@davidthornton, skiers right entry (left was cruddy), down main bowl and far far right traverse, big run down then kept left and walked up 10 mins onto hill then big untracked down to and through earth barriers, quick exit and then down moguls (big and mean) onto the cat track.....awesome powder at all levels, no crud or rocks.
How do you find out about these runs?
I was in the Arlberg last week, I had a great time but I don't know the area at all. I would love to get into off piste skiing, it sounds like the ultimate experience. You see people with big fat pow skis and airbags and you feel kinda jealous. Like everyone else is having the most amazing party and your not invited - and when you've spent a grand on 5 days that is kinda crappy...
Help me out here guys, I'd love to be doing what you're doing but need help!!! What would you recommend for someone in my situation? How did you all get started off piste in the Arlberg?
Cheers
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@drporat, Ref your comment above I’ve posted plenty on this thread about how to avoid queues at peak times in the past, I don’t intend wasting my (or other people’s) time repeating or reopening the lift queues debate
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?
@shiva_71, take a guide and also research the area, buy Andy Thurners guide. If on your own go with Piste to Powder, if in a group sort a guide directly, safety is #1. Good luck with it.
@Markymark29, nice one thanks!
What are the most beginner friendly ski routes?
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Rom77 wrote:
Hey... so ended up getting a place in st anton... should be arriving soon.
1st time & looking forward to it.
I like everything but especially l off piste/backcountry.... can anyone give me a few tips of where to head to please?
Have a look through the thread there are lots of suggestions as to the best corners of the Arlberg. Off piste you really should consider a guide. There are some books, Andy Thurmer's one mentioned above or Chris Gill's Where to ski in Austria has brief overviews of the off piste in the St Anton and Lech / Zürs sections.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Argh, weekend gets pretty mild
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.
@shiva_71, Schinderlkar is in reality a steep red / black piste though there is a slightly more awkward bit after the path section around the cliff (keep away from the Steilhang variant though that is closed this year anyway). The Madloch runs are pretty much piste and usually straight forward, later in the day at busy times they can become cut up and moguled, which can be a bit of a trial if you are not a fan of that particular type of skiing especially as they are long. The couple of routes down from Rüfikopf to the Schüttboden drag lift are again pretty much pistes, there are a couple steeper / narrower sections but nothing too difficult (unless you want to try Langerzug dont take the right turn towards the Schafalp drag). Another one that is pretty much a piste is Zugertobel from the bottom of the Steinmähder chair to Zug, very scenic - a number of years ago there was a fatal avalanche involving a member of the Dutch royal family in this area. Some of the shorter ones next to the pistes are often useful short cuts eg the one to the right of the top of the Arlenmähderbahn which avoids the rather dull schuss / uphill poling from the Ulmer Hütte back towards St Anton.
A couple of potential elephant traps, the Osthang route under the Galzig gondola is shown as a red route, it invariably has big moguls and is pretty steep, it probably should be graded a black route. If you enjoy mogul skiing then it is a worthwhile challenge but otherwise maybe better avoided. The route under the Valfagehrbahn looks deceptively easy, pretty much a piste, what you dont see from the chair lift is the steep mogul field towards the end after the pisted section finishes.
Do note that none of the routes can be described as "beginner friendly" even in good conditions you should be comfortable skiing on any piste and be able to pick your way through moguls or deal with less than perfect snow. No reason not to give them a go but you do need to feel confident you can deal with a challenge or two if needed.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Pretty much what @munich_irish said. There are many off piste lines that could be suitable for novice off piste skiers, but can you judge what is “safe” on given day? Without local experience, I would suggest that is risky. That is why I say “could”.
Secondly, many of these lines cannot be scoped in their entirety from a lift and, once you are in, you are committed. You have to be comfortable that you can deal with whatever is thrown at you, ie crap snow, narrow, steep, or all of the above. You might also lose the light and then what? I was skiing down the right side of Valfagehr last Friday and skied into a thick fog bank. No visibility or reference points whatsoever. Interesting experience.
Thirdly, Andy Thurner’s Off Piste book is now 20 years old. Much has changed, so some of the instructions are now obsolete. In addition, looking at the photos and maps might give you the impression that you could navigate using them. Trust me; in most circumstances, you will struggle. Things look different from ground level, versus an overhead photo. It is hard enough scoping a line from a lift and then trying to follow it afterwards, let alone from a photo. You may well finish up in places you would rather not be.
All that said, some of the easier places to get a feel for off piste are:
- between the pistes on the Seekopf side of Zürs.
- ditto, after fresh snow, on Sonnenkopf.
- Riffel 2 at Rendl, on the skier’s right of the lift. The top is steep and usually full of moguls, but the run gets more mellow as you descend.
- Bachseite, but don’t go in there in flat light until you know the area. You might find little drop offs for which you were not prepared.
- the route under the St Christophbahn. In good snow it is fun, but the sun cooks it pretty fast, and the hordes build big moguls equally quickly. Much of it can however be scoped from the chair.
Best idea... get a guide or similar. They will assess what you are capable of skiing and pick something suitable. Most times.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@shiva_71, The ONLY reason to Ski in Arlberg is to get away from the Pistes.. The Pistes in the area are just the access to the Off Piste.
Some of The Best stuff is on the Bus down Valley & its All Free & you can still be back for Apres Ski
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.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Get a guide, piste to powder (or presumably others) will let you join a group suitable to your level at 100 per day (maybe slightly more). You will be much safer, will be shown the routes and, even better, they'll have the best knowledge as to where good safe snow is to be found. You can also get tips on technique and observe very good skiers.
