 Poster: A snowHead
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We're looking into the possibility of going to Kitzbuhel next Jan. The hotel I've got my eye on is within a couple of minutes walk to the Streifalm lift. I've located it on a map of the town & the Streifalm lift doesn't seem all that convenient to accessing most of the piste area. Does anyone know how easy it is to get over to the Hahnenkamm (sp?) lift without taking a ski bus? I can see there's some little drag lifts between these two lifts presumably on the nursery slopes - can you use these to get over? And how efficient is the ski bus system?
Plus any other info on Kitzbuhel would be great! 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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cathy, are you referring to the lift up to the Kitzbuhel Horn area? I only went there once and from what I remember the bus ride took 5 - 10 minutes.
If you want accomodation closer to the Hahnenkamm then I recommend the Hotel Haselsberger which is very close by! The Inghams brochure is the only one (from what I've seen) that has it.
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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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cathy, I'm not sure about this but I think that the lifts on the Hahnenkamm side are 'inter-skiable' - like you say it isn't obvious from the piste map... I've only been there once. There are a number of people around who've stayed in Kitzbuhel and I'm sure they can give you a definitive answer.
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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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It is perfectly starightforward to ski from the top of the Streifalm chair to the bottom of the Hahnenkammbahn without using the drag (the piste from the Strifalmbahn joins one of the main ways down from the mountain to the bottom of the HKB). Alternatively, you can walk; it's not far from the bottom of the Streifalm chair to the bottom of the Hahnenkammbahn; you can leave your skis in the hire shop at the bottom of the HKB (whether or not you hire from there) and there are lockers for leaving your walking shoes in, which is what we do (you could leave your ski boots there o/n but they'd be a bit chilly, and if you get a big locker, you can leave your skis in it). If you're staying only 2 mins from the Streifalmbahn, skiing over is the best way.
The ski bus service is crap, even between the HKB and the Kitzbuhler Horn; don't rely on it if you don't have to (take a cab to the KH if you want to go there).
Kitzbuhel is a great place. The only downside for me are the lack of challenging pistes and the crap bus service, although there's rarely any need to use it. There are loads of cozy pubs and restaurants on the mountain and in the town, which is very attractive (in the centre) and had a proper existence long before skiing came along. It helps if you like eating pig and dumplings, but there are other restaurants around.
You can now access Westendorf via a new gondola, but it requires a short bus ride and an extension to your lift pass. W'dorf is a pleasant spot for a gentle day's skiing. The highest and quietest sking is at the end of the valley at Jochberg/Pass Thurn, much of which is above the tree line. Elsewhere, the skiing is very pretty. The lift system seems pretty good, mainly chairs; it's easy to avoid T bars if you want to. The 3S bahn is an impresive bit of kit; I believe that one of the cars has a transparent floor, but I haven't found it. It gives access to some good, straightforward skiing, which is often quieter than the HK.
In the town, there's a decent swimming pool with flumes and the opportunity to bathe in the peaty waters piped from the nearby Schwarzsee (why you'd want to, I've no idea).
We've skied a reasonable amount in Kitzbuhel so if you have any questions, I may know the answer (if not, I'll make up something ).
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Hey thanks Ian & esp richmond, that's really helpful. From reviews I'd read it did appear the ski bus system was pretty appalling, so I reckoned staying close to a lift would be an advantage And reassuring that you can get over to the Hahnenkamm easily, though I guess a 2-seater must be pretty slow, & I'm sure we'll get tired of going up to ski across each time. May well end up walking & using the lockers so thanks for that handy tip.
Just thought to check out the date of the World Cup visit - 26-28 Jan & we would be leaving 27th. Does anyone know how much disruption there would be to normal skiing in the preparation of the slopes? I guess we'd probably be better off going the week before, dep Jan 13, although I was wanting to try and leave it as late as poss for the best chance of snow arriving!
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The Streif, which is the racing piste, aka the Hahnenkamm, aka piste no. 21, which is the Streif without the unpleasant tricky bits, will be shut, which may put the mockers on you being able to ski across to the HKB from the top of the Streifalm chair, although if they have a spark of human decency, they'll keep that link open. The Tourist Office will be able to tell you, I imagine http://www.kitzbuehel.com/english.asp The Streif might also be shut week of 13th Jan; worth checking.
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richmond, what I feared!  Thought it was all going too smoothly - forward to Plan B......
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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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Don't take my info about closure as gospel, but on at least one occasion when I've been there shortly before the race, it's been shut. In general it's no loss (it's a pretty dull road mainly and there are other ways down - the Hahnenkamm Bahn is my fave!), but if it stops you skiing across to the HKB it might be a pain, although you could walk. The bit of the Streif you need for the run across is right at the bottom, and it's quite posible that they keep that bit open for longer than the rest of it, for all I know.
