 Poster: A snowHead
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First timer to the above curious to hear what other ‘sneachta’ - heads make of the place......a slightly more compact and expensive resort than st Anton (been there 4 times over the years)........we r a group of good intermediate skiers who do a bit of off piste but generally like cruising the reds and blacks.....at 240 kms will we have it all skied and explored in 2 days....like the night life in ski resorts ie. bars full of ‘c-coks’ With hardly a ‘Pooh-n-nny’ in sight ....?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ischgl is far better than St Anton for intermediate cruising.Off piste St Anton is better.Been to both on numerous occasions and I prefer Ischgl.Its our most visited resort for the past 10 years.Before that we canned Argentiere/Chamonix (did 2 x 2 month trips)
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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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I don't understand the obsession with mileage but you're some skiers if you can do 240kms in a couple of days. There's more than enough skiing in Ischgl to keep anyone happy for a week. I think its fair to say that Ischgl is more suitable than St Anton regarding what you are looking for. As for apres skiing they're similar although Ischgl has the edge for me and is probably a little less male orientated.
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Horrible place 
Done eight trips there
Great for cruising
Excellent lift system
Bleak when weather is poor
Bit noise if you stay on main street
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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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There is a divergence of opinion about Ischgl.
There does not seem to be much argument about the skiing. It is a first rate area especially for piste skiing. Overall the Arlberg is about the same but it is fair to say that St Anton itself does not have such extensive piste skiing. Ischgl is not as good for ski routes and off piste as the Arlberg (nothing to compare with Madloch, Albona, Mattun etc) but it is still better than most places. The long run down to Samnaun is very good, great views, though it is a bit of a drag around the village to get back to a lift. The home runs to Ischgl are generally poor, often icy and crowded with idiots, unless you are a confident skier get the gondola back from the mid station. Its not great in bad weather but neither is St Anton. Despite its long season overall it get less snow than the Arlberg and a good few other places.
The "village" itself is less clear cut. Some folk love it personally I loath it. It seems like a particularly brash and unpleasant shopping mall, flashy bars with little genuine atmosphere, far too many "luxury" hotels and a general feeling of the whole place being set up to extract as much money from visitors as possible. It has the feeling of an adult version of Disneyland set in the alps. Not sure it is more expensive than St Anton, there are plenty of "luxury" places there too. However in St Anton it is still possible to find small traditional pensions or stay in Pettneu or further down the Stanzertal with regular ski buses (even at night) back to St Anton. In Ischgl it is very difficult to find anything but one week bookings and the bus service to nearby villages is poor, it is as if folk from outside are discouraged. I know this is not a view everyone shares, lots of people return every year and have a great time. Perhaps its an age thing, I prefer a bit of (fake!) tradition than brash modernity 
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| Quote: |
Some folk love it personally
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I'd be one of them. Each to his own but I much prefer it to St Anton
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Probably worth pointing out that the 240km claim is an exaggeration. The real figure is 170km. This is similar to Lech/Zurs/Warth (without St Anton), or Serfaus/Fiss/Ladis.
Still a fair sized area, mind, so surprised you feel you would do it justice in 2 days.
The wider lift pass also includes Galtur, Kappl and See, which are linked by free buses.
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I've been there a few times and think it's a great area. Excellent piste skiing. I haven't skied the off piste as extensively but what I have skied was really very good and a lot quieter than the St Anton off piste. We were going down valleys without tracks.
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@munich_irish +1 (though I don't loathe the town - I just don't like it as much as St Anton).
Ischgl definitely has better piste skiing than the Arlberg.
Arlberg definitely has better offpiste terrain (but, though the difference is closing, more competition for it).
Personally I prefer the apres in St Anton, but Ischgl has better nightlife (though it's been a while for me now!).
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Interesting reading this thread. Im off to Galtur in March (for the first time), so intend to ski Ischgl. Not bothered about nightlife. For those that know, how does the area compare to Kitzbuhel, where Ive skied for the last 9 trips.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I concur with many of the above points. Pistes are excellent. But the sickener is that it is already very expensive, but you really get the feeling you are being royally screwed for every further euro they can get out of you. You won't even get a mouthful of tap water you don't pay (prettily) for. I just didn't get that sense in St Anton. Even though skiing is great it's hard to suppress that irritation when you're the one paying.
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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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Good piste skiing but I prefer Alberg or Ski Dimension in the same area
Very popular with German and Dutch stag parties at the weekends.
Home runs are carnage after about 2.30 as a consequence and the village (which I like) is prone to said stags wandering around singing euro football songs.
It's a 'cartel' resort so prices and standards are both high in all commercial establishments. Minor or no lift queues for the same reason.
