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Rauris Austria at Christmas

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hi all

Talk has turned to booking skiing for next year. We're not able to go in February half term next year so we're thinking of going over Christmas (2021) instead. I wondered if anyone could advise what Rauris is like for skiing over Christmas please? Ski schools, lifts etc. My husband is worried it'll all shut down on Christmas Day.

Thanks.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Owlette, christmas day is a normal day. Christmas eve is the big celebration and the lifts might shut a little early... someone will specifically know about Rauris
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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?
@Owlette, why Rauris, looks tiny?

As @holidayloverxx says Christmas is pretty much business as normal in ski resorts.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
Thanks both. I suspected as much, but my husband wasn't convinced.

@Layne. We were brand new beginners in February this year so at the moment Rauris us plenty big enough for us. This year I didn't even make it into the gondola that went to the very top as I was content to practice my new skills on the same couple of blues, building my confidence as I got to know the runs.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Owlette, a couple of things to bear in mind. There are a good many small resorts like Rauris dotted around the Eastern alps, they are potentially nice places to stay and fine if your ski expectations / needs are not too much. Christmas is not necessarily a good time for snow, some years you will need walking boots not skis. As others have said Christmas Day is not the big holiday it is in the UK, most places other than shops will be open and public transport will run as normal. Check whether the ski school will have group lessons in English, for a lot of the smaller places the number of non German speaking visitors wanting ski lessons is too small to justify running group lessons for them.

If the weather cooperates a small place like Rauris can be a very pleasant spot for Christmas but you might be better off looking at one of the bigger places nearby such as Zell am See or Ski Amade if improving your skiing is important.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
@Owlette, very few accommodations anywhere will be accepting bookings for Christmas 2021. Too far ahead!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Langerzug, ...she didn't say she was planning to book it now, just asking for information
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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!
I was in Rauris in mid-January.

There are 2 skischools, the one I was in, whilst run by an Austrian, seemed to be mostly Irish, Dutch and UK instructors, so lots of opportunities for instruction in good English.

The resort is small, two main lifts up, the bottom section is very steep, so I was downloading the last section. I wouldn't recommend for complete beginners, the nursery slope at the bottom is nice, but is served by a horrible rope thing which only children seemed to be able to master. Then progression was immediately up the mountain to a long medium-hard blue - I met several beginners really struggling. A few restaurants up the mountain - all seemed fine to me.

The cliental that week were mostly people who'd been coming back to the same resort every year for years (no idea why, it was nice enough, but having experienced other places too, I'd want the variety). There were some nice valley walks available for those who couldn't/didn't want to ski all the time.

If you had transport, there were other resorts scattered around, and even Zell am See isn't far away, so you could use it as a cheap base to explore further.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Beautiful spot for week 2 on skis. The gondola accesses plenty of wide open blue piste. Hopefully with a local instructor you will make progress. Yes Rauris is tiny.....but beautifully formed. If on the off chance you need a non-ski day there are some lovely walks in the valley.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@Owlette, Christmas Day this year is on Friday 25th, so you would be expected to check out on Saturday 26th or Sunday 27th in many smaller places. You may want to look at somewhere that gives you flexibility to pick your dates. Wherever you book make sure you book your Christmas Day Supper before you go as the places in Rauris will be booked out when you get there.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Come back after New Year. Silvester is better than Christmas in Austria.
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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 all. We went to Rauris in February, so are familiar with the slopes and ski schools. It is reassuring to read that the blue is classed as medium/hard as it was so tricky the first day we went up the mountain. Even our instructor said that in other places he thinks it would be borderline red. That said, by the end of the week I'd started to get the hang of it and could make it the whole way down upright. Our children on the other hand were flying down it and had a go at some reds on the Friday. We loved it there, which is why we're keen to return. I'll definitely take on board comments about the snow, and I'll be watching the webcams this year. I may be able to convince my husband to try Zem all See as it's just up the road.

And yes, definitely not looking at booking yet, just looking for information
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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
Quote:

musher
super-snowHead
Posts: 6527
Location: away with the hedgehogs
Thu 25 Jun, 20 13:27

Come back after New Year. Silvester is better than Christmas in Austria


Alas, school holidays are a consideration. This year we pulled the children out for a week, but I've changed jobs and work in a mainstream school now, so can't take any holiday in term time.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@RedandWhiteFlachau, she's talking about Christmas 2021, not this year, check out (or check in) will be on Saturday 25th - even more important to get the dates right. I can see some accommodation being Friday to Friday for Christmas and New Year.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
We don't go back to school till the 4th in 2022. This year we travelled back on the 2nd which worked well.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I've just realised that Sylvester is New Year!! We are considering that too, but just looking at prices for this year we to guage it, it seems that flights more than double over NY.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
New Year is much busier as well as much more expensive than Christmas week. I much prefer Christmas week in Austria, the big dinner on Christmas Eve is always good and in the smaller hotels there’s often a bit of carol singing or somebody reciting the story of Christmas. I’m not religious but I still enjoy the Austrian approach. I’ve never skied Rauris, my first week of skiing was in Niederau and I’d happily recommend it for beginners and early intermediates. Lots of British tour operators go there so no problem with getting lessons in English.
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