Kitzbuhel is a great place, well worth a visit unless you need difficult blacks.
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| richmond wrote: |
| it's a pretty dull road mainly |
That's what I should have told myself when I lay awake at night in early January, wondering if I'd survive to the end of the month!
By the way, that piste map posted earlier is out of date. Unfortunately, the one on the Kitzbuheler Bergbahnen site is not working. But there is an up-to-date one here:
http://www.worldsnowboardguide.com/resorts/Austria/Kitzbuhel/resort_piste.cfm
showing the new links to Jochberg and the Ski Welt.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| cathy wrote: |
| the date of the World Cup visit - 26-28 Jan & we would be leaving 27th. |
You are very lucky, you'll get to see the training runs and the super G, on the world's most spectacular course. There will be some inconvenience - to get to the HK lift you'll have to ski down to the finish area then walk for 2 mins. And at the end of the day you'll have to come down the Familienabfahrt - run 22 on this map:
http://www.worldsnowboardguide.com/resorts/Austria/Kitzbuhel/resort_piste.cfm
The place will be pretty lively, but the really big crowds will be arriving the day you leave.
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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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| Martin Bell wrote: |
| richmond wrote: |
| it's a pretty dull road mainly |
That's what I should have told myself when I lay awake at night in early January, wondering if I'd survive to the end of the month! |
I should have said that it's pretty dull the way I ski it. Mind you, you might have found it a bit dull if you had bee made to share it with groups of teenage lads, out of control snowboarders and me!
I skied the Hausgebiet (?), the last cut off from the main piste, which I have to say was certainly not dull. It probably took me longer to ski that bit than it took you to ski the whole thing.
cath, it sounds form what [Martin Bell] says that you should still have good access and a few racers on whom to model your style. Sounds perfect. Although I hesitate to question Martin Bell, access to piste 22 may be shut for at least some of your visit, but you can come down on 20 or on the HKB.
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You know it makes sense.
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I have to say when I was doing my season as a rep in Kitzbuehel I found the bus service pretty good! As long as you're on the right direction going round the loop journey times aren't too bad. My experience may have been helped by the fact that as I was looking after large groups you can reserve your own bus (obviously as long as they have lift passes, not that they would ever check) which made them less crowded.
The Streif Rennstrecke isn't the most exciting piste you'll ever ski (was totally unpisted and had turned into what would normally be called moguls if they weren't 6ft high and made of pure ice the times I did it) but you have to if it's open just to say you did it.
Atmosphere during the race is epic. Lucky you, enjoy it!
http://youcanski.com/video/eberharter_dh1.m1v
Is all I have to add. The guys (+girls!) are heroes.
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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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Well, it's been a few years now since I was racing there. In my day, they kept the Familienabfahrt open to the public during the races. I suppose it may be closed now for training or ski-testing or something.
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Poster: A snowHead
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cathy, this is a useful piste map http://www.bergbahn-kitzbuehel.at/pano/winterpano.asp
On piste closure, I would definitely take more notice of B than of me! I was in Kitzbuhel the weekend before the race a few years ago and piste 21, which I think is the only access down to Kitzbuhel on that side of the HKB, was shut at the top for race preparation but it could have been a temporary closure. It's obviously worth checking with the Tourist Office.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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| alecl wrote: |
The Streif Rennstrecke isn't the most exciting piste you'll ever ski (was totally unpisted and had turned into what would normally be called moguls if they weren't 6ft high and made of pure ice the times I did it) but you have to if it's open just to say you did it.
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If you mean the racecourse way down (which is the one to say you have skied) I am extremely surprised to hear you say it isn't the most exciting. What about the Mausefaller (Sp?) for example - quite a buzz if you do anything other than side-slip it.
However, since you call it a piste perhaps you just mean the piste that includes the easy parts of it (but why would you want to boast you had skied that?
Mind you, it is probably 15 years since I was there - I hope the queues to get out of the village in the morning are better than they were then. Having the Jochberg return lift must have improved the area a lot too.
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Yup I did go down the Mausefalle (pronounced as you spelt it), and I'm not saying you have to do it so you can tell all your mates back home, its just you can't go to Kitzbuehel and not do it. The problem was as I said about the conditions - trying to get up any speed at all would just have been suicidal due to the size of the Moguls.
Don't get me wrong, I did have fun skiing it, but found other parts of the mountain more enjoyable.