It's a 'must do' resort
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| skitech wrote: |
| Interesting reading this thread. Im off to Galtur in March (for the first time), so intend to ski Ischgl. Not bothered about nightlife. For those that know, how does the area compare to Kitzbuhel, where Ive skied for the last 9 trips. |
I haven't skied Kitz for the comparison. Galtur is a rather small area that is completely separate from Ischgl, it is at he top of the valley holds its snow very well though the skiing is small it is excellent.
Ischgl's is fairly extensive goes over to Switzerland andhas great variety, the runs back to town get very busy at the end of the day and are not for the fainthearted. Downloading is often a good option, unless you go down early or late.
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You know it makes sense.
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I went to Kitzbuhel for the 1st time 3 years ago.Was underwhelmed by the mountains and town.No intention of going back.Ischgl and the other valley resorts have more interesting and higher skiing.
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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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I'm in the same camp as @munich_irish. The piste cruising is great, but the apres and town in general is dreadful, attracting the worst kind of loud brash aggressive euro-blokes.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I've only skied Ischgl one day, but it takes about ten minutes to notice their lift system has to be among the best anywhere (heated seat-any seat- in a tram was a first for me), and the piste skiing was easily as good as other resorts in the region. There seems to be remarkable agreement about the vibe in town; up to you to choose a side. Maybe consider Serfaus, whose pistes and lifts are also excellent, but not nearly as randy in town. As for comparisons to Kitz, this begins to get into hair-splitting...all the mentioned places are excellent, world-class resorts with their own sets of plusses and minuses. You have choices, a good thing.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Wiener-fest for intermediates.
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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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| Dr John wrote: |
| I'm in the same camp as @munich_irish. The piste cruising is great, but the apres and town in general is dreadful, attracting the worst kind of loud brash aggressive euro-blokes. |
Depends what you're looking for and where you go. The best thing about Ischgl is if you walk in to one apres bar and don't like, move on to the next one.
If you want a bar full of blokes with semi-naked women dancing on the bar, then FreeRide is the place for you (but not me).
If you want much the same but prefer your bar dancing women to look bored and wear dirndl, then Schatzi's yor place (again not me, though a beer outside watching the carnage of the run home opposite is nice).
If you want a good gender mix, fully clothed people, and not too cheesy pop/rock music selection, Niki's Stadl is probably the stop for you.
Prefer a good gender mix, half the crown still in ski gear, and full Austrian apres cheese? Hit the Kitzloch.
Never made it past the Kitsloch to judge the crowd in Wedl Alm.
And that's just your choice in a 230m walk. There's another 10+ apres bars over the other side of town, then you have the hotel bars, then the lap dance clubs, then...
Regarding loud, brash, aggressive people last year I saw more of that in a day in St Anton (almost exclusivly fellow Brits. unfortunetly) than I can remember ever seeing in Ischgl. The Russians can be a bit like that in Ischgl, but on the flip side as soon as your waiter/watress realises you're British so going to be polite and civil you get amazing service, as they always look your way as a tactic to blank and ignore the table of Russians being tiresome
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@Mjit, interesting to hear Brits seeing themselves as always polite and civil.
We -in Amsterdam- beg to differ. Talking about stag do’s (and hen-do’s too). Very little civility...and a serious lack of style: weird clothes (the boys, shorts in february)....weird hair (the girls, always) etc, etc, etc...
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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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@Langerzug, if you think the fashions are a bit odd for the visitors to Amsterdam you might want to take a trip to Bigg Market in Newcastle on a Saturday evening, especially when a full blown north easter is coming in off the north sea.......
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@Langerzug, good job this isn't an Amsterdam stag and hen doo forum then isn't it.
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| Dr John wrote: |
| I'm in the same camp as @munich_irish. The piste cruising is great, but the apres and town in general is dreadful, attracting the worst kind of loud brash aggressive euro-blokes. |
Skiing is superb but I'd echo what Mjit wrote but also for a quiet bar with some decent tunes but retaining the ability to converse the Golden Eagle on Dorfstrasse (sp?) is the bar to go to.
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@Dr John it looks like there is’nt really that much difference between euro-blokes en brexies after all....anyone in the Alps on Dec 12? 
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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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@Langerzug, not sure what point you're trying to make. Comparing skiers with stag parties in Amsterdam? may as well compare with rave parties in Ibiza, utterly different demographic. And I've had more than my fill of groups of boorish ignorant Dutch men in St Anton, thanks very much.
And yes, lot of people in the Alps on December 12th, never heard of postal or proxy votes?
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Ischgl is great fun, loved it. Yes it's a bit glitzy, but I thojght the town was v ery smart, the lift system was excellent and the ski area superb.
Apres was off the scale, the Kitzloch was our favourite. Golden Eagle decent for a drink and a chat.
