 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello everyone!
I'm entirely new to skiing and will be bringing my 2 teenagers with me to Kaprun in the 1st week of Dec for our first ever ski experience.
Can I ask: do you think Kaprun will be a good idea for 1st week in Dec and anyone can suggest a good ski instructor/school to go with, since we have absolutely zero experience and I can see us forming giant snowballs rolling off the mountain if we tried it on our own?
Actually, we have neither mountains nor snow in my country so this will really be a first experience for us!
Thanks very much!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Welcome to SnowHeads..
I cannot answer your question directly, but a similar question was asked a few days ago.
Have a look at this thread - https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=161198
It is about Kaprun or Zell am See, and might answer some of your questions..
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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 love Kaprun, but I’d strongly advise replanning. Unless you are incredibly fortunate it is likely, based on recent years’ experience, that there will be little or no snow on the nursery slope in the village or in the neighbouring resort of Zell, in early December. All of the open slopes are likely to be on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier outside of the village at a height of 2,000 metres and above. It’s not a good mountain for beginning on, as there are few beginner slopes, the weather can be brutal and lift access to the nursery slopes on the glacier is awkward. On a bluebird day, the skiing can be brilliant there and the snow tends to be very good, but you’d be taking a big gamble.
There are much safer resort options for you.
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| Austrian Seagull wrote: |
I love Kaprun, but I’d strongly advise replanning. Unless you are incredibly fortunate it is likely, based on recent years’ experience, that there will be little or no snow on the nursery slope in the village or in the neighbouring resort of Zell, in early December. All of the open slopes are likely to be on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier outside of the village at a height of 2,000 metres and above. It’s not a good mountain for beginning on, as there are few beginner slopes, the weather can be brutal and lift access to the nursery slopes on the glacier is awkward. On a bluebird day, the skiing can be brilliant there and the snow tends to be very good, but you’d be taking a big gamble.
There are much safer resort options for you. |
Agree with everything above…Kaprun is great from Jan onwards if the snow gods have been kind but if you’re going first week of Dec then I’d go high to somewhere like Obergurgl/Hochgurgl or maybe Les Arcs, Courchevel so you stand a fighting chance of some snow so early on.
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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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Kaprun is OK up to mid Nov but very very cold in the middle of winter. It is a bleak and exposed glacier. I have not been in later winter only November and December - not a place to stand around and be taught, just ski like a demon to keep warm in early December and hope the sun is out
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@fear_of_falling, I assume there is a good reason for wanting a ski holiday in the first week of December? Few resorts will be open and the chances of decent snow is low (though it does happen). If you are absolute beginners you dont need a lot of snow (some helps  ) or a big area. However for early season you need to go high, even if not on a glacier the weather can still be difficult & cold. A couple of non glacial areas to consider, Obergurgl and Ischgl. Both open at the end of November and are pretty much guaranteed some snow and are good for beginners. Outside of Austria maybe Cervinia, its the south side of the Matterhorn and linked to Zermatt in Switzerland. The ski link might be beyond complete beginners and it does get closed in bad weather. Cervinia tends to open a bit earlier than Zermatt and has some easier to access nursery slopes. Zermatt is pretty spectacular though. If you prefer France then maybe look at the highest part of the Trois Vallees (known as 3V), Val Thorens. It is reasonably easy to access from Geneva if you are flying in.
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Wow! Thank you everyone for such quick replies!
The reason we're doing an early Dec ski holiday is because we're doing this as part of a Lapland to Austria trip and unfortunately Lapland is booked out in Mid-Dec onwards, so were going the last week of Nov, travelling down Germany before exiting through Vienna back to our home country. Unfortunately I don't have the resources to stay for longer, especially as prices start increasing sharply after Mid Dec, so 1st week Dec it has to be for us.
Initially chose Kaprun because was recommended Zell by several friends who ski regularly, in fact booked into Munich already as part of the leg just before the ski portion, so any change in ski resort unfortunately has to be within striking distance of Munich then the eventual transfer to Vienna. Also looked at Solden but Kaprun seemed easier to get to (especially with 2 teens in tow). Would Solden be an option as well? I still have an uncancelled booking for an apartment there, just to keep options open
Coutryman: Since you do ski there at that time, would the higher beginner slopes at least have snow, or only the advanced slopes?
Thanks again everyone for your help!
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@fear_of_falling, Sölden does have a couple of glaciers and is linked to Obergurgl by shuttle bus. Personally I would suggest it is a better option than Kaprun though better to stay in Obergurgl itself to save the potential faff of getting the bus there & back. The reason prices go up from mid December is simply because there is a greater likelihood of snow! Sölden/Ötztal is a fair distance from Munich, getting to Vienna on the return is straight forward direct trains from the station at the lower end of the valley.
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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 glacier will have snow. I didnt learn to ski there, but did two improvers courses. There are some gentler slopes higher up but the run down to the alpincenter, where the funicular arrives and the cable car from Kaprun, is red and can be awkward and hard pack - not great for early learners but you can download. Of course, the blues higher up are even higher and colder.
Of course, other runs in other parts of the Kaprun or Zell resort may be open if snow conditions allow
I think others with experience of other resorts are probably making some good suggestions. Kaprun is not necessarily a place I would rush back to especially after finding it very cold and bleak in December.
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Welcome to Snowheads,
Just checked and Saalbach is planning to open on 2 December with all connecting lifts (to Hinterglemm etc) operating from the 8th ... I think this is a great option BUT the usual caveat is whether there will be enough snow on the ground at that time of year.
I believe some resorts in the Zillertal also open in the first week of December so this may be an option. Unfortunately, I have never boarded in that part of Austria so I can't offer any specific advice. But perhaps it is an option to also look at.
I concur with what others have said about Kaprun - I wouldn't want to rely on just the glacier as a beginner at that time of year.
Not sure how long you're planning to ski for ... Ischgl and Obergurgl are also very good options but are a good 3.5 hours from Munich Airport.
If I were you I'd spend quite a bit of time researching all the resorts mentioned here, opening times, transfer complexity etc before you make a decision.
Good luck.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Obertauern has a target opening date of November 25 this year.
I think in most years it opens around the end of November.
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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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Thanks again everyone for your thoughts!
I've definitely a lot of reading up to do before confirming and *gulp* time is running out!
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