 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
Back home half an hour ago from a great week in St Johann, Austria (our third visit there in 5 years). Got lucky with the snow - 45cm the morning we arrived then cold all week.
After 2 days (and a hangover) my husband vowed he would never ski again. After a day off and a morning doing a gentle blue at least 12 times, and a good day at Steinplatte he’s agreed to go next year, phew!
Unfortunately from next year we will be tied to school holidays, so new year week looking the best option. Thinking of flying to Munich and self catering somewhere in Austria, so looking for resort recommendations please. Requirements are lots of nice blues for my husband, a decent range of reds for my son & I, and modern lifts! Ideally no more than 1-2 hour transfer (by train or taxi). Imagine we need to go higher that time of year. Night life not required as we will have an 11 year old with us.
Thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I think you'll struggle to find many choices within 1-2 hours of Munich. According to this article, Kitzbuhel is the closest at 1hr30, but it doesn't offer much for your husband. I was going to suggest Zell Am See, which is 1hr30 from Salzburg and 2hr30 from Munich.
https://www.flexiski.com/skiing-advice/skiing-blog/the-6-closest-ski-resorts-to-munich-airport/
However, we found that Munich flight prices were not much cheaper than Salzburg when we went at Christmas just gone. We were hoping to do the same. We ended up flying to Vienna (£440 return for 2 adults and 2 children) and getting the train across (4 hour transfer, but OBB is fantastic and it was easy). New Year flights were significantly more. We went from the 23rd to the 30th December.
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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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Thanks, Salzburg is another option as Jet2 fly from Manchester.
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Salzburg will give you far more options, especially by train.
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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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Blues aren't skiing.
You're pretend, proto-skiers at best.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Ionizingskin wrote: |
Blues aren't skiing.
You're pretend, proto-skiers at best. |
Charming. He’s only skied twice now, did his ACL doing judo 20 years ago and whilst he was getting down the reds by the end of this week, mentally he’s going to need a day of almost flat, wide slopes next year to start him off again. Else he’ll lose all confidence again like this week and I only just convinced him not to hand his skis back after day 2’s lesson.
Really appreciate any suggestions and will probably focus on Salzburg or Innsbruck then if Munich options aren’t great. Thank you
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Ignore the trolls. No need to justify yourself to idiots.
@Lozza1uk,
We need the same. Wide cruisey blues for confidence. My husband had a similar loss of confidence on our Christmas trip. I posted on here looking for resorts that will build him back up again. I got some great responses, though almost exclusively in France. Are you set on Austria?
We've now booked Les Arcs for this coming Easter, and again, Snowheads have been incredible with their advice.
Thread one, asking for resort recommendations.
https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=162471&highlight=
Follow up thread when I'd settled on La Plagne and was thinking of going at the same time you are.
https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=163247&highlight=
Particularly this bit of advice, which directly influenced our choice of Les Arcs.
| Macker13 wrote: |
| Owlette wrote: |
| patrick! wrote: |
| I love skiing in La Plagne, but wouldn't stay there - especially for Christmas. In fact we also rule out Val Tho on the same grounds. It obviously depends on what you're after (parties, quiet village, just skiing?) but for a family xmas Tignes was a better balance for us last time. With friends, because we still love Paradiski after all, I'd vote for a stay in Les Arcs (Peisey Vallandry) and hop to La Plagne for a day or two. |
We are after wide, cruisey blues as my husband had his confidence knocked at Christmas, coming down some steep blue sections in Austria. The next trip needs to be a confidence building one.
Around a 10 hour drive from Calais
Slope side accommodation. Doesn't need to be ski in, ski out, but a 2 minute walk to the lift and ski schools, maximum.
Good sized ski area.
Excellent ski schools with a maximum of 10 to a class.
We're a family of 4. Children are currently 11 and 9. We want a holiday where we can have fun skiing, especially with the children. |
Stay at Arc 1800 then. Use airbnb to find one of many apartments on the snowface. They are very good value. £600ish a week but last time I found one for £350.
Arc 1800 has the Mille8 area which is perfect for a confidence boosting run before heading up the mountain higher. Its a great little slope for practicing turns and even has a few snowpark style obstacles and tiny jumps to use if you are so inclined. You can walk to the lift in 2 minutes from the apartments.
Then once you've had a practice. Go up Transarc 1 to the first stop and ski across the mountain on the "Plan Bois" blue run to the bottom of the Derby chairlift. Go up this and ski down the "Renard" blue run towards Peisey/Vallandry and stop at the little restaurant called Les Enfant Terribles. Its a great pit stop to rest the legs and grab a crepe.
Now ski down through the "Foret Pitchouns" a fun little practice area with obstacles until you reach the "Maitaz" blue run and head along this all the way back to Arc 1800. If youre lucky youll spot the Milka Cow skiing on this and catch him for the kids to get a chocolate. When you get to Arc 1800 you can either ski down the steepish finish back to the Transarc which can get icy in the afternoon. But if you are still wanting to keep it comfortable. Hang a left and ski behind the L'Aiguille Grive Chalets Hotel before you get to the final 100m of the piste. You sneakily miss out the steeper section if needed by skiing behind the hotel on the track.
Next up head up The Transarc to the Col De La Chal. Ski down "Plan Vert" Blue run and then "L'arc 1" Blue run. Nice easy blues that end near the Igloo. Stop for a drink and a break and base yourself here. You can now access all the blue runs in the Arc 1950/2000 bowl before heading back to Arc 1800 up Boir de Lours and skiing along the "Charmettoger" blue run at the end of the day. FInishing in La Folie Douce for a boogy.
