Ski Club 2.0 Home
Snow Reports
FAQFAQ

Mail for help.Help!!

Log in to snowHeads to make it MUCH better! Registration's totally free, of course, and makes snowHeads easier to use and to understand, gives better searching, filtering etc. as well as access to 'members only' forums, discounts and deals that U don't even know exist as a 'guest' user. (btw. 50,000+ snowHeads already know all this, making snowHeads the biggest, most active community of snow-heads in the UK, so you'll be in good company)..... When you register, you get our free weekly(-ish) snow report by email. It's rather good and not made up by tourist offices (or people that love the tourist office and want to marry it either)... We don't share your email address with anyone and we never send out any of those cheesy 'message from our partners' emails either. Anyway, snowHeads really is MUCH better when you're logged in - not least because you get to post your own messages complaining about things that annoy you like perhaps this banner which, incidentally, disappears when you log in :-)
Username:-
 Password:
Remember me:
👁 durr, I forgot...
Or: Register
(to be a proper snow-head, all official-like!)

Sölden - What's Open in May?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
We're off to Austria from 2-9 May 2022 for a final fling with our Tirol Snow Cards.

I had thought we'd just be skiing glaciers, which would be fine, but I've just seen that Söelden website says its skiing is open until 8 May.

Can anyone advise on what slopes (if any) other than the Rettenbach and Tiefenbach glaciers are likely to be open at that time?

Cheers.
latest report
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I usually ride Sölden at the end of season, although this year I'm not yet sure. I've been there off and on for maybe 15 years, only once been able to ride down to the mid station in early May, although that was surprisingly good. Usually you are absolutely restricted to the two glaciers with their two related bases. You will either drive up there, or there's a shuttle bus from the village, but only that one time could I ride up on the lifts.

So, get your lift pass in the village and drive up; it's a toll road but your lift pass gets you up for free. Or catch the bus. Park at either base, but most people park at the first (where the buses also stop) as it's easiest and you can easily/ always get to the other base.

Most people will ride the main steepish direct slope on the Rettenbach. The top bit's usually in excellent condition and the bottom bit is surprisingly steep for a glacier. The lift's fairly quick, with a mid station if you just want to session the bottom. You can cut across to skier's right from there, and then session the "fridge", which keeps in condition longer than the main slope for obvious reasons. That's a fast slope with a few small bumps at the top. You can ride it down to the base but it's just a cat track back skiers left, so most people will session the T-bar there. In between, well some people ride off piste there, but if there's fresh snow then there's no need, and if there isn't it'll be tracked and probably not in great condition.

If you drive to the Tiefenbach base or go through the tunnel, you get to a very large open area with wide flattish pistes. That's usually in condition some part of the day, and some bits have a few minor lumps in them which are fun. There's a view point at the top. From the base there's a drag which gets you further out skiers right, or a heated big chair lift back to the fridge.

Food wise the two bases are cafeteria fayre; nothing I'd eat as I'm picky. The Rettenbach base has a cafe on the 1st floor (English) with a slightly stroppy proprietor and that does decent espresso and cakes, if you get there early enough. If you're lucky they'll have some events on at the base there also. It's common to have demo tents for skis and boards, plus if there's an end of season party you can watch people in lederhosen dance to has-been rock bands.

--
The resort is a bit weird late season also, with most restaurants and some of the hotels closed.

---
Quote:
Can anyone advise on what slopes (if any) other than the Rettenbach and Tiefenbach glaciers are likely to be open at that time?
Yeah, none of them. Nada.
The one exception I noted above you could ride the Giggijoch lift from the village, and ride the slopes under the top section of that lift (2662m down to 2284m, and also the connecting lifts to the Rettenbach base, and the slopes under those. That was a great end of season. I think we actually had a couple of days of fresh snow then too, so 15-20cm of fresh in early may.

=> you will, most likely, be "just skiing glaciers". But Sölden glaciers are good.

As I'm bored I'll go see if I can find a picture or two.
snow report
 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?
These from May 2018.

Looking down the Rettenbach main slope towards the base - this is the "black" slope.


Same view, slightly different angle. You can see there's not much snow below the glacier base.
You can see the cat track from "the fridge" coming in on the right lower down.
This is the bottom section of the slope; the top is mellower but often has small friendly features on it.


The Tiefenbach end of the tunnel, which comes in part way down the slopes.
There's a cat track way in, or you can hit steeper a more amusing section off that with friendly bumps etc.


At the Rettenbach base, they usually have some demo tents and stuff to look at.
ski holidays
 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Thanks philwig - much obliged. Great pics too.

We were at Sölden in January, so I do know the area. The glaciers would do us nicely - but I'm wondering if the toll road will be covered by our Tirol Snow Cards. I have the same query re. the toll road to the Kaunertal Glacier. Think I'll email both areas to ask the question.
ski holidays
 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
mountainaddict wrote:
Thanks philwig - much obliged. Great pics too.

We were at Sölden in January, so I do know the area. The glaciers would do us nicely - but I'm wondering if the toll road will be covered by our Tirol Snow Cards. I have the same query re. the toll road to the Kaunertal Glacier. Think I'll email both areas to ask the question.