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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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When I did it was the morning after the race, so one could go moderately fast, but nothing compared to what the racers did, of course. The Val d'Isere course is much gentler so you can afford to go for it. But yes, I agree, it is one to tick off rather than a really enjoyable ski.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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The seriously tricky bits of the course, which are marked as 'extreme itineraries' or something equally hyperbolic, are steep and not (apparently) pisted except for the race, and seem to become fantastically icy, with moguls the size of elephants. The racers, of course, cheat by taking these sections in the air and skiing only the easy bits.
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richmond, 
It's the way they avoid the center of the piste when coming out of the Steilhang by skiing close to the nets that just gets me every time. I mean, what's wrong with these guys...
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What do you mean "close to"? How about "on", more times than I care to remember 
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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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Martin Bell, I took a lovely photo of you in the air through the Mausefalle, must be about 89, drambuie suits, big respect to all to make the compression and turn at the bottom. Scared the whoops out of me just watching! Can not remember who won(Ghedina?) but got some great photos pre digital.
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Well only a few weeks left now before we go - where's the time gone???
Anyone recommend any nice bars/restaurants that should be visited? Or any particular ski route?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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cathy, there's an an excellent Italian restaurant, Il Gusto, in town just down the road from the Londoner pub (the Londoner is exactly as it you'd expect). The nearby Landhausl is very gemutlich, large portions of (well cooked) pig, beef and so on. There's a good cheap place on the main drag, huge portions, can't remember the name (Huberbrau-Stuberl?); it has heavy plastic curtains around the door and doesn't take reservations (which you should make when you can, although things are probably quieter in Jan than at half term). If you want to push the boat out, the restaurant in the Weisses Rossl hotel is excellent. La Fonda is OK, vaguely Mexican although staffed bu Australians (possibly due to confusion between the countries' names) (don't have the curry).
On the mountain, they're mostly much of a muchness. There's a good waiter service place between Maierl II and III (or possibly I and II), possibly called Ochsalm. On the way down to Kirchberg there's a snow bar which is quite jolly in a naff sort of way. There's Bruggeralm by the Talsen piste (no. 61) on the 'other' side of the 3S gondola, which is pleasant.
Lucky you, I wish I was off to Kitzbuhel in a few weeks.
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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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You know it makes sense.
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The pool is still there; you get a discount with the lift pass. It's pretty good. There's ice skating on the Scwarzsee, on the Kirchberg edge of town.
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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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Cathy, 17 of us were at the Nielson Hotel Tirol the last week in jan last year. arrived at kitz lunchtime on the Saturday just in time to see the final 10 racers finishing the Hamekahn downhill. as you can imagine the town was buzzing Sat and Sun with stalls with roasting swine, hot sweets , brattie wagons, schell imbiss , gluwien, shots of schapps with sheeps testicles and of course, bier.Fantastic start to a great weeks skiing, ( apart from a complete white white out on sunday ) .
4 us spent a day out with the the Nielson reps on mon cruising all the reds and blues ending up with the thrill of gliding down the hamekhan race course. Gliding not quite the best way to describe the descent . More like trying to find a bit of snow at the side of the race course. The best way to describe the mountain ready for race day,is weeks before they drill holes the size of a coke bottle every couple of feet and inject blue stuff into the mountain to freeze it then spray water on the ice and the austrian army spend 2 weeks side slipping down the course to get it to its kamikazee slippiest and death inducing best. The last bit of schussing to the finish line was great but skiing that course is at least a tick in the box.
Spent the rest of the week alternatley skiing the 2 halves of the resort, caught the ski bus to Westendorf then skied back and other days skied the horn with the other group members who were quite happy to ski the horn. its great fun skiing back to kitz from the horn though.
If you are after apres ski, get yourself to the Londoner . Last year there were 2 english lads singin great songs for 2 hours, happy hour prices, lovely waitresses  ! and great cocktails. and it does not smell of vomit, its spilt hoppy beer soaking the carpet.
Its a fantastic resort, great skiing, great village, and something for everyone. Even non skiers.
16 of us are going to Ellmau this year at the same time, different resort but still Austria.
Anyway enjoy Kitz.
boo
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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I agree that the Londoner is a great place to spend apres-ski, but why not give Flanagans a try? Not as busy (not quiet, though) and a great team running the place. Beer has improved since it was the Holtzl and you can also meet 'stars' in there (Martin Keown (spelling???) last Feb.) I also understand that Mickey, former owner of The Londoner, has moved to Flanagans, although that is,so far, unconfirmed.
I will be in Kitz between Fe. 17-24 and cant wait. Three years running now and struggle to consider anywhere else in Feb.
Dougie
P.S. Is that the 'real' Martin Bell???? Can I now say that I mingle with stars?????
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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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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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FAQ
At the price we're paying a bit of inconvenience is no probs and should be a great carnival atmosphere - woohoo!! 
. Yes, the atmosphere should be great, really looking forward to it.
well I'll give it a go 
