 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi - booked flights to Vienna for 3 days skiing next week. Me and the wife, both intermediate skiers (reds fine, less black, on piste). Night life not so important, cute/romantic town a plus but not a must. Prefer not the most expensive resorts. Guessing weather forecast similar for all resorts in that area. Renting a car. Flachau / Amade area seems abit closer approx 3.5 hours, but seems need to drive between ski areas, which isnt ideal for us. Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Zell Am See and Kitzbuhl came up in my search and look approx 4.5 hours from Vienna. I'm leaning to Saalbach (not sure why, maybe i liked their website lol). Any tips, thoughts appreciated! TIA
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Only Caligula would consider Saalbach 'romantic'
As you've got the car Ski Amade seems the best option
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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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All completely viable and sensible options. Check weather and book the one with the best forecast at the very last minute.
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Schladming (rohrmoos for village feel) is closer w large intermediate area
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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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@honky2, drive to Flachau (for skiing not romance), plenty for 3 days without using the car - lift linked to Wagrain/Alpendorf and Flachauwinkl/Zauchensee. It will be busy next week though as the mens Night Slalom ski race is on 9th - maybe you'll miss that though. Or Schladming, 4 hills all connected by lift, again enough for 3 days
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| honky2 wrote: |
| Hi - booked flights to Vienna for 3 days skiing next week. Me and the wife, both intermediate skiers (reds fine, less black, on piste). Night life not so important, cute/romantic town a plus but not a must. Prefer not the most expensive resorts. Guessing weather forecast similar for all resorts in that area. Renting a car. Flachau / Amade area seems abit closer approx 3.5 hours, but seems need to drive between ski areas, which isnt ideal for us. Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Zell Am See and Kitzbuhl came up in my search and look approx 4.5 hours from Vienna. I'm leaning to Saalbach (not sure why, maybe i liked their website lol). Any tips, thoughts appreciated! TIA |
I'd say Zell is more romantic than Saalbach - I mean the lake, just lovely. And a very nice town to go with it (was there last week)
Zell you can ski Saalbach obviously - was at the top of Saalbach/Leogang divide by 10am last week after getting on 8:30 City Express (quicker if you use the Schmittenhohebahn or Trass Express). Zell area itself pretty small - it's best runs are the least used because they are reds (over on the Sonnkogel). Was plenty of snow when we left, though 168 (the link run back from Saalbach) may not survive until next week, requiring a short bus ride both ways (10 mins, runs every 10 mins) to complete the link
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@honky2, Flachau or Wagrain must be the better option. Schladming is great too, but not what I'd call "romantic". Conditions are super at the moment and loads of huge reds to play on. I always find Schladming's 4 hills a bit too similar.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Thanks so much everyone! Really useful info.
Forget romantic. It's not a big factor. I'm not romantic at home so don't see why need it on ski holiday lol.
But yeah Flachau / Schmalding seems to get the most support. Guess there's not much in it in terms of ski area quality, so would probably go with closest option rather than Saallbach/Zell.
Will just double check to see no major difference in expected weather.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@primoz, both Saalbach and Kitzbuhel felt
overly busy and chaotic last week. Loads of 'whooping' Dutch at each, skiing too fast for their competence levels, barely hanging on, or indeed crashing out. Rescue helicopters and skidoos seemed to be constantly on the go.
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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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@moffatross, for Kitz I can't really say that, as like I wrote, I'm there only during WC week, which is second half of January, when ski resorts are not all that busy, so it's probably that (February is for sure completely different thing). It's not empty at that time, but not super full either. I have been in Saalbach much more often, and at different times, and it was full every single time I was there. Not really full like you need to queue on lifts, but I like skiing with GS or SG skis, and for that you need relatively empty slope. And that's what I never got in Saalbach.
And yes I agree, both resorts are full of Brits and Dutch people, which is by default huge minus point for me. I know this is mainly British forum, so no offense guys, but British and Dutch "skiers", are last thing I want to see on hill. Way to loud, way to smart and way to fast for your skiing knowledge. 
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| primoz wrote: |
And yes I agree, both resorts are full of Brits and Dutch people, which is by default huge minus point for me. I know this is mainly British forum, so no offense guys, but British and Dutch "skiers", are last thing I want to see on hill. Way to loud, way to smart and way to fast for your skiing knowledge. |
Haha, yep. Not sure who's individually more dangerous, Dutch or Brit, but Dutch seem to outnumber Brits, so in numbers they're more dangerous. And call me an old curmudgeon, but every time I hear a whoop on the piste, I attempt to take cover for my own protection !
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You know it makes sense.
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| moffatross wrote: |
@primoz, both Saalbach and Kitzbuhel felt
overly busy and chaotic last week. Loads of 'whooping' Dutch at each, skiing too fast for their competence levels, barely hanging on, or indeed crashing out. Rescue helicopters and skidoos seemed to be constantly on the go. |
Seen Saalbach busier than it was last week - seemed OK to me, next to no lift queues and the pistes though pretty busy were less busy than Zell. I only skied the Leogang "quarter" after coming over from Zell. Zell did seem to have the better behaved skiers though.
