 Poster: A snowHead
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Dec 23: Saalbach v Obertauern
Taking the fam skiing next Christmas. Currently got 2 options open - Saalbach and Obertauern.
Priorities (in order):
1. Snow sure - to resort level
2. Variety of pistes (Blues preferred)
3. Chocolate box Christmas market type atmos
Cast your votes (& insights) please.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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1>Obertauern
2>Saalbach, but Obertauern not bad either
3>Definitely Saalbach. Obertauern is soulless. But since 3 is strongly related to 1...
Consider Lech for the perfect combi. 
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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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Saalbach
1. Extensive snow making, superb lift system mostly heated seats, we normally ski the week before Christmas, which was superb this year
2. Largest linked resort in Austria, you can go from Saalbach to Leogang without hitting a red, plenty of variety in the type of blue
3. Town centre some have described a chocolate box, I would say its pleasant Austrian, Obertauern doesn't fit that description at all
@tatmanstours, will be far better at giving you the benefits of Saalbach, only been to Obertauren once in the summer and there wasn't anything pleasing in the architecture and teh runs seemed limited.
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@radar, check the current Saalbach webcams for Christmas 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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@Langerzug, check my link in my signature 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks all, I really do want to go to Saalbach and @tatmanstours already sent me his excellent guide.
Webcams do look rather green, brown and slushy out there at the moment though! Guess it's the same across much of the alps.
It looked a lot better early December.
That's the gamble I guess.
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@Langerzug, Lech would be ideal but struggling to find availability - maybe too early? or looking in the wrong place.
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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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@Niederau aged 4, this was the week before Christmas , looking down the valley, as you say it’s always a bit of a gamble no matter where you go.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@Langerzug, had a look - bit out of my price range
Only option that came up for 2adults & 2 children, 1 week!
Der Berghof
LechShow on map
Der Berghof
superior
4.8/5
Excellent
135 Ratings
Price from€ 210,688.80
per stay incl.
Half board
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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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@Niederau aged 4, Lech is indeed an excellent option but it could never be described as a place for skiing on a budget! Obertauern is a rather soulless ski station located on a high pass, in many ways more typically "French" than "Austrian". It might be a good option in March but can be miserable in mid winter (very few trees). Saalbach has a lot of fans around here, it does have downsides (everywhere does) but probably is as good as anywhere for your ski holiday. Christmas is not actually a good time for a ski holiday, if (big if) the snow comes early it can be magical unfortunately more years the snow will be poor. No doubt Saalbach has made big investments in lifts & snowmaking so there should be skiing whatever the weather.
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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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@Niederau aged 4, I’ve just had my 17th consecutive Christmas in Saalbach and I’ve always had enough skiing to keep me happy on Christmas Day - if that’s any reassurance.
Clearly we’re living in strange times, but will lightning strike twice in two consecutive ski seasons?
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Poster: A snowHead
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I'd rather stay home than go to Obertauern for Christmas. 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@JimboS, 
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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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@JimboS, can totally understand
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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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At least, when next Christmas gives us blizzards and whiteouts, to compensate for this season, Saalbach has plenty of forested runs for shelter and visibility.
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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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Damn... We've booked flights to Salzburg and car hire 16th to 23rd December, and have been thinking Obertauern has what we're looking for: altitude, ski-in/out, loads of blue runs and what looks like some nice circuits. Now all I'm reading is that it's soulless and bleak!
We're hoping that we'll have the willpower to hold off booking accommodation until much nearer the time so that we can see what the snow conditions are in resorts reachable from Salzberg, but Mrs H and I are terrible for wanting things sorted ASAP. Perhaps we need to weigh-up Saalbach.
Convenient access to the slopes is high up our list as our man-child sons are notoriously lazy and won't bother if they have to catch a bus to the slopes 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
our man-child sons are notoriously lazy and won't bother if they have to catch a bus to the slopes
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I'd leave them at home
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@Halitosis, 16-23 December you can very easily wait until very last minute. You would really be silly to book anything now, NO need whatsoever!
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@pam w - tempting thought!
@Langerzug - thanks and we shall remain strong. At risk of answering my own question, any suggestions on what websites are best for last minute accommodation?
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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 wouldnt bother to go to Lech before Christmas.
Except the high prices, Lech and generally Arlberg have one of the worsts snow making systems in AUT
Ok, sometimes the get tooo much snow, but during the last winters this was not the rule before Christmas.
Before Christmas in AUT i would rather pick up a resort with really good snow making system
Saalbach, Schladming etc, Zillertal, Ischgl etc etc
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@Halitosis, I would very much agree with the wait to book comment no need to book anything before the beginning of December, wait until you see how conditions pan out. Obertauern can often be soulless & bleak, from my visits I remember very boilerplate pistes but that clearly is snow conditions related. Check out the tourist office websites for accommodation, practically all the hotels & apartments will be there, you might find not everywhere is open that week. If you "have to" book for your own peace of mind then Saalbach is likely to be as good as anywhere, if natural snow is very limited they have good snow making, if it is stormy then there is a decent amount of skiing below the tree line, lots of accommodation so no issue booking.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@turms2, But for the combination of charm+snow at village level, Lech has proven to be unbeatable. Including this last Christmas, and also notorious 2014-2016. Lech has always been white. And plenty kilometers of pistes. And for many people a white Christmas is more important than hundreds of kilometers of artificial pistes in a brown landscape....And lets see what the future brings....snowmaking is getting more expensive every year of climate change....
@Halitosis, the hotel websites! Nowadays almost all hotels have there own booking-tool.
Even in Lech you can go last minute for that week. For sure! But you must go DIY!
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Fri 21-04-23 9:14; edited 1 time in total
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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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| Langerzug wrote: |
@turms2, But for the combination of charm+snow at village level, Lech has proven to be unbeatable. Including this last Christmas, and also notorious 2014-2016. Lech has always been white. And plenty kilometers of pistes. And for many people a white Christmas is more important than hundreds of kilometers of artificial pistes in a brown landscape....
@Halitosis, the hotel websites! Nowadays almost all hotels have there own booking-tool.
Even in Lech you can go last minute for that week. For sure! But you must go DIY! |
Ok, probably is it so. If white Christmas is in the 1st place...
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FAQ