Kuhstall was good, Trofana Alm was OK, didn't get to Niki's Stadl. Didn't like the sausage fest Schatzi Bar but as said - if you don't like one bar, there'll be a different party next door.
Would definitely go back (but not before going to Saalbach again first).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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New year Will be my year 20 in a row there - so obviously i love the place. Skiing is good, food is good, hotels are good but don’t expect Alpbach Tirol-charme. There is something for everybody in Ischgl, you just need to find your favourite:-)
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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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@Langerzug, I agree brits going to Amsterdam may not behave the same as those who typically go skiing.
I am with @munich_irish on this one. I would love it with a group of mates but not with kids these days. I would prefer to stay at Kappl and drive or taxi in each day.
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| Dr John wrote: |
| And I've had more than my fill of boorish ignorant Dutch men in this thread thanks very much |
FIFY
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You know it makes sense.
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@BobinCH, many thanks
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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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| skitech wrote: |
| Interesting reading this thread. Im off to Galtur in March (for the first time), so intend to ski Ischgl. Not bothered about nightlife. For those that know, how does the area compare to Kitzbuhel, where Ive skied for the last 9 trips. |
Virtually all above treeline. More compact area than Kitzbuhel which is rather straggly, though probably more skiing in Ischgl. Better snow in Ischgl, probably. Great red runs in Ischgl, easier over in Samnaun. Lifts better than Kitzbuhel (only Saalbach is better and that's a close run thing). Fewer queue bottlencks (though it's been a couple of years since I went to Kitz and I believe that old slow 3 man chair has been replaced, and there can be some queues in Ischgl from Idalp towards Switzerland. Much better uplift from the village - 3 gondolas of various types from two different points. Both places have issues with skiing back to the village.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Corky wrote: |
| I don't understand the obsession with mileage but you're some skiers if you can do 240kms in a couple of days. There's more than enough skiing in Ischgl to keep anyone happy for a week. I think its fair to say that Ischgl is more suitable than St Anton regarding what you are looking for. As for apres skiing they're similar although Ischgl has the edge for me and is probably a little less male orientated. |
I'd suggest 120km in a day is just about impossible?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@skitech, I would say that in perfect snow conditions Kitzbühel is better, there is more sense of travel and a wider variety of skiing. However how often are there perfect snow conditions? Kitz also scores for skiing in the trees when the weather is bad though both Kitz and Ischgl get badly affected by high winds (I have been stuck at Pass Thurn because the stupid drag lift was closed because of wind!). Ischgl is more reliable throughout the season and almost certainly a better place to ski than Kitzbühel in March.
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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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@Dr John, dream on. We had a very unpleasant evening last winter in a fine Lech restaurant.
Thanks to a drunk and loud table of 3 English couples. Hitting 60....very embarrassing it was.
Just saying: there is little difference between the Brits and the continent....
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Langerzug wrote: |
@Mjit, interesting to hear Brits seeing themselves as always polite and civil.
We -in Amsterdam- beg to differ. Talking about stag do’s (and hen-do’s too). Very little civility...and a serious lack of style: weird clothes (the boys, shorts in february)....weird hair (the girls, always) etc, etc, etc... |
To be clear I was referring to Brits in Ischgl. We did a day trip to St Anton last year and after a couple of runs and chairs said almost in unison "Got there's too many British ladies' front bottoms here aren't there!".
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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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All these generalizations about the English, or the Dutch, or anybody, are lame! Idiots come in all colors and stripes, whether they are skiing drunk or ascribing that behavior to people of certain countries.
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| Scooter in Seattle wrote: |
| All these generalizations about the English, or the Dutch, or anybody, are lame! Idiots come in all colors and stripes, whether they are skiing drunk or ascribing that behavior to people of certain countries. |
agree!
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@Scooter in Seattle, +1.
The nationality (whether correct or incorrectly assumed) of these people have is irrelevant.
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as the General Manager from Ischgl said once, Ischgl is an entertaiment park. Not ski resort....
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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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@Scooter in Seattle & @denfinella, completely agree, but all of them seem to congregate in Ischgl.
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@skitech, I have been to both Galtur and Kitz and wouldn't say that you can compare them. However I enjoyed both
Galtur is lovely and quiet, you may also go all week with out meeting another brit (Yes im the annoying type trying to immerse myself in snow and culture...
Galtur is small if your only after pure piste skiing but the area heading down to the lake (near ski route 3) gave me n the missus 3 days of powder and no competition or ques . (FYI its not steep)
When we were at Galtur we also got the bus to Ischgl for the day (Free) and then the next day returned to skiing at Galtur (I like peace and quiet)
I enjoyed Kitz ski area as IMHO it links all together very well with lots of options
FWIW i too procrastinate over which resort to go to etc, but in the end there all good and there all bad, its the company (Wife / Boyfriend / Non Binary / x )that makes it
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