Yes, last week was a Dutch invasion - the only ones not wearing masks in my hotel - 6 Dutch youths.
(Yes it's still around... my OH has had SIX app notifications for close contacts on the BA flight home from Innsbruck on Sunday - and we were in the very front row. But we are testing negative - if we aren't going to get it now we never will get this variant)
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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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There’s a few sweeping generalisations popping up here. But thought I’d just mention that the last couple of weeks have been relatively busy here in Saalbach (I even saw a minor lift queue yesterday).
A couple of weeks ago it was “Dutch week”, hence the mention of lots of cloggies on the slopes.
And currently it’s Fasching week, which is always busy - possibly even more so than New Year.
From past experience I expect it to suddenly get noticeably quieter from next Sunday, and even quieter after 12th March.
We’ll see, but certainly mid-March has been a very good time to visit in the few years preceding the pandemic.
As I’m here all season I see the fluctuations in numbers, and to me it feels “busy” if there are half a dozen other people on a piste, or a few other people in front of me when I approach a lift.
And I’m no Rudolf Valentino, but watching the sun go down over Hinterglemm from one of the restaurant terraces high up on the Kohlmais, before skiing down a perfectly groomed, empty piste is, for me at least, as romantic as it gets!
Last edited by Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name: on Thu 3-03-22 9:50; edited 2 times in total
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Poster: A snowHead
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@moffatross, if you were a week later I could offer a better opinion. Already been to Hinterglemm this year and off to Flachau on Saturday and didn't know whether the opportunity to watch the men's slalom might actually be a draw for Flachau on Wednesday rather than an obstacle. I do have to agree with @primoz though, that both of my visits to Saalbach I have found the slopes much busier, choppier and chaotic than I expected in advance
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| tatmanstours wrote: |
There’s a few sweeping generalisations popping up here. But thought I’d just mention that the last couple of weeks have been relatively busy here in Saalbach (I even saw a minor lift queue yesterday).
A couple of weeks ago it was “Dutch week”, hence the mention of lots of cloggies on the slopes.
And currently it’s Fasching week, which is always busy - possibly even more so than New Year.
From past experience I expect it to suddenly get noticeably quieter from next Sunday, and even quieter after 12th March.
We’ll see, but certainly mid-March has been a very good time to visit in the few years preceding the pandemic. |
Funny things queues.. you see a longish queue and go "oh s***" - but if you time them, they are virtually never over 5 minutes. Not with all those 6person and 8 person fast chairs in Saalbach - best lift system in the Alps IMHO
Yes there were a few 2 min queues in Saalbach last week, and yes the slopes were a little choppy, but that was in main down to ~5cm of snow falling almost every night; great first thing, but the snow has to go somewhere if it hasn't been bashed down.
"Choppy" is the last 50m of Blue 5 in ZamS...
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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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| Quote: |
Funny things queues.. you see a longish queue and go "oh s***" - but if you time them, they are virtually never over 5 minutes. Not with all those 6person and 8 person fast chairs in Saalbach - best lift system in the Alps IMHO
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Queues are a peak week, high season phenomenon in Saalbach, in my experience. Generally it’s renowned for its queuelessness.
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yes the slopes were a little choppy, but that was in main down to ~5cm of snow falling almost every night;
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Good point. Yes, in general the “choppiness” of the pistes is related not only to the number of people using them, but whether it’s snowed the night before. If it has, you can expect the soft snow to have become choppy and mogully by late morning.
Currently the air temperatures are quite cold and the weather sunny, so, even though it’s been busy with Fasching week, the pistes have been hard-packed and fairly flat.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Am in Kaprun this week, have spent two days skiing in Saalbach so far with another one tomorrow.
I quite liked it here and the skiing was ok. I wouldn’t mind coming again, but neither would I rush back. The skiing is very samey, and none of the pisted skiing is in any way challenging to a competent intermediate or above.
Prices are reasonable, for ok food. There’s nothing to write home about.
All in all, if I found a bargain holiday to come here, I would, but otherwise I’d look elsewhere for better skiing and on mountain atmosphere.
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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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Interesting. Where do you normally go/like? What level are you? Do you prefer Kaprun or Saalbach?
You are right that a lot of areas in Austria have similar terrain though.
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| Quote: |
none of the pisted skiing is in any way challenging to a competent intermediate or above.
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You’re missing the point - “lässig” is the word! Go to St Anton if you want to be challenged on piste to such a degree.
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That’s why we’re back in St Anton next year
Some odd statements on this thread that I disagree with! Austria does have pretty villages, lots of them. Saalbach was much prettier than I thought. And there are plenty of cute huts on every mountain in Austria. So yes, you get the romantic factor.
