 Poster: A snowHead
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Last January I spent 3 weeks in Innsbruck skiing the surrounding hills, and also made some day trips to the likes of Kirchberg/Kitzbuhel and The Zillertal. One of my trips this year was to have been to Westerndorf with a group of friends including some beginners and children. In order to calm nerves amongst some of the group we made the decision a month ago to postpone the trip until next January, 2022.
So next year I'd like to do a longer stay again, and as I'll already be in Westerndorf in Jan it makes sense to base myself somewhere nearby. The Zillertal valley looks like a great place for a base - there are so many different options and easy transport links, and I've an acquaintance who spends every Jan there and loves it as well as having local contacts and knowledge. For those who don't know the area the Zillertal and Ski Welt (Soll, Westerndorf, Brixen etc) are in neighbouring valleys (or just about) and I could move between them fairly easily.
I haven't skied the Skiwelt at all. I know Westerndorf is beginner and family friendly, but what is the rest of the area like? I'm looking for somewhere to do lots of off-piste and touring, but I'm not going to be leaping of cliffs or training for the FWT. So access to off-piste and also to guides or groups I could join.
This is one for Clarky999 and Scarlet (thanks for the help last year guys) and anyone who knows both areas.
p.s I'm thinking of coming and going a bit - poss in Dec (PSB gets 1st dibs obv!), most of Jan and poss again in March although other Bashes might get in the way.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Tom Doc, I'd say it's quite a drive from Zillertal to SkiWelt, but doable for a day trip. SkiWelt is probably less "off-pistey" than Zillertal and Westerndorf is probably the least beginner-friendly base.
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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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@queenie pretty please, Ok, I'm not thinking of day trips, rather that I'll relocate for a week to Westerndorf.
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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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@Tom Doc, for a three week trip a season pass makes sense, but you’d have to be careful to make sure that the pass covers the areas you want to visit, as for example the Salzburg Superski card covers the Skiwelt and Kitz plus the Zillertal Arena out of Zell am Ziller, but it does not cover Mayrhofen or Hintertux
Either area would be OK, with Pass Thurn at the far end of Kitzbühel offering lots of off piste and some of the area around Hohe Salve above Soll being worth investigating plus some scattered other bits, but the Zillertal as a whole offers more. If you were restricted to the Zell-Gerlos-Konigsleiten sector, that’s fairly limited
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Sun 3-01-21 20:44; edited 1 time in total
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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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A longer stay in jan is not so much an issue. However, Zillertal has advantage of much greater height in places as by march much of skiwelt and kitzbuhel can get very slushy
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Westendorf is one of my favourite places for piste skiing and really ideal for family trips, but for your longer stay I think (from what friends say, I've still never skied there!) Zillertal will be much more up your street with more/bigger freeride terrain.
That equation might change a bit if you include Kitzbühel in the SkiWelt zone too, but Zillertal (Hochfügen especially) is considered one of Tirol's freeride hotspots.
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Hit up the doc for full skinny on the Hof.
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@ousekjarr, @countryman, @clarky999, Thanks guys. From my single day in Zillertal last January I thought it loooked like there was lots of scope. I'll investigate further.
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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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The Zillertall ... Amen
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SkiWelt is a good family friendly area but no "serious" off piste (in good conditions there is a fair amount of skiing amongst the trees but good conditions are not that common) cant think that it would be a good spot for touring. Kitzbühel certainly is better from an off piste perspective but the Zillertal is far better. The Zillertal has decent touring options too. It is an easy drive from Westendorf to the Zillertal, assuming avoiding busy transfer days around 45 mins from Westendorf to the Zillertal Autobahn exit. If you are mainly interested in skiing the Zillertal stay in the upper reaches near Mayrhofen or Zell if you think you might want to travel further afield then Fugen or Kaltenbach would be better.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Salzburger Superski season pass and a car and you're set! Probably base yourself further East after your Westendorf Week because most of the Superski areas are that way. As @Ousekjarr said, Pass Thurn is reasonably high and the snow is often better there than other areas; plus it is always completely deserted! Plenty of other areas to spend a day to a week at, including Ski Circus, Gasteins, Hochkonig, Wagrain etc. Fieberbrunn is a freeride mecca and you can spend a nice day pottering around in the cowsheds down the itineries over there... I know I did! Massive potential.
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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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Lots of good advice. Thanks everyone.
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You know it makes sense.
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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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@Tom Doc, sure, it’s only 40min or so 
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Poster: A snowHead
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so the multi area season pass is the way to go but unfortunelty the two valleys you have chosen are on different passes and the only cross over would be zell am ziller so you miss out on Kaltenbach / Fugen / Hochfugen / Mayrhofen / Tux / Hintertux etc etc.
I did a long stay in mayrhofen last year i did 4 weeks in mayrhofen in Jan and then came back in March with my wife for a split trip with zillertal and saalbach, i just had to suck up the extra lift pass cost because we wanted to see and ski saalbach.
Have you considered somwhere like st Johann or Kirchberg?....you can ski to westerndorf from Kirchberg / Kitzbhuel using the Ki-west Gondola and there is also direct bus from St Johann to Fieberunn which then now links to Hinterglemm / Saalbach. St Johann is only a 5 min train ride from the Hannenkham Gondola and it has its own hill on the Kitzbhulerhorn which is super quiet and is great on powder days or for touring.
Also St Johann is a proper town (its the local "big town") so has main train station, hospital, lots of life.
Kircherg is a bit smaller but links well to both Ski-welt and Kitz areas
Plus if you are in that area in Jan 2022 you can go to the Kitz ski races!.........we have bee lucky enough to go twice and it is a MUST for ski fans
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FAQ
Best listen to the others 