Poster: A snowHead
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Hi. We are two Norwegians wanting to explore offpiste in Austra in the beginning of february. Our flight is to Munich, so we are planning to wait and see how the weather conditions are going to be, have a rental car and therefore be quite flexible. Since we are going to Munich austrian resorts (not too far west) are going to be the most interesting for us.
I´ve been to several big resorts previously (Chamonix, Val Thorens, St Anton eg) and my impression is that the powder is often "used" at lunchtime. Therefore I think it would be better to find smaller places with a lot of "red-slopes" (no problem with families with children, they are perhaps most interested staying within the slopes) and decent offpiste.
Anyone with advice when it comes to smaller (and perhaps not too famous) resorts I should check out with regards to nice towns in mid-Austria (not too far from Munchen) with good offpiste?
Thanks in advance
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@kjakan2005, welcome to Snowheads. There are many better experts on Austrian ski resorts here than me. But just to say I had a short trip to here which is probably just the sort of the thing you are looking for. Suspect there are other options closer to Munich though. I did some great off piste in the short time I had there.
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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.
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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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+1 for free ride opportunities in hockfugen , spent a few days there a couple of year back , great snow , great back door access to other areas , and a good attitude to off piste safety and education , also really good hotels , and all less than an hour from Innsbruck
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@kjakan2005, hello and welcome to 's!
The Ski Amadé region is about a 2 / 2 half hour drive from Munich (depending where you are heading for).
There are loads of pockets of stash scattered about. Some can be skied out by morning as they advertise 'powder days' on the radio the night before!
There are lots of areas all around, Planai, Hauser Kaibling, Zauchensee, Flachau Winkl that have some nice lift fed areas.
There are also plenty of touring opportunities (with or without the lifts!)
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A big thumbs up on the Ski Amade!
Currently recovering (in one of the best mountain restaurants i've had the pleasure troughing in) from epic powder in the Radstadt/Flachau area. Despite loads of powder but a few yards off piste, most folk here are pisting it. Prob inverse to the places that powder addicts normally frequent.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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+1 for some of the Bavarian places if the current snows from the North continue. There are a few places like this with one lift up a mountain but no pistes, all effectively skiroutes. Karwedelbahn in Mittenwald is another, similar stuff I think near Oberammergau. All are quiet mid week as they are mainly Munich day trips at weekends.
also +1 for Hochfugen, very accessible offpiste areas even for a piste pounder like me
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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kjakan2005 wrote: |
I´ve been to several big resorts previously (Chamonix, Val Thorens, St Anton eg) and my impression is that the powder is often "used" at lunchtime. Therefore I think it would be better to find smaller places with a lot of "red-slopes" (no problem with families with children, they are perhaps most interested staying within the slopes) and decent offpiste.
Anyone with advice when it comes to smaller (and perhaps not too famous) resorts I should check out with regards to nice towns in mid-Austria (not too far from Munchen) with good offpiste?
Thanks in advance |
You're 100% correct and there are bazillions of options - at least on powder days themselves. One of the problems of the small resorts is that even though you have no powder stress on the day, there often just aren't that many options in each to keep finding stuff many days in a row, unless you are travelling around or also hiking.
However feel free to PM me a week or so before you're trip when we have a better idea of what the weather will be like at the time and I can give you some ideas.
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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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@kjakan2005, not been there myself but I've heard great reports about the off-piste in Schlick 2000 from Andy Perkins (mountain guide) and a few others.
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Probably a bit far, but Sport Gastein might fit your bill if it's open.
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You know it makes sense.
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@kjakan2005,
I have skied the resorts that you have mentioned plenty of times. Particularly St Anton with Pistetopowder. What I would say is that with very good guides in these resorts you should still be able to access lots of powder a good time after a dump, if you are willing to earn your turns. I have experienced great powder skiing in St Anton with Franzi Trimmel plenty of time after a dump. The obvious and popular stuff does get tracked out at the drop of a hat tough in these places, so the smaller family places can be really great.
Fieberbrunn would be a really great place to start. It is close to Munich. I have spent three weeks freeriding there and the terrain is interesting with some great descents. The Wilderseeloader is superb, and is skied on the FWT. There are great tree lines for when it is dumping and you can easily ski fresh tracks a week after a dump, although it has usually snowed by then. It receives a great deal of snow too. I would not ski it without a guide though - you will not be able to navigate the best routes without one. The guided freeride groups are very reasonable at 65 Euros a day (or so) with http://www.freeridebase.at
I have also skied with Richard Mayrl at http://www.freeride-experts.at/home/. I had a great week with them, but the guided groups at S4 only run if they have enough customers. If you do not want to be restricted by the level of the group then hire your own guide.
Fieberbrunn and Saalbach should keep you busy for a week.
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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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Gerry wrote: |
@kjakan2005, not been there myself but I've heard great reports about the off-piste in Schlick 2000 from Andy Perkins (mountain guide) and a few others. |
It does, but being a 'home resort' for many in Innsbruck even the hike to stuff gets tracked within a day or two.
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Poster: A snowHead
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+ 1 for Schlick 2000, had a great couple of days there back in 2013 (i think). Had great snow, so that made a difference. No queues at all. Some good trees to ski and lots of off piste options. Def worth a visit is you are near by. I liked it more than Stubai glacier (which I thought was to flat). Kuhtai also has some great reviews - although I have never been there...its on the list though!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Only been once but really liked Sonnenkopf. Also means you can still ski St Anton area if you stop nearby so best of all worlds.
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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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@JayDub,
Just wondering if the freeride groups are made up of solo skiers and also would it be possible to make it over from Saalbach in time in the morning to join one for a day or is that too much of a stretch?
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@Doradelite,
The Freeridebase groups I have been in have been made up of solo skiers, the S4 group had a combination of friends and individuals. Quite often the kids are in ski school and the parents are freeriding until the end of the day. I think that the groups meet at 10.00am so I think that you could get over from Saalbach.
I hope that helps
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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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@JayDub,
That's perfect, 10am sounds fine to hoof it over from Saalbach. I'll give them a shout and see if I can get a day with them. I'm skiing with friends all week and they are beginner/intermediate so I think I deserve an off-piste day for myself
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@Doradelite,
I think you deserve about three days with them, and if you get a bluebird day then your own guide up the Wilderseeloader - that is a bit special. I really think you deserve it. .
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@JayDub,
Well, when you put it like that...
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Thanks for great feedback, very useful advice.
On Friday we are going to Munich and we are staying one week. We will have a rental car and we are going to resorts we think have the best snow conditions. When that is said, we will probably try to find accomodation in smaller villages and not go for Sölden, St.Anton and such.
Snow forecast indicate that the western/southern parts of the alps have got and will get more fresh snow the next few days. Following that argument, it would make sense to go to the western parts of Austria (may be even Switzerland). Knowing what we know now, do you have any thoughts of where we should go?
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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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Nauders was great seemed very few people went off piste when we were there very family oriented, me and daughter spent half a day lapping the same off piste area and didn't see another person going down it.
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