Decided to make the most of yesterday's powder while it was still cold with a little night ski tour up to Birgitzkopfl with Menno, Arno and Domi; then skiing the (currently closed, presumably all season again) black piste under the old 2 man chair to Axamer Lizum.
Pretty damn difficult to see anything with all the falling snow, let alone judge speed, at least until a bush jumps out at you! Really cool run down though, with maybe 20cms at the top where the wind was blowing then up to around 40cms of fresh in the main part of the run.
Just a quick clip as you can't really see anything worth watching for the most part!
Lots of resorts (and a few roads) were closed today due to avi danger. Nordkette was completely closed (avalanche commission reported 2m of snow in the last 48 hours), Lizum only had the nursery slope drags open, looked like Glungezer was only open 'til the mid station, Stubai closed, one of the Kühtai roads closed, Schlick limited operation and looked pretty busy...
I did manage to squeeze in a few lunchtime laps again though, this time at Seefeld. Lots of snow in the village (50+cms total over the last days), car park absolutely empty, and again 20-40cms of snow on the mountain depending on wind influence.
Sniffed out a few still untracked stashes (there are LOTS of stashes in the trees at Seefeld, but you do need to have an idea where you are going as you can get cliffed out in quite a few places!). It did pay to ski lightly though: there was basically no snow in most of the woods before this storm, and I touched stumps and sticks a couple of times.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Update from the last few days...
The storm finished on Wednesday night, and Thursday dawned bright and sunny.
Nordkette announced around 11am that they'd finished avalanche control and were opening the lifts. I headed up around an hour later in my lunch break. Unfortunately it was - as forecast - already a lot warmer and with the sun coming through and hitting the south facing slopes, the powder was already baked (lower down VERY baked). Still mostly untracked though, and for some reason no-one else was skiing the forest lines... Or maybe everyone who knows the forest lines had already gone elsewhere.
The upper mountain and couloirs obviously stayed closed due to the high avalanche danger (and actually had all already slid during the control work).
I only did one run, but it was still a pretty fun one despite sticking to mellow slopes! There's now enough of a base to ski treelines (not just the 'pistes') all the way to the base.
FWIW, given the ongoing discussions here of how much fat skis make sense in the Alps... These skis are 125mm and despite the cooked snow up top and v heavy/almost concrete snow lower down in the forest, it was tricky buy still fun skiing and you could get a bit of a surfy feel going. It would have ROYALLY sucked getting bogged down on skinny ~100mm skis.... Versatility is about more than just edge grip!
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Friday was even warmer again, with very sketchy avalanche conditions and loud appeals from the Tirol Lawinenwarndienst. In the afternoon after work I skied cruisy pistes at Seefeld with my gf; weather already felt tropical but loads of snow and pistes nice and soft. With longer days lifts now open 'til 4:30 instead of 4pm.
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Saturday we went to the Arlberg, again just cruising pistes. Actually after super busy work weeks for both of us (not helped by me cramming in as much powder as possible too) we were both kinda exhausted and looking forward to a day of just skiing and not thinking, and given the amount of avalanche activity the day before, we left our avi kit at home to avoid temptation.
We kinda-but-not-really regretted that once we got there, as it turned out to be a really classic Arlberg day with perfect blue skies. Still lots of evidence of fresh avalanche activity, but offpiste was also way less tracked out than expected and with way better snow than we anticipated after the temps at Seefeld on Friday. The vast majority of the time we just smashed the pistes, which were in glorious condition: soft and choppy with the windblown fresh snow, and some nice bumps in places. We did ski a couple of mellow ski routes and a little bit of piste-side type stuff that we considered to be totally safe from avalanches, and even there were able to find some untracked turns too.
Skied from St Anton to Stuben and Zürs, bus to Lech and a couple of runs there then skied back to Zürs > Stuben > St Anton. TBH next time I'd just take the bus back as it's quite a faff with lifts from Lech. 1-2 nice quiet pistes but you save a lot of time for more skiing by taking the bus.