The standard of skiing in Saalbach was actually higher than I’ve seen anywhere else in recent years. Despite it being full of Dutch and Brits.
And the best runs in Zell are the long black ones. They’re red really but marked black.
Oh and Flachau does have fun skiing for your level, especially if you go over to Zauchensee too.
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| Klamm Franzer wrote: |
Interesting. Where do you normally go/like? What level are you? Do you prefer Kaprun or Saalbach?
You are right that a lot of areas in Austria have similar terrain though. |
I use reds to get to blacks, and enjoy off piste.
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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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| tatmanstours wrote: |
| Quote: |
none of the pisted skiing is in any way challenging to a competent intermediate or above.
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You’re missing the point - “lässig” is the word! Go to St Anton if you want to be challenged on piste to such a degree. |
I’m not. Why mark a piste as black, when at best it’s red, and in many cases actually blue?
I get how intermediate skiers would love Saalbach, as you can be basically competent and ski the whole resort. But if the resort map was written correctly it would be a sea of green and blue, with barely a red or black on it.
Sorry, but I’m underwhelmed. I had fun, but I wouldn’t rush back here.
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@tatmanstours, 'A couple of weeks ago it was “Dutch week”, hence the mention of lots of cloggies on the slopes.'
Is there another 'Dutch Week' coming up in Saalbach 19-26 March? Google says so. I'm going to Saalbach 17th to 23rd and am hoping it won't be really busy.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@oldschool72, there may well be. But I’ve never noticed that it’s caused problems in the past - except some loud noise/music in the Schiliftstrasse area.
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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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But if the resort map was written correctly it would be a sea of green and blue, with barely a red or black on it.
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There are no green runs in Saalbach, or as far as I know in Austria.
It’s my long-term goal to never become such a good skier that I run out of challenge in the 270km Ski Circus. So far I’m on course to achieve that goal. Lässig is the way to go!
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I think that’s a bit harsh @Kramer but I get where you’re coming from. Which Austrian resorts have you been to that you liked? I’ll add them to my list of places to go.
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You know it makes sense.
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Jimmy Petterson on Saalbach:
https://www.inthesnow.com/10-mins-with-jimmy-petterson/
Jimmy holds the world record for the number of countries/resorts skied, and Saalbach is his favourite. In fact he’s here at the moment.
As for the proportion/challenge of red and black pistes in the area, isn’t it a bit like discussing curries? Some are hot and spicy; other are mild and fruity. Personal taste.
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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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Poster: A snowHead
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| Tiefschneetaucher wrote: |
| I think that’s a bit harsh @Kramer but I get where you’re coming from. Which Austrian resorts have you been to that you liked? I’ll add them to my list of places to go. |
The Arlberg.
It’s not that I disliked Saalbach, I just found the skiing quite samey, with little difference between runs. For someone who’s a week two or three skier, I’d really recommend it, as you can really feel like you’re travelling around, without running into anything difficult.
But for me, there was very little that was particularly memorable.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Kramer, watch the above video!
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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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@honky2, currently staying and skiing in Flachau and went to Saalbach/Hinterglemm in Jan. If its not too late, Flachau or the surrounding area no question
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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As I anticipated, with the end of high season (and especially Fasching time last week), the slopes here in Saalbach have gone remarkably quiet. That, coupled with the current sunny weather and cold temperatures, is making for some very enjoyable long distance cruising on good, firm, hard-packed pistes. At risk of stating the obvious, it all depends on the week and the weather.
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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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You’ll have long since made your decision, but Flachau was heaving today. Mainly with people who’s ambition was MUCH greater than their ability…
On at least 3 occasions in one run I was nearly taken out from behind while doing beautifully predictable 3m corridor turns down extreme skiers’ left! (As in if you went more left than me, you’d hit the “kerb”).
We bailed and went back to Flachauwinkel.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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@KNoceros, yep. I was nearly taken out by a boarder who couldn't hold his edge above me. Went to Wagrain after that.
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@holidayloverxx, I am assuming there are a lot of people around for the race tomorrow.
I’d love to go, but am not ready for THAT many people yet (or maybe, ever: serious introvert….)
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@KNoceros, I think so. Its was busy on Sat but quieter Sunday
Just off to the charity race
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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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I was talking to a group of seven friends from Yorkshire today. They had booked the Hotel Kristiana in Saalbach with Crystal. The day before (Friday) they were told that they had been swapped to a hotel in Zell am See. They were gutted. But they managed to be compensated - free lift passes plus £200 per head.
They’ve been getting taxis over to Saalbach every day. Said that they covered every piste in Zell in half a day.
Incidentally the piste skiing currently is perfect - quiet and pistes in great condition, thanks to the cold air temperatures. Didn’t want to stop today!
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Well, that’s a good reason to not use tour operators. I’d be pretty miffed if someone moved me to a different resort!
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