My ski season 2017/18 started yesterday on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier. It was a beautiful autumn day with blue cloudless skies in the morning. It clouded over a little in the afternoon but the sun still shone through.
There isn't much snow around (probably not unusual at this time of year), so that basically only the two Kitz T-bars and the Gletscherjet 3 & 4 offered usable pistes (+ the short Magnetkopf T-bar, useful for the Fun Park addicts). Here are some photos...
First the view at Langwied - not a flake of snow...
Going up the Gletscherjet 2 snow began to appear but piste 11/13 under it certainly wasn't skiable...
And here's the view from the top of the Gletscherjet 2, looking over the ski area. You could ski down to the Alpincenter on piste 1...
Further up was more wintry. This is looking from the top station of the Gletscherjet 4 over the Fun Park to the Kitz T-bars (where the main skiing was for mere mortals like me)...
And here looking down the piste beside the Kitz T-bars. The pistes were pretty hard-packed but good to ski, softening a bit lower down in the afternoon...
Despite the great weather it was quiet on the pistes with no lift queues. All in all a good day if not wildly exciting.
For the future the Kitzsteinhorn and Kaprun have plans to build a couple of lifts to provide uplift directly from Kaprun village to the glacier (more accurately from Kaprun to Langwied, i.e. the top of the current Gletscherjet 1/bottom of Gletscherjet 2). The idea is for one 10-seater gondola to go from Kaprun village up the Maiskogel slopes. And from that there will be a 3S (3 cable) type gondola to take you on to Langwied. The Maiskogel gondola should be available next season, the final link a year later (2019/20). As I understand it, there won't be any skiable piste under the 3S lift, so you would have to download on that but then you could ski the Maiskogel pistes (presuming there is snow cover).
But coming back to the present, this was the view yesterday looking from the Kitzsteinhorn to Zell am See and the Schmittenhöhe...
No snow there yet but the building of the new Areitbahn is progressing - here is the bottom station...
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Thanks @espri, looks pretty decent there at Kitz, wouldn't mind being there and having a go at that right now.
That's quite some development in Kaprun, I do think that would make staying in Kaprun a more attractive proposition. I hate having to get buses and that put me off going there before when weighing up possible destinations. Will be interesting to see if that does attract more visitors.
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?
Yes. And the beginner button lift, the Schneehasen-Lift, which was only being prepared on Tuesday, is running now. Winter's coming!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Thanks for the update espri, interesting developments indeed, will much improve Kapruns prospects as a resort in its own right. That is as opposed to a ZamS accessory attached to a back up plan in a poor snow winter.
I was back on the Kitzsteinhorn today and more snow has fallen in the last fortnight - compare this photo of the view at Langwied with the one at the start of this thread...
However, the runs down from the Alpincenter to Langwied are still not open, although snow cannons were blasting away everywhere.
As well as some more snow there were considerably more skiers than two weeks ago which meant some queuing. It wasn't too desperate, about five minutes on average, I'd say. This was the queue at the Kitz T-bar around 11 o'clock...
And things eased off after lunch, particularly at the Schmiedinger chairlift. This was the only major addition to the available skiing since my last visit and it is where I spent most of my time during the day. Here's a view looking down the piste...
And this is what it was like on the piste by the Kitz T-bars (with even a little snow showing on top of the Schmittenhöhe at Zell am See - looks as though they've been using the snow cannons there too)...
It was a good day, with excellent snow (except when I skied over one rock). And the weather was fine, overcast at first but sunny later, some wind at times.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Yes, and more runs seem to be opening, e.g. the Maurer piste.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
I have just had another two days excellent skiing with a friend on the Kitzsteinhorn. Yesterday was a true bluebird day. And added to that the pistes were much quieter than a week ago (though somewhat busier again today but without any real queuing). Today was much the same in the morning but it clouded over after lunch, with flatter lighting. The snow is mostly great, grippy with only a few icier patches. Here is a view (from today) looking over the main ski area from the Kristallbahn chairlift...
Yesterday's only problem was that the GletscherJet 3 broke down around lunch time (don't know why). To reach the main pistes we took the Gipfelbahn cable car instead and then had the unusual experience of having the Gletscher-Shuttle all to ourselves on our way to the slopes.