But all in all pretty much a perfect piste skiing day, and a reminder of why the Arlberg really is Austria's best ski area!
Good to catch up with horizon and kolkie too!
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Today (Sunday) my body needed a break from skiing so just cruised a slow run instead. Tomorrow should bring another 45cm to Nordkette, according to Bergfex anyway... More #lunchbreaklaps?!
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?
clarky999 wrote:
Tomorrow should bring another 45cm to Nordkette, according to Bergfex anyway... More #lunchbreaklaps?!
Similar thoughts had crossed my mind… but with avi level 4 and storm force winds, what’s the chance they will even open??
Tomorrow should bring another 45cm to Nordkette, according to Bergfex anyway... More #lunchbreaklaps?!
Similar thoughts had crossed my mind… but with avi level 4 and storm force winds, what’s the chance they will even open??
Hard to say, but those northerly-located south-facing (and intensively skied!) faces don't have the same old snow problem as has caused such issues elsewhere (also eg Ausserfern region didn't have any avalanche incidents over the last days, and reports are that the snowpack there is much more stable...). Dunno. Hafelekar won't open, Seegrube might. We'll see...
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
clarky999 wrote:
Update from the last few days...
The storm finished on Wednesday night, and Thursday dawned bright and sunny.
Nordkette announced around 11am that they'd finished avalanche control and were opening the lifts. I headed up around an hour later in my lunch break. Unfortunately it was - as forecast - already a lot warmer and with the sun coming through and hitting the south facing slopes, the powder was already baked (lower down VERY baked). Still mostly untracked though, and for some reason no-one else was skiing the forest lines... Or maybe everyone who knows the forest lines had already gone elsewhere.
The upper mountain and couloirs obviously stayed closed due to the high avalanche danger (and actually had all already slid during the control work).
I only did one run, but it was still a pretty fun one despite sticking to mellow slopes! There's now enough of a base to ski treelines (not just the 'pistes') all the way to the base.
FWIW, given the ongoing discussions here of how much fat skis make sense in the Alps... These skis are 125mm and despite the cooked snow up top and v heavy/almost concrete snow lower down in the forest, it was tricky buy still fun skiing and you could get a bit of a surfy feel going. It would have ROYALLY sucked getting bogged down on skinny ~100mm skis.... Versatility is about more than just edge grip!
----------
Friday was even warmer again, with very sketchy avalanche conditions and loud appeals from the Tirol Lawinenwarndienst. In the afternoon after work I skied cruisy pistes at Seefeld with my gf; weather already felt tropical but loads of snow and pistes nice and soft. With longer days lifts now open 'til 4:30 instead of 4pm.
----------
Saturday we went to the Arlberg, again just cruising pistes. Actually after super busy work weeks for both of us (not helped by me cramming in as much powder as possible too) we were both kinda exhausted and looking forward to a day of just skiing and not thinking, and given the amount of avalanche activity the day before, we left our avi kit at home to avoid temptation.
We kinda-but-not-really regretted that once we got there, as it turned out to be a really classic Arlberg day with perfect blue skies. Still lots of evidence of fresh avalanche activity, but offpiste was also way less tracked out than expected and with way better snow than we anticipated after the temps at Seefeld on Friday. The vast majority of the time we just smashed the pistes, which were in glorious condition: soft and choppy with the windblown fresh snow, and some nice bumps in places. We did ski a couple of mellow ski routes and a little bit of piste-side type stuff that we considered to be totally safe from avalanches, and even there were able to find some untracked turns too.
Skied from St Anton to Stuben and Zürs, bus to Lech and a couple of runs there then skied back to Zürs > Stuben > St Anton. TBH next time I'd just take the bus back as it's quite a faff with lifts from Lech. 1-2 nice quiet pistes but you save a lot of time for more skiing by taking the bus.
But all in all pretty much a perfect piste skiing day, and a reminder of why the Arlberg really is Austria's best ski area!
