Saas Fee in Switzerland is worth a look too - but will be expensive due to the state of sterling.
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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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My German mates ride Solden and Pitztal, both of which they've been posting images from for a week or two now.
Solden has a fair bit of high-up stuff; compared with Tignes there should be more variety. They do not have the bumps I remember from the bottom of the Tignes glacier though. Solden has one steep (black) pitch which gets some rollers on it, and the slope above there gets some entertaining small bumps too. The standard approach is to drive up to the glacier lift station, although there are shuttle busses too.
Dachstein I've only ridden in mid-summer when it's pretty flat and I don't know anyone who's riding there now.
"Challenging" depends what you mean. If you can ride top-to-bottom at Mach 2 performing graceful carves the whole way down then you'll be better than 95% of people there, but it's a glacier piste when all's said and done.
I'd drive out there, visit one place until you're bored, then relocate. Rinse and repeat.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| philwig wrote: |
| They do not have the bumps I remember from the bottom of the Tignes glacier though. |
How many decades is it since you last went to Tignes ?
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Would recommend Kitzsteinhorn glacier at Kaprun, currently 80 cm deep at the top - couple of blacks (their reds really) lots of reds. But as its a glacier its going to be limited in terms of area, 5 days is more that enough. Right next to Zell am See whichsi a beautiful lake side town
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I have posted photos from my visits to the Kitzsteinhorn in the last couple of weeks in the snow reports section. That might give you some idea of the area and what is available currently. The available area is limited presently, though hopefully increasing as the weeks go on, but it was fine for a day. The new Schmiedinger 8-seat chairlift is supposed to start operating in November but I don't know exactly when.
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I'm in Hintertux right now and it's good skiing. There's been less snow than in other years, but they've still opened a lot of the pistes.
| philwig wrote: |
| "Challenging" depends what you mean. If you can ride top-to-bottom at Mach 2 performing graceful carves the whole way down then you'll be better than 95% of people there. |
Not here you won't. There are loads of racers around, with some seriously good form.
(Ok it depends on actual Mach 2 definition...depending on how you interpret the metaphor you could be better that 95% of the participants in a world cup event;-) )
There's some challenge in the amount of ice on the piste...carve that and you're doing well!
| philwig wrote: |
| I'd drive out there, visit one place until you're bored, then relocate. Rinse and repeat. |
Now this could be a good idea.
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Thanks for all the input.
I'm all for mach 2, but as for beautiful carving and embarassing the world cup crew... 
I'm more of an off piste skier, but I realise that isn't going to be much of an option at this time of year.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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there's a challenge to be had up the midi in Chamonix at the moment, but generally speaking looking for off piste this time of year isn't a great idea.
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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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One of the great things about glacier skiing at this time of year is watching the folk who can really do it. They're a pain in the @rse in the queues for the draglift, though. I once got chatting to my fellow skier on a T bar in Tignes (initially about why the cable car had stopped) and learnt he was one of the trainers with the French mens team. I immediately had nightmares about falling off the T bar and taking him with me.
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I've been in Hintertux, Stubai, Soelden and Pitztal over the last few weekends.
All are limited in terms of available piste with Hintertux seeming to me to have the most skiing available.
If you are going to be there at the weekend, be aware they are all already busy and will get busier until the main ski resorts open up.
Stubai this last Saturday I was directed to park in a field 10km away from the Glacier with a bus up to the lifts.
I usually try and fit in a couple of them over a long weekend, driving times between resorts are about 1-1.5 hours if you choose adjacent glaciers.
All of the above Glaciers would be easily reachable with a hire car from Munich within 2.5-3 hours.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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Skied in Zermatt last month. Snow was very good, prices as expected.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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A couple of snowHeads had a great days skiing on the Dachstein glacier two days ago.
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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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Regarding the "new improved" Stubai overflow parking. It was in a large field next to the camp site in a village called Volderau, I just checked it's actually 11km from the lifts.
All done with typical Austrian efficiency I'd have to say, only a few minutes wait for the bus in both directions.
But with the reduction in parking space due to the new lift this might be the new normal for early season weekends if you are a late arriver as I was (~11am).
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| rdonalds wrote: |
Regarding the "new improved" Stubai overflow parking. It was in a large field next to the camp site in a village called Volderau, I just checked it's actually 11km from the lifts.
All done with typical Austrian efficiency I'd have to say, only a few minutes wait for the bus in both directions.
But with the reduction in parking space due to the new lift this might be the new normal for early season weekends if you are a late arriver as I was (~11am). |
Thanks for the info!
BTW as a late arrival 12 normally works well - the racers are on their way home by then so you can often park right up by the main lift station 
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FAQ
Or do you mean the usual (albeit shuttle bus-served) massive car park just below the lift station 
??