 Poster: A snowHead
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Sorting out a 4 day trip for next March and fancy skiing somewhere new in Austria these 3 resorts are on shortlist. We are 6 middle-aged males half-decent skiers most of us are there to ski ‘cruisey’ reds but a few like the steeps. We all like a beer but straight from piste and are often in bed battered by 9, so raucous après until the small hours not really necessary!!
Sölden appeals because it has two glaciers and therefore pretty snowsure in March. Also gives the option of a day at Obergurgl. However, ‘titty bars’ and stag do groups are not really our thing - don’t know if
Sölden is like that?
Silvretta Montafon, specifically, Gaschurn, has the access to fairly high skiing and Voralberg has good snow record. We have skied the Ring and St Anton and are looking for somewhere cheaper and quieter.
Obertauern know almost nothing about but closed have skied is Flachau and Zauchensee which were ok but not much terrain.
Any thoughts as to which resort’s pros and cons much 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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Of the 3 you mentioned I only know Solden and Obergurgl. Been there twice, each time with a different kid. Obviously the titty bars in Solden weren't relevant. Definitely well prepared and wide pistes but they can hardly be considered challenging. Those of you looking for steeps will find it quite boring IMHO.
It's the perfect place to learn skiing or to get back on the horse. Nice atmosphere, good places for a drink/eat in the mountains or down at the end of the day. Obergurgl has Niederhutte for midday, nothing worthy down below.
Any chance of finding a good deal for Ischgl 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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@Snowsartre, we had a week in March this year at Obertauern , 2 intermediates and 1 beginner , we really liked the slopes , it’s a circuit which is easily accessible from the centre of town( walking in ski boots ) , not sure if lift-pass covers a wider area ,there was plenty skiing for us BUT if your mile munchers 4 days would be your max , great apres from 3 /3.30 pm onwards very European which we liked , slightly more expensive than other Austrian resorts would definitely go back
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@Snowsartre, I don't know Sölden or Silvretta, but I do live near Flachau, Zauchensee and Obertauern (plus many more).
I'm not a huge fan of Obertauern, but that's mainly because I prefer lower ski areas with trees. In poor weather Obertauern is a bleak and featureless with very little visibility. On a nice day it's OK, but has several drawbacks:
Very short pistes, limited vertical (the village is already high, so you can't go that much higher).
Piste layout means there are a lot of crossovers and junctions, so accidents are not uncommon.
Hardly anyone lives there, so it's pretty much all tourists and attracts the drunken party crowd, see the bit above about accidents.
The most expensive mountain huts in Salzburgland.
Gets very busy, February is madness.
On the plus side it does have a good lift system and if you're the type of person that doesn't want to walk/bus/drive to lifts then the purpose built factor will probably work for you.
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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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We were looking for something different for our early season trip this season (December) and coincidentally were torn between Obergurgl and Obertauern. Ended up choosing Obergurgl and whilst we found it a bit limited, the very short drive to Sölden (in our hire car) made skiing there an feasible option. Originally planning to try Sölden one of the days, we ended up there for half the trip. Would recommend the area, plenty of variety on piste at least.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Another vote for Obergurgl, and Solden, stay in Obergurgl, limited pistes but between the pistes is fun and not really any queues. post bur to Solden is free prompt and lot sof them so easily 1/2 a week in each all on the same pass
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| Snowsartre wrote: |
| ... Sölden appeals because it has two glaciers and therefore pretty snowsure in March. Also gives the option of a day at Obergurgl. However, ‘titty bars’ and stag do groups are not really our thing - don’t know if Sölden is like that?... Any thoughts as to which resort’s pros and cons much appreciated. |
Can't help with the other places (only been to Obergurgl in summer...), but I've been to Sölden a lot.
It does have "titty bars", but then I've never been to a BC town which didn't also have "folk dancing".
I guess I'm saying I'd not really judge the place based on the tacky stuff - they all have it.
I've only ever been late April/ early May, for the end of season stuff, and they've obviously always had plenty of snow then. I've no idea if they have any trees. Their glaciers are better than most.
The town is has a couple of good hotels, used to have smoking problems but maybe that was fixed recently.
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Silvretta Montafon looks really nice. Been to Solden it's great has a good varied terrain though don't remember anything too extreeme apart some off-piste bits which where just nuts. You can avoid the bars if you want there are some quiet places for an apres drink before dinner or just go back to your hotel (make sure it has a bar).
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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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Montafon is great, gets a lot of snow, and has a lot of really fun terrain. Can be a bit of traversing in/out to get to the goods offpiste, but it does also stay untracked longer than other nearby areas (like the Arlberg). However there is - or was 2014-16 - really no apres or nightlife worth speaking of. Plenty of places to go for a beer, but it's not going to feel like a party.
Can't help with Sölden or Obertauern, sorry. As Obergurgl has been mentioned a lot too, Montafon is definitely a bigger and much more varied ski area than Obergurgl. Obergurgl is higher/colder but Montafon gets more snow... Though I wouldn't worry about snow in either in March.
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Obertauern and Obergurgl are both pretty small resorts, good for beginners and intermediates. Solden I’ve only skied on a couple of day trips from Obergurgl and I thought the glaciers were dull and the queues getting up from the town in the morning were the worst I’ve ever experienced anywhere. Montafon I don’t know at all but I think you’d have a great time in either Ischgl or Serfaus. Both have loads of cruisey reds plus a few seriously steep blacks for when you’re in the mood.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Not sure I would worry too much about snow conditions in March, most places should be good though some years towards the end of the month the lower places might get sketchy.
I am not keen on Sölden though that is based on summer visits not winter ones, the skiing has never seemed to have a lot of interest compared to other nearby places and Obergurgl seems like a pretty small spot, maybe OK for a very early season leg warmer not much else (though many folk seem to like staying in a small high spot).
Obertauern again is small, good for a day visit from one of the other Ski Amade places but not sure ideal for what you are after.
Montafon is a good spot (not sure why it is not more popular) though the skiing is rather spread out, not sure it really offers any better skiing than Flachau / Zauchensee
Have you thought about the Zillertal, lots of skiing, almost all of it above the tree line and a glacier at the end of the valley. Very easy to get around the valley so no need to stay in the centre of Mayrhofen. Often ideal March skiing.
Serfaus is also worth considering, lots of skiing, pretty high though not much in the way of raucous apres.
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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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Try Serfaus Fiss, easy to reach from Innsbruck, good sized area, a good variety of terrain, easy access to slopes from the villages, has good altitude and snow cover, a little more sophisticated than Solden. Its Austria, you can get a good beir anywhere..
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Montafon is great, great skiing, great bars at the bottom for Apres, great restaurants and virtually no English spoken. I throughly recommend it.
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You know it makes sense.
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Montafon is great, great skiing, great bars at the bottom for Apres, great restaurants and virtually no English spoken. I throughly recommend it.
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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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@Fogliettaz, is there any tree skiing in Montafon as one thing that puts me off Sölden and glaciers is the lack of trees - enjoy the runs and off piste at Stubai but it really is fairly charmless
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Poster: A snowHead
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Plenty of all terrain, both in the trees and above.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Snowsartre, gives you an idea...:
https://vimeo.com/123984214
Though a lot of it is off limits (to protect wildlife). Including the closest thing I've seen to a BC-style pillow field in the Alps...
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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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@clarky999, very cool looks like a BC resort!
Looking at staying in St Gallenkirch as that seems to give best access one gondola heading north-ish and the Other south-ish
@Gainz, How were the queues up at Sölden? Looks very busy and charmless
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I don't remember there being many queues tbh. I do remember queues in schirmbar though but thats it.
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