 Poster: A snowHead
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Looking for advice on a resort for early Feb next year. Looking for a resort with lots of mileage and good choice of blues, reds. Not really interested in Off Piste. Most of our recent trips have been to France and the big areas - La Plagne, Les Arcs. Morzine PDS. Been to Italy once - Passo Tonale - not keen on return there. One previous trip to Ellmau in Austria which had access to decent ski area. Any advice appreciated
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@alangibson73, first week in February is semester holidays for around a third of the population of Austria and some of Germany. It's a very busy week. Having said that, the largest ski areas cope very well with the numbers of visitors and lift queues are rarely a major problem.
If you like piste mileage then Ski Amadé, Schladming, SkiWelt, Kitz, Saalbach are all good choices.
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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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We have been British half term the past years so used to big queues. Keen to try and avoid peak holiday times if possible.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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The default answer to this type of question is surely "the Dolomites ".
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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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@alangibson73, Ski Amade Salzburgland. 780km of piste on one lift pass, mostly cruising reds. Base yourselves in Flachau for the best access. You sound as if you'd love the Hochkonig and Apres is 20% cheaper than France in most cases. Have a look at our Facebook Page @theredandwhiteskicompany for some ideas. 10% discount for Snowheads!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@alangibson73, I have very good memories of Salzgurger Sportweld - so I endorse @queenie pretty please’s recommendation for Ski Amidé. I see that you have been to Passo Tonale, but have you considered a resort actually on the Sella Ronda area? Absolutely beautiful, friendly locals, and runs matching your requirements.
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@alangibson73, British half term also coincides with some German, Austrian and Dutch holidays, but the first week in February is generally busier.
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Seva and Saalbach
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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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@alangibson73, Come on the Snowheads Birthday Bash to the Dolomite's 1st Feb? 
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If piste kilometres are the main factor in your choice then the biggest area in Austria is the Arlberg, closely followed by Saalbach Hinterglemm. Ski Amade has more kilometres covered by its pass but it is made up of a number of separate areas. The Zillertal also has a lot of skiing but again is a number of separate areas (though very easy to get between). Other places with large areas would be Ischgl, SkiWelt / Kitzbühel and Serfaus / Fiss.
If you go skiing in February it is going to be busier than if you go in January. Austria is less affected than some of the French resorts by UK half term crowds but does have many more visitors from Germany and the Netherlands so there is not much difference wherever you go
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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| Quote: |
If piste kilometres are the main factor in your choice then the biggest area in Austria is the Arlberg, closely followed by Saalbach Hinterglemm
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The new link between Saalbach and Zell am See is due to be completed in time for the coming season, making the Ski Circus the biggest area in Austria (408km, including Kaprun). I realise that some purists may point out that, whilst it will be possible to ski directly over to Zell, using piste 68 and the new lift, the return trip will involve skiing down to a ski bus stop between Viehhofen and Jausern, and taking a short bus trip (about 5 minutes) to the Schonleitenbahn gondola.
Another new gondola to complete the connection and allow skiers to travel from Zell am See over to Saalbach or Leogang, without any necessity to catch a bus, is projected to be constructed in the next few years, subject to approval for a new reservoir and snowmaking on piste 68.
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Tue 25-06-19 2:50; edited 1 time in total
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@tatmanstours, my understanding of the "rules" (and it is a lot of nonsensical willy waving on the part of the tourist offices) is that until there is a lift or ski connection in both directions it wont count. So until the day when the next lift is built the Arlberg keeps the official record (of course by then the Arlberg might have managed to resurrect the link to Kappl). It makes no difference whatsoever to folk who visit and ski in the areas just bragging rights for the local mayors etc.
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You know it makes sense.
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@munich_irish, I take your points but I doubt whether technicalities will prevent the inevitable “nonsensical willy-waving”. Actually I've just checked the websites of both Saalbach and Zell am See, and neither appears to be doing any willy-waving at all - in fact, curiously the new link is not being mentioned as one of next season's "innovations" (perhaps they know something I don't, or they've decided to keep their willies in their lederhosen for the time being).