With new snow having arrived the area is gradually opening more runs and lifts. Yesterday the Maurer T-bar and the Sonnenkar I chair were running and in the afternoon the Kristallbahn chairlift started up but only blue piste 13 was open to reach it. Today the more direct piste 12 had also opened - here is a view looking down that to the bottom station of the Kristallbahn (with the skies already overcast - more snow forecast for the weekend)...
Today even piste 11 down to Langwied was skiable, opening up another long run and meaning that it was possible to ski down at the end of the day rather than download on the GletscherJet 2.
One other comment about the coming lifts linking Kaprun centre to the Kitzsteinhorn (mentioned in the first post earlier). I learned today that the new Maiskogelbahn 10-seater gondola going up from the town will actually replace the current Panoramabahn Schaufelberg chairlift (and maybe the upper Almbahn chairlift, though I'm not sure about that). Construction work is already in progress on a new office building beside the present Schaufelberg lift - I presume this is the Kaprun Center with ticket office, sports shop, etc., mentioned on the website.
P.S. Both days we saw the new Areitbahn I gondola in Zell am See running.
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.
@DB, No, but we will be there for Saturday onwards.
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
@RobinS,
Have to be in Schladming for the weekend (Avalanche course) so won‘t be there at the weekend. 😕. Was thinking of driving over tonight or tomorrow morning (from Vienna).
Looks like great snow and weather for you though. New snow yesterday & today, sunny at the weekend then a massive dump of new snow Monday & Tuesday (visibility will be reduced mon & Tue) you'ill have a great time.
Please keep us updated on the conditions there if you can, after Tuesday there should be enough to ski offpiste without trashing skis on rocks.
I should be back in Vienna on Wednesday but might be able to add a couple of days onto my trip so could be over later in the week.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@DB, Myself, JanetS, and several other instructors from Norfolk Snowsports Club are there for a weeks coaching with Skivolution. Some are doing a gates course, but Janet and I are doing all mountain, so some available off piste would be great! Fat skis are ready to go!
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@RobinS,
Great. Looks like visibility could well be a problem on Mon (approx 50cm new snow) maybe Tues too but from Wednesday it should be awesome.
They've opened up a lot more off piste opportunites at Kaprun since I had my first ski lessons there in the late 90's.
For Monday's restricted visibility I will probably go to a resort with more trees. I've just got Wed free, trying to get cover for Thursday too so we might see each other later in the week.
Well conditions were superb on the Kitzsteinhorn today, sunny,no wind, but very cold. Snow in excellent condition, and as well as all pistes being open they are starting to open the freeride routes.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Completely different today, still minus 10, but very strong winds and heavy snow. Absolutely shed loads of fresh powder, and it's still going strong.
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?
Visibility still terrible on the Kitzsteinhorn, and some runs and lifts closed, but there is a huge amount of new snow. Waist deep powder in places with a level 4 avalanche risk. Hoping for some visibility tomorrow.
Pretty light still, even on fat skis it was well above the knees, though it did compact easily when anyone wiped out, one chap on slalom skis just sunk so far he had to be dug out.
@RobinS, that‘s what we needed to hear. Was at Zauchensee today, great powder day but the snow at lower levels was a little heavy, higher up should be even better. I‘ll send you a private message, maybe we can put in a couple of powder turns tomorrow together.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Blue skies all day today, after the GJ1 gondola cleared the freezing fog in the valley. Very quiet up top, but the pistes are in excellent condition. A repeat is forecast for tomorrow (Thursday), with a storm and more snow arriving on Friday afternoon. Next week should be very good.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Just pulled the trigger to see in new year at Kaprun and Zell, as I really like the Tauern spa. There seems to be a fair amount of snow around already, and more due to come. I was wondering, how much is already open.
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.
escooler wrote:
Just pulled the trigger to see in new year at Kaprun and Zell, as I really like the Tauern spa. There seems to be a fair amount of snow around already, and more due to come. I was wondering, how much is already open.
Almost all lifts, depending on which source you read 15 or 16 of the 17 are open but expect all lifts to be open when you are there.
1 month today I'll be there!! Loving the news on snow conditions being good so early.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
[Airhorn] Thanks for letting me know, sounds like it should be good for NYE.
