Mayrhofen for the first time

A snowHead

Hi all,

First post from me. Great forum, lots of useful information.

I am a beginner skier. I have had 2 holidays so far, both to Tignes with the UCPA. This year my girlfriend convinced me to go to Austria as she loves it there. The promise of tree lined runs and great food Smile

Anyway, I'm a bag of nerves as I always am when I go somewhere new. What can I expect as a someone who will be taking some part time lessons and probably sticking to mostly blue runs with the occasional red if I am feeling brave? Also, what snow weather report do I look at? I understand Mayrhofen is a low resort at 630M and doesn't seem to get much snow? It seems to be a vary unstable season this year, worryingly mild with lots of rain about.

Help me feel more positive about my upcoming trip. Going on the 22nd Feb for a week.

Thanks
Col

A snowHead

@hinesy32, don't panic Happy

Mayrhofen is a well-established ski resort with a good snow record. The town is at 630m, but the skiing is not - the gondola takes you up to 1800m, and the skiing is mainly above that, up to 2400m. Yes, there has been rain - which on the mountains has fallen as snow, and at the moment the area is forecasting 60cm of snow over the next 48 hours as the storm passes through. Have a look at https://www.j2ski.com/snow_forecast/Austria/Mayrhofen_snow_history.html for the seasonal trends, and then check it again on Friday to see what the storm has done. Bear in mind that the "low" graph in this is for 630m, at the bottom of the Ahorn run, which you will not ski.

My second skiing trip was to the Mayrhofen area, staying in Finkenberg. We loved it.

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@hinesy32, welcome to Snowheads and skiing in Austria.

There is a thread specifically about the Zillertal see https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=149457 a good deal of info there and maybe quicker to get answers to your questions.

I would not worry about the weather or the height of Mayrhofen itself. There is very little skiing to the valley at Mayrhofen or any of the Zillertal areas, certainly no blue runs. The main skiing at Mayrhofen starts at around 1800m so no worries there. As to the weather, yes there has been a particularly unpleasant storm over the past 48 hours, unusually for February rain has fallen even to high levels all over the alps though perhaps a bit less in Austria than further west, however the rain has now turned to heavy snow and there is likely to be a fair amount of the stuff over the next week or so. By the time you turn up there should be perfect piste skiing.

If you want weather forecasts there are allsorts of options, I would use either https://wepowder.com/en or if that is a bit nerdy for you the more general forecast from the Austrian weather service https://www.zamg.ac.at/cms/en/weather/weather-forecast/tirol.

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Thanks! I did look at the Ahorn runs for starting off on when I arrive. Always happy to go higher! I was just about getting to know Tignes and now I've got a new area to learn. About to book some lessons with SMT, they seem to be one of the good schools in the area. Unless anyone can point me towards another company.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@hinesy32, If your lessons don't start on the first morning then the runs at the top of Ahorn are a good place to get the ski legs working but don't try the run down to the bottom.

I'm going out on 7th March so I look forward to a snow report when you get back.

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Thanks munich_irish I'll have a look in that thread for more info.

When you say no blue runs, I assume you just mean at lower levels.

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@hinesy32, in much of Austria the mountains are fairly flat on top, get steep in the middle, and flatten out at the bottom. That's one of the reasons why the skiing area is accessed by gondola, and ski-in/ski-out is relatively rare as the accommodation tends to be in the valley while the easy slopes are 1500m higher up. Mayrhofen has one valley run off the Ahorn which is a red/black depending on how they've classified it this year as it has changed several times, and none at all on the Penken side. Almost all of the blue runs are on the highest parts of the mountains, with the exception of a couple of roadways in the centre of the Penken area. There are several really good areas which will allow you to progress, including at the top of the Tux-150 (but don't take the Panorama run back down!) and on the Ahorn, and the blue run on Gerent is long and flattering.

After all it is free

@hinesy32, that's right no blue runs down to the valley from the main areas. I seem to remember there is a red down to Kaltenbach but otherwise I think just a couple of blacks or ski routes. You might want to look at this (as Graham Bell says there is actually plenty of easy stuff Smile

)

http://youtube.com/v/1WRLNxtG8jc

@munich_irish Yes, we have watched that video a few times. A bit above my pay grade Wink

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@hinsey32, just got back from first trip to Mayrhofen. You should have no issue with blues and some very wide reds on penken. We never did Ahorn side.

Highly recommend getting train (it’s included in ski pass) and go to Kaltenbach 15/20 mins away. Superb blues and gentle reds in that area, we loved it that much the day we went, that we went back the following day !

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snow reports

Mayrhofen's great! Loved the Hof. I seem to remember the main red run back to the top of Penken being very busy and bumpy at the end of the day, try and avoid that.

