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Mayrhofen - help!

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hey folks
We're off to Mayrhofen at the end of the month.
We have a 2 good skiers, a 3 week skier (confident) and my wife....

She's a reluctant skier - good, stylish but nervous. My fault obviously. Anyhoo.....

We're staying at the Strass so will be getting the main lift up. I need to plan some routes for her - blues and the occasional easy, wide, flattering red.
Same for the 3 weeker.

Any advice?

Many thanks
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@shockingmoment, can she plan her own routes so that she is comfortable with what what SHE has chosen rather than the ones someone else has decided are suitable?
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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?
holidayloverxx wrote:
@shockingmoment, can she plan her own routes so that she is comfortable with what what SHE has chosen rather than the ones someone else has decided are suitable?


That would be amazing. Just imagine?
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@shockingmoment, assuming she's asked you to help wink based on your choice of the area, it may be a little late to be considering her needs...

Having said that, here are a few pointers. The whole of the Penken area is not ideal for nervous skiers, as it is mainly a red area with a few slopes for learners. However, there are some runs which would be ideal once you get to them - and that's where the problems may start.

Refer to https://www.mayrhofner-bergbahnen.com/fileadmin/userdaten/presseportal/Pressetexte/Winterpano/2018_Pistenpano_A3_300dpi.jpg to follow along with these suggestions:

From the top of Penkenbahn, take the Kombilift to the top of the mountain, and then follow blue 29 down to the top of the Horberg gondola (but be warned that this is essentially a roadway and in some places is pretty narrow and can get rutted and become V-shaped), and on to 8SB Tappenalm. This serves the main blue 14 slope to the bottom of the valley, and is a very wide and gentle blue with a slightly sharper drop into the lift at the end. The ski schools use this extensively. Once everyone is confident, take 6SB Schneekar to the top of Gerent and take Blue 11 to the bottom of the lift again. This is mainly a wide open run down the shoulder of the mountain and is very scenic, but it does cut across a very steep black run at the very end. Don't take a wrong turn, and don't let anyone who is nervous look down it... When confidence rises, the red run is slightly harder, mainly at the top, and cutting between the two would be a good progression.

An alternative is to take the Tux 150 cable car up to the Rastkogel area and ski blues 67, 63 and 62 - you can avoid the drag lifts if you are careful with your navigation. However, do not be tempted to come down the ridge to get back into the bowl - red 66 would be black in many other areas, but they presumably don't want to put people off using it. It is very scenic and an excellent run in good conditions, but it is also exposed, steep in places, and frequently full of moguls. Instead, there is a short drag to get you back up to the Tux 150 cable car.

As confidence grows, the reds 25, 26 and 27 from Penken are good fun and not too difficult, then reds 31, 32 and 33 are OK in the sun but can be icy otherwise. Back on Rastkogel, the reds are all fairly simple, and make a good progression from the blue runs. They're typically in the sun, but as they're above the treeline on a sloping plateau they're not much fun in low visibility. The runs to the Finkenberg middle station are best left until the other reds are comfortable, as they have an awkward camber as you approach the lift station, and get congested from about 3pm onwards.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Unless you have a good reason to go straight up the Penken (e.g. lessons), do first day on the Ahorn as a confidence builder, its just a 5 minute walk to cable car (or you can wait for the bus).
Stick to the top section for your wife (next to the 8 man chair lift).
Progress to the drag lift underneath the panaroma restaurant and then further to the Ebenwald chairlift as (hopefully) confidence grows (and there is a blue path you can take for most of it) .
The good skiers can have fun skiing the black to the bottom.
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
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I have recently returned from Mayrhofen and found blue 28/29 lovely runs, though a little narrow in places and could get a bit busy. I totally agree with the advice for using the blues in the Rastkogel area - there are several really lovely reds here too which were no more tricky than the blues - but quieter. I skied the 66 down on a couple of occasions, and certainly agree that it would not boost the confidence of an anxious skier. We had amazing snow - though by the afternoon some of the runs were a bit chopped. Can I suggest that your wife takes a couple of private lessons to start the holiday. The Habeler school has an office about 1 minute walk from the entrance to your hotel (turn left as you leave), and specialise in confidence building. Be quite specific about the type of instructor you would prefer (they have several female who may be a little more sympathetic - I have always found that I made more progress with a female instructor). The instructor will ensure that they only use appropriate pistes, and though this may seem a costly option, it will be money well spent. My suggestion would be a lesson as early as possible (9 am?) when the pistes are still relatively quiet and nothing is cut up. If you can, start on day one on the Ahorn as suggested above. It is basically one super wide, really easy blue down to the first chair lift. Beyond this is is definately a red. A morning lapping up and down this blue run would be a brilliant way to start the week, then have the lessons day 2 and 3? On the Ahorn, I would steer clear of the t.bar drag that the little blue run to the right takes you too - I am not bothered by any drags but did find this very steep, particularly at the top (where the snow was pretty deep too - not easy to ski out of).
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Absolutely agree with the previous posters.