To be fair it’s not so nonsensical from the point of view of Zell Am See, which will gain considerably in both practical and marketing terms from being connected into arguably Austria's biggest, certainly its second biggest interlinked ski area. As far as Saalbach and the rest of the Ski Circus is concerned, it will also do no harm, in terms of kudos and marketing, to be able to claim that Zell (and even Kaprun) are now incorporated into an even bigger area and all covered by the same lift pass.
Whether practically speaking “it will make no difference whatsoever” to those who visit and ski in the Ski Circus remains to be seen, but I have a feeling you may be understating the benefit of being able to add another daily excursion to the possibilities on offer. Those I have spoken to are (a little like Brexit) torn between either being excited about the new link (especially a friend of ours who has a couple of apartments in Viehhofen), and being dubious about creating an open border and allowing “migrant skiers” to swarm over from Zell (which of course has rail connections to Munich, Linz and Salzburg).
As I initially (at least) tried to do with Brexit, I’m keeping an open mind; time will tell come December.
Apologies for the thread drift (and for mentioning the ‘B’ word  ).
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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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Lech/Arlberg would be excellent for clocking up the mileage and a good range of blues and reds. Madonna di Campiglio is a great Italian resort, the area also covers Folgarida, Marilleva and Pinzolo and there is plenty of flattering skiing on which to clock up the mileage. The scenery is fab too.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Interested in Madonna recommendation as I had always thought it was not that large an area compared to, say, kitzbuhel or ski welt or sella Ronda resorts.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@countryman, It isn't as big as the Sella Ronda or the Ski Welt, I haven't been to Kitzbuhel so I can't comment on that one. MdC isn't huge but it feels like a fair size with the outlying areas included on the same lift pass, you can cover a decent amount of distance and feel like you've actually gone somewhere. Some nice long descents too.
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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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+1 for the Dolomites, and if you want to cruise lots of fun laps I've found Kronplatz to be ideal, though I go in late March...not sure how busy it is in your timeframe.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Scooter in Seattle wrote: |
| +1 for the Dolomites, and if you want to cruise lots of fun laps I've found Kronplatz to be ideal, though I go in late March...not sure how busy it is in your timeframe. |
I have never had a problem with lift queues in Kronplatz (been going for over 15 years) but we do try to avoid Fasching. Fasching is about the 23rd feb approx. (from memory, not checked) so I wouldn't anticipate a problem with crowds / queues.
I am obviously a big fan of the place but it won't suit everyone. Original post was asking about big mileages and if that is a major consideration, then it might rule out Kronplatz. There is more than enough to keep me going for a week. But if you want to ski hard and are determined not to repeat a run, then you will do every piste in half a week. Of course it's all a question of "mindset". Piculin is a cracker as far as I am concerned, and also Hernegg and Sylwester. I don't mind repeating them. And you can do a day out in the main Dolomites (we do a couple of days) to do the Sella Ronda and Hidden Valley and a trip to the Marmolada. These are easier with a hire car but there is a bus link, although you are then tied to the timetable for the return trip.
Rifugios are good and plentiful. Food good and prices reasonable. We stay in San Vigilio and nightlife is generally on the quiet side there.
The other "problem" with the Kronplatz area is getting there. It can be a longer than average transfer unless you can get flights to Innsbruck (limited flights from Northern UK).
We tend to fly to Munich or Milan or Verona and hire a car. It works for us and we tend to stop over on the way home. So in Feb 2020 for example we are flying at half term from Scotland (just up the road for us and prices are good as it isn't Scottish half term) and coming home we are having a night out in Munich with a meal probably at the Hofbraukeller (not the Hofbrauhaus).
It works for us.
It might suit the original poster.
Most of the people we have dragged there over the years have been back several times since
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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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| alangibson73 wrote: |
| We have been British half term the past years so used to big queues. Keen to try and avoid peak holiday times if possible. |
Another couple of comments on Kronplatz :
1. The percentage of Brits is very very low so the UK half term isn't really an issue. We tend to go at UK half term. Really no major queues unless half term coincides with Fasching.
2. Self cater. The quality of accommodation in Sankt Vigilio is high (think dishwasher and WiFi is pretty well standard) and with the money you save, eat out
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