So you spend 100 Euro and you're much safer and get the best experience. No brainer. Don't try and DIY it unless you know what you're at, which 98 % of us don't. Even then you'll have a better experience with a Guide.
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
shiva_71 wrote:
How did you all get started off piste in the Arlberg?
Throw your lift pass away or do not go anywhere near the lift ticket purchase station..
Earn Your Turns !!
Buy some Touring Skis/Skins & Boots
Start by Hiking/skinning up this can be as long or short as you want , will get you warm & fit and used to extended exercise at Altitude (important)
Typically in Arlberg an ascent can be 2-3 hours more if you have to climb with crampons..
Descent 10-20 minutes if you know the route without wipe outs
@drporat, Ref your comment above I’ve posted plenty on this thread about how to avoid queues at peak times in the past, I don’t intend wasting my (or other people’s) time repeating or reopening the lift queues debate
You know, it wasn't a big deal and your initial reaction was truly uncalled for.
Most people I've met here are kind and tolerant, informative and friendly. You are one of a kind.
You don't want to waste your time explaining, and that's OK with me. But you enjoy telling me repeatedly how wrong am I. I'll call it a waste of time for both of us, and I'll stop HERE.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
There is one easy way to avoid the biggest queues. Look at the piste map and you will see the 'run of fame' Now imagine you are starting in St Anton at 8:45am with a view to returning at the end of the day. Many, many people are doing the same so if you avoid those lifts at the time you would meet them on that run you will avoid the worst queues. It all starts off with the queues at Arlenmaderbahn followed by a mad crowd heading down Rauz, then zurs, zug, lech, schroken, and back again until the rush at the flexenbahn and valgefarhbahn to get back to St Anton at 4pm before the last lift up at 4.20pm like an army of ants all following each other. Just do something a bit different and all is well.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@drporat, oh dear you’ve really got the hump.... one of a kind etc. I’ve offered plenty advice in the past on here and unfortunately it gets thrown back so I’ve pretty much given up offering any....
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?
@jw83113, many thanks.
In that particular day, the Schindelgrat lift remained closed. We got to Arlenmaderbahn around 11:30 intending to return by bus in the evening. I imagine that if the other lift would have been working, things would have resolved by the time we were there. The next day (yesterday) we took an early morning bus to Zurs and got to Lech through Madlochbahn. Was perfect.
Anyway, I've been in Verbier around NYE , 1st time and last so I am used to queues. Same goes with getting up to Aiguille Rouge at the end of January
@drporat, Please delete your post!!!!! Madlochbahn ALWAYS has 2 hour queues!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
skimastaaah wrote:
@drporat, Please delete your post!!!!! Madlochbahn ALWAYS has 2 hour queues!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Really? Must occur outside of January, February, or early March. The longest delay time I ever saw in the busiest 3 weeks of Feb was 11 or 12 min, according to the annunciators in various places, eg Ruffi base.
If you get to Madloch before, say, 9:30, you will wait less than 1 or 2 minutes on most days. The queues also die off by mid-afternoon, again on “most” days.
I have seen Arlenmähder queues like that one in the photo above. Almost guaranteed on a powder day, when Schindler is closed and Arlenmähder opens late. The problem is that once you are down at the load, there is no easy way out - you are pretty much stuck. Most days you can ski straight onto the lift; a wait of more than 1 - 2 min is very unusual.
After all it is free
After all it is free
@skimastaaah, we were there around 14 and there was a minimal waiting time, of a few minutes.
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.
@ulmerhutte, @drporat, I was joking, ……… Madlochjochbahn is frequently a "ski-on-to" lift. Just depends who is in front of you, obviously!
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Markymark29 wrote:
@shiva_71, I’ll pm you a list of routes early next week if ok?
absolutely, that would be great, cheers MM
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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've only been following Arlberg condition for a few weeks but jeez are there always so many life closures, it's bonkers!
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
Avalanche Warning now Level 4 above 1600 metres
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Err just checked webcams - ignore above post
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@shiva_71, weather forecast for the weekend is very good, though it might take some time (possibly Sunday for some lifts) for everywhere to open given the amount of snow that will have fallen. Unfortunately I cant be anywhere near the mountains
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@shiva_71, Arlberg is often subject to High Winds...It is this that closes the lifts..
They have to stop and bring the chairs or gondolas into station otherwise your being getting the ride of your life
Resort effectively closed yesterday for the day at 13.00, heavy rain since. Many left and got out to avoid traffic today. Some epic powder laps on Maass yesterday morning, only lift open on Rendl. Not expecting much today, clear skies after the storm, maybe a bit of sun but warmer temperatures, snow likely very heavy, bonus day....catching train to ZRH this evening. Blasting since 6.30am ongoing.
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?
Good grief, I'm about ready to puke just watching that video. Surprised they left themselves open to that possibility, but things can change quickly in the White Room...
Today was a sunny day, albeit slashy. Tried to get the most out of it, till the train.
Enjoyed everything here., thanks to every one who helped.
I'll be back (with an Austrian accent) @munich_irish, you work too much, man. I do it too but I have decided a few years ago to escape to the mountains once in a while. I will probably die poorer but they will burry me anyhow.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Today was a sunny day, albeit slashy. Tried to get the most out of it, till the train.
Enjoyed everything here., thanks to every one who helped.
I'll be back (with an Austrian accent) @munich_irish, you work too much, man. I do it too but I have decided a few years ago to escape to the mountains once in a while. I will probably die poorer but they will bury me anyhow.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
comment above I’ve posted plenty on this thread about how to avoid queues at peak times in the past, I don’t intend wasting my (or other people’s) time repeating or reopening the lift queues debate 