Ahorn to start with - it's a great blue slope, some parts are steeper so it's possible to progress even within the "blue".
I found I got cold on the lift back to the top of the slope so wrap up well.

Next best blues are at Rastkogel, reached via the Tux gondala - expect big queues and do not ski back, the first section of 66 looks ok but as soon as you go around the corner....

There's a really nice red run @ Rastkogel, number 68, but don't start at the top of it - instead head towards 67 and then keep left to join it after the steep top section.

The blues at Finkenberg, are ok but served by drag lifts and it can be a long wait for your turn. Nice scenic place tho.

14 at Horberg is good beginner territory. 11 off the Schneekar can be a bug*** at the top, I'd suggest you suss it out before your wife attempts it, it gets very mogully. After the initial bit it's quite a pleasant run but as it heads towards 14 lower down there is quite a long poling section - better to go down the wide red there - it isn't too steep, more top end blue.

If you did want to stay together the learning slope at Penken where they do the ski school assessments is okay for an hour, I guess.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Agree with the above.
Ahorn top blue, 1st bit of the red, not the 2nd.
Horberg - access via the ski bus and direct lift up, not via Penken. The blue at the bottom of the Penken valley, bottom of Horberg is OK too.
Rastkogel various runs, via cable car both ways.
Avoid Penken reds.
Avoid idiot out of control skiers - oh, hang on, it's Mayrhofen rolling eyes (sorry; where I had my 'accidental collision')

Or go up Hintertux: lovely wide reds at the top, not too challenging. Avoid the descent ones though and come down in the gondolas.
Or bus/train to Kaltenbach (sp?), some nice runs there, especially on the far side away from the main chaos.
Have fun.
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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.
Take a look here - might give you some inspiration...?

https://www.mayrhofner-bergbahnen.com/en/mountain-experience-winter/activities/skiing/tour-suggestions/
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
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Thanks folks - fantastic advice - I really do appreciate it.

She doesn't do route planning.... she relies on me to plan her routes, and I have to ski any reds prior to her venturing on to them!
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I've just spent a few hours skiing in the Zillertal Arena - what a breath of fresh air!
Big wide open slopes, and although the piste maps say red, I've skied on much harder blues in various places.
I skied over the top and down around Gerlos, now getting the bus back to Ziller.
It may be worth the journey time - I've enjoyed it far more than Mayrhofen.
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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.
Thanks scamps
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 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
You are allowed to download on the Larchwald lift from top of the Penken (Kombibahn). That gets you down to the nice wide blues (14 etc) without having to do any skiing.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
We had a hoot - thanks everyone, great advice
Glacier skiing btw - fantastic. But not for girls. Or rather, my girl. Strictly blues

Oh yes - Grizzler - lots of people out of control - mostly boarders - their boards writing cheques that their ability cannot cash....
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Glad that you enjoyed it. I have many fond March memories - just not of out of control, reckless skiers (who do have eyes mounted in the same direction as they are going, freestylers excepted).
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