The Ice Bar at the bottom of the Penken gondola is great for apres. There used to be a brilliant guitarist in the sports bar in the evenings (Brian Cristopher)

Yeah, don't do Harakiri. I went down it mostly on my face (not even kidding). I would kind of like to go back there and do it properly.

You know it makes sense.

Up over the 150er Tux there are some great wide cruisey blues and straightforward reds. Red 10 is a fantastic run also. The ramp down from the lift is steep but the rest is fine.
Avoid Route 66 Panorama as mentioned above. Gets really badly cut up with big moguls after lunch.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

My second trip was to Mayrhofen, I really couldn't ski at all, so I spent a while on the Ahorn, and there are a couple of easy runs just to the left of the top of the Penken lift (left coming out) I ended up having a good week.

A snowHead

Ahorn is fab and uncrowded. I still go back to it every visit. If you feel the need to challenge yourself take the red over the back which, being in the shade, gets icy and scraped - get down it ( a blue dodges on and off it) and then take the lift back to sanity.
Penken area has blue runs, inc the joiny up one over to Horberg, but they are quite narrow and full of babies and snowplough ski groups ( not judging - I've been those people).
Blue 14 at Horberg world be a good place to start - it's really wide, goes past 2 huts so you have plenty of chances to take a break, and offers steeper sections (left side as you are going down when you want to progress).
Rastkogel had lovely wide blues and a fab red to practice on (68? but enter off the blue by going round the corner). Do not take 66 back, use the Tux, 66 looks fab from the top but is carnage (for the inexperienced later down)
The reds can be busy, mogully or scraped - pretty much the same as anywhere, and as a cautious skier, at times other slope users have frightened me.
You'll be fine - it was my second ever ski hol and I loved it.
Also, don't be too proud to take the bus back between Penken and Horberg.

A snowHead

+1 for the Ice bar for apres.

+1 for the skiing area above 150er Tux, definitely download back if you are nervous on way back, that red is mogully, busy and icy late in afternoon, loads falling over

Hans butchers shop opposite the Ice bar for the best ribs/chicken/beef and they serve beer

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@hinesy32, Welcome to snowheads. The Ahorn does have a couple of nice blue runs but frankly isn't worth the effort. head up the Penken side and there are loads of easy blues to hone your technic. i must agree with @ribblevalleyblue, Kaltenback is well worth a look the main blue is extremely wide and gentle but take the bubble down as is Hintertux a great glacier at the head of the valley.

you'll love The Hof and you'll discover why Austria is the best all round place to go skiing. I know you can ski at 3,500m plus in France but there's nowhere on the planet that gets it as right as the Austrians.

just my opinion, don't want to start a argument on where's best etc.......anyway Austria wins hands down Laughing

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

Bergfex is a good all round site for weather (from the Austrian weather service ZAMG), webcams, piste maps etc.

https://www.bergfex.com/mayrhofen/

I hope you enjoy skiing in Austria, I can't bring myself to go anywhere else these days.
The apres music can be a challenge at first!!

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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

So, we are having trouble getting lessons booked. Left it too late I think, SMT fully booked. Anyone know of other good ski schools in the area? I’m a beginner and my partner is a seasoned skier.

After all it is free

Ski pro Austria are good. Maybe better than SMT.

Thanks. Have just booked with them Smile

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No one has mentioned Hintertux Glacier? Puzzled

Definitely worth the 30 min bus ride from Mayrhofen hinesy32 - covered on the Ziller Valley lift pass; best snow in the whole valley; some lovelyblue/red cruising runs; spectacular scenery & views (make sure you go onto the rooftop terrace when you come out of the top gondola); very decent mountain restaurants; and one of Austria's best apres ski venues (The Hohenhaus) at the bottom of the gondola.

Just need to go on a clear day as the skiing is above the tree line.

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@hinesy32, In my view its worth going up the Ahorn for half a day. Its a very small area but there a few easy blues and a fairly easy red on it. Just make sure that you don't end up on the run back to Mayrhofen as you'll likely to find it too tough. Not been for a while so don't know if its still there but there used to be a short slalom course with a timer which was fun. There's also an ice hotel which is nice to look around. If you go have a look in the Ahornhutte restaurant. Its owned by Uli Speiss, a Mayrhofen native and former World Cup and Olympic downhill racer. Lots of race memorabilia on display including two bronze medals from the 1948 Olympics won by Uli's mother.

As for Hintertux, I'd echo what@mountainaddict, said. Good skiing for a glacier and great views. My wife loved it the first time she went there, her particular highlight being the helicopter ride she had out of it rolling eyes

All in all Mayrhofen's a great place and much more attractive than Tignes.

Help!!

Mayrhofen for the first time

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