We bought our first Tirol Snowcards at the toll booths at Kaunertal in 2014 and didn't have to pay any extra to drive to the glacier.
latest report
 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Quote:
We bought our first Tirol Snowcards at the toll booths at Kaunertal in 2014 and didn't have to pay any extra to drive to the glacier.
Thanks.

I had emailed Kaunertal but not Sölden yet. Kaunertal have responded swiftly, as follows:

Quote:
Of course, the Snow Card Tirol also includes the road until the end of the validity of the Snow Card Tirol!
snow conditions
 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I'm going to be getting a Tirol Snow Card 22/23 season. Man it's such value. Sölden is a resort I'll be visiting 2nd week in April. I'm guessing most of it will be open then.
you ski much off piste @mountainaddict when you were there earlier in the season
snow report
 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Quote:
You ski much off piste @mountainaddict when you were there earlier in the season
Unfortunately not - our three days at Sölden were all on piste.

We can't recommend the Snow Card highly enough - it's been fantastic Very Happy After our final trip in May, we'll have done 42 days at about 25 different ski areas - so just under €21 a day. Not bad when places like Ischgl are €59 a day. Of the areas we've skied so far, the off the UK radar area of Hochzillertal takes the biscuit at €61 Shocked for a day ticket.

We also did six days of ski touring, so feel a bit like we've lived in Austria this winter Laughing It's been an absolutely brilliant winter after the covid nightmare of winter 20-21. Of our 35 days so far, we've had 31 sunny days, 4 snowy days and 5 proper powder days. And on our ski tour in March, we had six days of sun and skied fresh tracks most days. Overall, we've been very lucky with the weather and snow. Hoping that continues on our May trip wink
snow report
 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.
[quote="mountainaddict"]
Quote:
Of our 35 days so far, we've had 31 sunny days, 4 snowy days and 5 proper powder days.


Not a bad return, with 14% powder days Very Happy .

That's a bit better than our 3.5% powder return (2 days) from our 58 days (so far) in the 3 Valleys (47 days), Slovakia (6) and Zermatt (5) rolling eyes . Although we have had a great season it does feel like we've done nothing but ski in the sun in a powderless winter. I'm certainly not complaining, however, as I appreciate that it's a nice problem to have. wink
latest report
 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@mountainaddict, we skied Hochzillertal one day this season. I'm going back next, Theres scope there for fun.
On the Tyrol card next season we'll be doing Xmas and new year Kitzbuhel area, A week in Jan doing the Paznauntal valley. Hochzillertal Feb half term. Mayrhofen 1st week of April sölden 2nd week of April.
I'm unsure how many ski stations we'll pull in but either way what value against what France has to offer
ski holidays
 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
mountainaddict wrote:
We're off to Austria from 2-9 May 2022 for a final fling with our Tirol Snow Cards.

I had thought we'd just be skiing glaciers, which would be fine, but I've just seen that Söelden website says its skiing is open until 8 May.

Can anyone advise on what slopes (if any) other than the Rettenbach and Tiefenbach glaciers are likely to be open at that time?

Cheers.


I'll have an update for you Sat, I'm flying into Innsbruck tomorrow and over in Solden for the weekend!
snow report
 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.
Mother hucker wrote:
@mountainaddict, we skied Hochzillertal one day this season. I'm going back next, Theres scope there for fun.
On the Tyrol card next season we'll be doing Xmas and new year Kitzbuhel area, A week in Jan doing the Paznauntal valley. Hochzillertal Feb half term. Mayrhofen 1st week of April sölden 2nd week of April.
I'm unsure how many ski stations we'll pull in but either way what value against what France has to offer


I still think our 3 Valleys season pass is great value, at circa €1300 pp - especially as that includes 6 days for free in the USA (in Vail resorts), on their own worth over £500 pp Very Happy . (We have now been 3 times to use our freebies Very Happy ).Our 60 days this winter (in France only) will work out at about €22 per day, which is cheaper than an hour at Xscape wink .

It also includes free skiing in Japan, Chile and Australia - though we we haven't taken advantage of that yet.
latest report
 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
@Bergmeister, I dont know why the 3V's values itself above the other heavy weights in the Alps in terms of lift pass prices. No early or repeat discount. I wouldn't say its any better ski area than EK/4Vs/Arlberg. You personally do well out if it with the US add on but I'm guessing not many do that.
latest report
 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Mother hucker wrote:
@Bergmeister, I dont know why the 3V's values itself above the other heavy weights in the Alps in terms of lift pass prices. No early or repeat discount.


Sadly, I think it's simply because they can rolling eyes .

It's frustrating but we have learned to live with it.
snow conditions
 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Bergmeister, Does being a born and bred local gain any discount?
snow conditions
 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Mother hucker wrote:
@Bergmeister, Does being a born and bred local gain any discount?


I think it may be cheaper if you live there and are registered for tax purposes, though I'm not sure. Puzzled
ski holidays
 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Update re Sölden: Tourist office has confirmed that the toll road is included on the Snow Card Tirol; and that the glaciers are open until 8.5.22.
snow report



Terms and conditions  Privacy Policy