Off on Sunday and one of the reasons we chose Mayrhofen is the proximity to a glacier as well as some tree skiing - giving us all bases covered. Looking like we've struck gold and will be out while its snowing but its difficult to tell from the piste maps the best area's to head for if its dumping down with snow?
Any advice on this and any general Mayrhofen info warmly welcomed. Thanks.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Others may have a more detailed memory for the area and names, but I've been there several times and don't really remember tree skiing as such.
Mayrhofen combines several areas, and there's lots to go at, but within the main 'centre' (lots of ski busses, lots of different access points) - i.e. not as far as the glacier - you've got lots of runs across 3 main 'mountains' or areas: Penken, Rastkogel (further and higher up) and Horberg, then Eggalm and Finken the otherside and the Ahorn slope 'accross the road'. All of these offer pisted runs, mostly reasonably wide fields, mainly blue to steep red, facing various orientations.
You can also get the bus or train to various other resorts such as Kaltenbach, Zell am Ziller etc.
I've been there when it's snowed heavily and just, like most, stuck to the Penken runs, which tend to be the busiest because they're the nearest to get back again (though I usually approach by the Horberg lift and ski bus as it's quieter and offers better immediate access options; and I hate some of the initial runs down into the valley from the Penken approach, especially when icy/hard, which it often is).
Ahorn is just one wide long blue slope, as long as you don't by mistake get onto the one red descent (a nice one but interesting in nil visibility; though there is a chairlift back up 1/2 way down) and I've been up there several times in bad visibility and snow; can get windy and cold but is a reasonable desperation option if other places are bad just because it's harder to get lost on (others would probably disagree). Otherwise I personally prefer the Horberg side or Rastkogel; better conditions usually, less busy. Never done Eggalm. Kaltenbach was very busy when I went, though some wide blues the far side which were OK (and a very interesting, quick literal jump-off 2 man chairlift!)
As regards your original question I can't think of anywhere terribly sheltered, as most runs are pretty open, but it depends on wind and conditions and which way it's coming in from - best just ask or try your luck; not hard to get from one area/face to another, lots of chairlifts, cable cars, gondolas, busses etc.
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?
Had a great couple of powder days last time I was there and ended up doing lots of laps in the trees around Knorren chair on Penken, you could drop left or right of the Harkiri piste, or ski round towards the Larchwald chair, lots of terrain there which was fine in poor visibility. Not sheltered as such as @Grizzler says though.
Well, we're out there on Sat, anyone (since we are on topic) got suggestions for lunch too? Not looking for anything fancy, but nice places to sit down for half an hour that does hearty lunches welcome.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Lower parts of Pistes 18 and 11 plus the ski weg in Zillertal arena are in the trees as are the lower parts of 26,26 27, 31, 32 and especially 28 and 29. Rastkogel, Egalm and anything under the Finkenberg Gondola is wide open and a no no for me in poor viz. Runs off the 6man chair Schneekar have little in the ways of trees until you get very low down.
Favourite pit stops include Sunnalm at junction of 10 and 11 on Horberg.
Best place on Ahorn is Ahornhutte without doubt.
Heidi's at bottom of blue63 over Rastkogel but Waldhutte on the skiweg75 just lower down provides interesting full sun terrace and views of skiers trying to take the hair pin it sits on!!
Over Zell Rosie's Schnitzelhutte on red18 is worth a visit as is the Prolleralm near the bottom of black36. We call 36 purple (red/black)
Kaltenbach has two places we favour. Kristalhutte at the top left of the Hochzillertal piste map is a must just to see the place and its surroundings. The Kaltenbacher Ski Hutte off red3 is a great sun trap.
These are our favourites, all have great ambiance and a good selection of reasonably priced food.
Looking forward to paying all of them a visit next week. Roll on Saturday
If visibility is low and you'd prefer to be in among the trees, Penken isn't really the place to be unfortunately as virtually everything is above the tree line. There's more tree skiing in the Zillertal Arena, which is covered by the same pass - take the train to Zell im Ziller, then a bus to the lift. If the visibility is poor or the winds are high, crossing from the Zell side over to Krimml and then down to Gerlos may also be difficult, but that's where the better conditions are likely to be found.
If the visibility on Penken is an issue, avoid Hintertux completely as it will be like skiing inside a ping pong ball, except with -30 temperatures and a 40mph wind.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
The Ahorn top to bottom run (very long) is tree lined once off the plateau and the runs from the top of the combi bahn are also mostly tree lined so there are options close to home if you need them.
Here is a random youtube video of the Ahorn home run showing what to expect.
Lower parts of Pistes 18 and 11 plus the ski weg in Zillertal arena are in the trees as are the lower parts of 26,26 27, 31, 32 and especially 28 and 29. Rastkogel, Egalm and anything under the Finkenberg Gondola is wide open and a no no for me in poor viz. Runs off the 6man chair Schneekar have little in the ways of trees until you get very low down.
Favourite pit stops include Sunnalm at junction of 10 and 11 on Horberg.
Best place on Ahorn is Ahornhutte without doubt.
Heidi's at bottom of blue63 over Rastkogel but Waldhutte on the skiweg75 just lower down provides interesting full sun terrace and views of skiers trying to take the hair pin it sits on!!
Over Zell Rosie's Schnitzelhutte on red18 is worth a visit as is the Prolleralm near the bottom of black36. We call 36 purple (red/black)
Kaltenbach has two places we favour. Kristalhutte at the top left of the Hochzillertal piste map is a must just to see the place and its surroundings. The Kaltenbacher Ski Hutte off red3 is a great sun trap.
These are our favourites, all have great ambiance and a good selection of reasonably priced food.
Looking forward to paying all of them a visit next week. Roll on Saturday
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Some great info there thank you all. On the map I'm looking at (On The Snow app) there is a red dashed line labeled as (I'm assuming trail) 30 from the top of Penken to the bottom of Horberg? There's a couple of other dashed lines but no explanation - are these itineraries? Unpisted? Patrolled?
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Yes it's a ski route but very rarely open and certainly won't be at the moment.
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