Good to catch up with horizon and kolkie too!
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Today (Sunday) my body needed a break from skiing so just cruised a slow run instead. Tomorrow should bring another 45cm to Nordkette, according to Bergfex anyway... More #lunchbreaklaps?!
Haha! I've downsized from 194cm 135mm skis (which I think was more surface area than any snowboard on the market haha!) to 185cm and 125mm. And I think my next powder skis will be around 120mm... But I will always want something around ~120mm for fresh snow days!
But seriously, in that sort of heavy, sticky Haxnbrecher-Schnee width and rocker is the only way to go...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
We’re in St Johann in Tirol and anyone coming next week is in luck. About 30cm of snow overnight I think and still snowing gently now, on top of all of last week’s snow. Conditions are awesome and the slopes are deserted!
After all it is free
After all it is free
Patsch skiing good today. Shoulda bunked off @Scarlet.
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.
Dave of the Marmottes wrote:
Patsch skiing good today. Shoulda bunked off @Scarlet.
Shoulda gone to Seefeld (definitely getting more snow)
Unfortunately my window between meetings is too small today too
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@clarky999, Yeah but flight out this evening so proximity counted.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@Dave of the Marmottes, ah fair enough. You had good timing anyway, and safe trip back!
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.
Drove 200km up from Arabba this morning in search of pow. We found it in a little place down the road from Hintertux. Knee+ deep with added face shots. Not blower pow but far from unpleasant.
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
@Sharkymark, are you sticking around?
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
We’re here with a guide (who we dragged kicking and screaming from the Maurienne) until Friday
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Hi, anyone know if it's possible to book lift passes for Kuhtai online, or do you need to be there in person?
TIA
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Arrived Kuhtai Saturday: bashers working hard at keeping the pistes in readonable conditions (it is HOT, even this high up).
Ice and saharan dust still evident, giving the off piste areas the look of overdone meringue.
2 more days of sun then some rain (?) mean it'll not likely get better until Thursday at the earliest... anyone out next week might catch fresher stuff though
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Anyone skiied Soelden recently? Curious as to what the conditions are of the runs down to the village at this time of year.. heading out in 2 weeks!
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?
Quote:
Anyone skiied Soelden recently?
Only a month late in replying - but Sölden was great today on the first day of seven on our Final (Tirol Snow Card) Road Trip Fling
Fairly sunny start but clouded over to flat light and light snow. It looked like powder/fresh snow at the sides of the runs but it was very crusty when I tried it. We didn't ski until about 10.30, so it may have been powdery first thing.
We had winter snow on Rettenbach Glacier; with softer snow on the Tiefenbach Glacier. The place was practically deserted - we had most runs entirely to ourselves, so mustn't grumble
The weather forecast isn't great - but we'll make the most of what we get and see where we end up. We're currently staying in Sölden and may go to Pitztal and/or Kaunertal from here. We will definitely be at Stubai at some point, as we've booked 3 nights digs in Neustift ahead of our drive back to Munich Airport next Monday.
Skied at Kaunertal Glacier today. Smaller and flatter than we remembered from our first trip there years ago but fresh snow was apparent on the looonnng climb up the glacier toll road.
Although it was 5C when we arrived (late am) at the car park at 2800m we did manage some fresh tracks, albeit it in quite heavy snow.
The weather closed in after lunch and it was dumping snow above 2000m when the ski area closed.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
More fresh snow and winter conditions on Sölden glaciers yesterday and Thursday
Thursday saw a sunny start and some fresh tracks at the side of the runs. Yesterday was very cloudy, with fog on the tops and flat light at times. Excellent skiing for the time of year.
We've moved onto Stubaital now. Three days of skiing left (inc next Mon morning before driving back to Munich Airport).
The weather is awful today - rain in the valley, with cloud practically down to Neustift. As the glacier webcams show dense fog and zero visibility up there, we will ski for an hour or two this afternoon after a very leisurely morning in our digs.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