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 had a great day's skiing today in Zell am See. Arriving there about 10:40 I had my first ride on the new Areitbahn I, without queuing despite the car parks being very full...
The renewed lift isn't the only recent development in the Zell am See area. At the top of the Areitbahn I, just beside the Areitalm, there is a new restaurant, the Areit Lounge with fine views from its terrace.
Another development this year (I think) is that the big building at the top of the Schmitten has renamed itself Berghotel Schmitten and offers 'Ski in - Ski out & Spa'. I had the impression that some additions had been made on the other side of the building but can't swear to that.
However, I didn't check out any of these architectural changes but concentrated on skiing. And that was very good. Although the slopes were busy, there was virtually no queuing for the lifts. The snow was in general hard-packed, polished in some places but also softening on the Sonnenseite in the afternoon. The main part of my day was skiing all now six valley runs (or almost valley runs, counting the piste served by the Zell am See Xpress gondola which will later link to Viehhofen in the Glemmtal). The Trass run, piste 14, provides a board describing the descent (and allowing a photographer to get his breath back - I'm more in the 10 minute group of skiers)
Another novelty is that an entry to the ski route X4 leading down to Viehhofen from the Tannwald run, piste 21, is now signposted from just beside the Zell am See Xpress's bottom station (current bottom, later middle station when the lower section has been built). On the piste map the ski route is shown leaving piste 21 higher up and that's how I had understood it till now.
When I came back up in the Zell am See Xpress I travelled in a Jukeboxx cabin for the first time. There we certainly had music but I didn't succeed in making my own choice with my smartphone as I believe should be possible. No Elgar, Beethoven or even the Blue Danube which I felt Austria must offer. And then I was almost caught in an avalanche when snow thundered off the roof of the top station of the lift while I was taking this photo. What one risks for snowHeads
An excellent day.
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
Has anyone been up on the glacier recently? We’re in Zell am See at the moment and the kids lessons end on Thursday. Were thinking about heading to the glacier on Friday for our last day of outside skiing for the season.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@espri, Excellent pics. For some reason I missed your post at the time and just spotted it thanks to the above post. Has the little schirmbar gone at Areit1? Replaced by the Areit lounge? Or is it still hiding in behind it?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Don't know about the schirmbar but I suspect it has gone.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
espri wrote:
Don't know about the schirmbar but I suspect it has gone.
Yes, the more I look at your 2nd pic from 26/12 I'm sure it would be visible at that angle if it was still there. It was a great wee place with an excellent atmosphere and was the instructors hangout of choice on that side of the Schmittenhöhe. Heres hoping the new lounge is actually an upgrade with the same owners and "regulars'
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
There’s the lounge then the restaurant, nothing else there now. We only managed to get into the Lounge once before it closed for the season so no real help, it’s nicely decorated and comfortable...
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?
I had a good day skiing on the Kitzsteinhorn yesterday. The weather was rather dull and overcast at the start but the sun did come out after lunch. Here's a photo from the late afternoon, looking out from the top station of the GletscherJet 4 gondola...
Particularly early on the snow was very hard-packed, not actually icy but tending that way. The only powder seemed to be in hollows where it had been blown by the wind. The off piste wasn't very inviting, mostly tracked out and rutted where immediately accessible. There were all ages on the Black Mamba, like the young skier in this photo (and me)...
There were some novelties, e.g. a new piste leading from the top station of the Sonnenkarbahn I chairlift down to the bottom of the Scheibinger lift (at least, I don't remember ever seeing that area pisted, usually it is mogully off piste - don't worry, there are still loads of bumps there)...
Something else I have never seen anywhere is that the ski holders on the Gletscherjet 4 gondola had been closed off, I presume to make them less susceptible to the wind (it was quite windy at times)...
All in all good skiing on slopes which were pretty quiet, though there were a number of groups around.
As an aside, I checked out the building progress in Kaprun at the foot of the Maiskogel (where a gondola is being installed this summer - as the first stage of the lift connection from the village to the glacier area, which should be completed next year). There the new adminsitration building is rising. The old chairlift is still there (without chairs) but looks as though it has been prepared for demolition.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