Whole day of blues, none are scary and I've taught my other half to ski from scratch on these runs. |
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Sun 12-02-23 9:13; edited 1 time in total
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We’ve skied Hochfügen the past three Christmases. It’s a nice small ski area with nice blues, some reads and blacks with easy access to Kaltenbach with more reds and blacks. Kids have learned to snowboard here and have progressed well with skiing. Food on the Kaltenbach side is better so we normally head over there for lunch. We’re about 2h from Munich here.
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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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Thanks Owlette, that’s super helpful! I will go and have a read. Not completely fixed on Austria but we do like it there and I’ve personally preferred it to places I’ve skied in France. But that was a long time ago now!
And thanks MouseinLux, will check that out too.
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Lots of gentle skiing to be found round Ski Amade. Maria Alm is very pleasant.
Do always remember that sometimes resorts have fairly steep final runs. If that’s the case then downloading in the lift at the end of the day may be are far more comfortable end to the day than fighting your way through the final run crowds.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Salzburg flights, then lots of resorts are close to hand.
Schladming is an hour away, we love it there, the satellite hamlet of Rohrmoos has plenty of blues.
If you want quieter slopes to an extent and cheaper prices, Xmas week is better everywhere.
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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 all, appreciate the suggestions and will check them out. Xmas week might be an option, hasn’t been historically as Santa needs to know where we are - 2023 might be the first year that’s not so critical 
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| Lozza1uk wrote: |
| Thanks all, appreciate the suggestions and will check them out. Xmas week might be an option, hasn’t been historically as Santa needs to know where we are - 2023 might be the first year that’s not so critical |
You’re doing the right thing getting it all booked now. I know through experience that many hotels sell out a year ahead, much of this allocating the same rooms to returning guests.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Lozza1uk wrote: |
| Thanks all, appreciate the suggestions and will check them out. Xmas week might be an option, hasn’t been historically as Santa needs to know where we are - 2023 might be the first year that’s not so critical |
Mine are 11 and 9 and this Christmas was our first away. 11 year old took it in his stride, 9 year old wrote to Santa at the beginning of December, explained that we were away, and asked if he could come a few days early.
We celebrated Christmas on the 21st and called it Fake Christmas. Kids got really into it and 9 year old loved being able to go to Smyths on the day he got his Christmas money and spend the lot!
We went for pizza in the evening on actual Christmas Day. Christmas Eve was spent in the bar/restaurant of our hotel. We had dinner and the atmosphere was so lively. Both kids loved it.
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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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I'd support the argument for Christmas rather than NY. NY really is the worst combo of crowds, cost and chance of decent snow in the whole season. Crowds are the worst thing for under confident skiers. Or anyone with a highly developed sense of self preservation.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I’m going to third the skiing over Christmas. We’ve done it for years, Santa come to us on holiday at our hotel and we schedule a date when we are home to celebrate with family.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Noted re Christmas! I think we’ve had our last year of needing to be in the right place for Santa so it’s hopefully an 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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Remember Santa comes on the 24th in the UK but on various other days in December and January according to local lore.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I would double check that your kids will be off school New Year week as in my area the two main holiday weeks are pre Christmas and Christmas week.
I would definitely avoid New Year as it’s the second busiest week after half term.
I think either Christmas or the week before would be good or the first week of the Easter holidays.
However we tend to go to high altitude resorts in France so Im afraid I don’t know the most snow sure places in Austria at that time.
If France is an option I’d suggest flying to Turin and going to Montgenevre.
La Rosiere and Les Arcs are also suitable but further from an airport. We either drive or take the train to them.
I have just noticed your requirement for modern lifts. There are some modern lifts but also a few old slow ones in the resorts I’ve mentioned. Les Arcs probably has the most modern lifts of these three resorts but is also busier than the other two.
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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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Thanks - he’s starting secondary school and the term starts back 8th Jan - first time in years that our area has had such a late start back which is why I’d thought new year week. Plus I hate New Year’s Eve so thought it would be nice to be away. And then I can’t wait as long as Easter 
Will look at Christmas though as prices do seem lower. I hadn’t realised.
Thanks all, really appreciate the suggestions
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Agree with the comment about New Year. Mine went back to school on the 3rd this year.
We arrived in Austria on Friday 23rd, and definitely noticed an increase in crowds on the slopes from around the 27th.
New Year is a Monday next year. Our primary school hasn't released the dates, but our secondary has. It's showing as the first day of the holidays being Thursday 21st December and returning to school Thursday 4th January.
One thing to note about train travel in Austria over that period. I know the UK trains get very busy with people going to stay with family etc over Christmas. Didn't occur to me that the same would be true of Austria.
We were lucky to find a table for 4 on the way to resort, though the train was very busy. On the way back, on both legs of the journey (resort to Salzburg-Salzburg to Vienna Airport), we had to sit separately in whatever single seats we could find (keeping the children in eyeline). On the Salzburg to Vienna journey, I ended up sitting on the floor for an hour as we could only snare 3 seats, all separate. Mr. O offered to stand, but he's 6'2 and I'm 5'0 so can sit comfortably on the floor (and often do for work anyway) so I insisted he take the seat and I sat on my coat and just read my Kindle. Crowds parted from just outside Vienna.
If you go direct to Salzburg, you may encounter this less, but something to bear in mind if flying into Munich.
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For your husband…
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMYrtLTAy/
I love lazy blues too - have you considered the Italian Dolomites?
I find them much more reliable on blue runs and there’s loads of miles for everyone. Less queues than elsewhere too.
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Lots of people want to be home fr Christmas so until Boxing Day it’s quiet then from Boxing Day on it gets busy. We’ve had hotels with less than half occupancy on Christmas Day
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FAQ
