 Poster: A snowHead
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Thinking of a pre Xmas trip, not a 100% ski trip, going out 16th Dec.
Non skiing missus likes Kitzbuhel having been before in summer so thinking of having 5 days there with a bit of skiing with the kids and hopefully Christmassy atmosphere, their own little Christmas market, then on to Salzburg for a day or so for Xmas markets there and back on 22/23rd.
I know there's no guarantee of half decent snow at that time, but I think Kitz has a good snow making reputation? In an "average" year would they have much open by then? Also I think from what I've read you really want accommodation that's central ish but on the Hannenkahm side of things.
Any thoughts, tips or suggestions, if there things you ought to do etc. 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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Kitz is one of the earliest opening resorts by human effort - so yeah! High up usually has ropey slopes open, even when there is has been little snow. I am quite sure they aim to be the 1st resort open as their USP.
Just wonder why Salz (there are better Advent areas - if you can overlook the word ‘market’ - like Snow walks with live enactments as you walk between stations, sledging, drawn carriages, arts & crafts things (in Mayrhofen), etc.
Go for the xmas buzz instead - if the ski is rubbish, then go to a glacier… Hintertux & Stubai would be doable in a day. Obviously depends on kids being kids & not teenage years 
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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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@Rowlski, I've been in the Skiwelt before Christmas on several occasions over the last 5 years, and I'm hoping to go again this year. Conditions there and in Kitz are generally reasonable, but of course the lower slopes may not be in the best condition until January especially at the lower altitudes in Kitz.
The Christmas market is small but pretty good given the historic area where it is held, and the atmosphere in town is fairly good. It has a festive feel, but bear in mind that the target clientele is wealthy Germans so it's not typically cheap.
Skiing at Kitzbuhel can be good, especially on the higher slopes towards Pass Thurn. Avoid the Hannenkahm, especially the lower section, as it can be carnage and the snow may turn to mud long before you get to the end
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Salzburg xmas market is fun (even for a non shopper) and there are plenty of other things to do as well.
I have only been to Kitzbuhel pre xmas as a last minute trip when there was early snow and cheap flights and to say it was great would be an understatement as it was gloriously quiet as well. The untracked powder lasted for more than five minutes with the lack of skiers. However, not all lifts were open in skiwelt and the low season wider region ski pass (amade?) did not include buses from Kitzbuhel to Brixen
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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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Kitz has gotten very good at snowfarming in the early season.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks for all the responses, sounds relatively promising and I had seen them advertising what seemed like silly opening dates for such a low resort in previous years [/b]@Whitegold[/b].
@ousekjarr, I don't intend to buy much more for the atmosphere and feel of it ... though the missus may have other ideas!
@Gored, Salzburg just because I can get reasonably priced flights in and out and tbh I personally like it to visit anyway and imagine it would do Christmas markety stuff well. That combined with convenience is the main driver.
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| Rowlski wrote: |
Thanks for all the responses, sounds relatively promising and I had seen them advertising what seemed like silly opening dates for such a low resort in previous years @Whitegold.
@ousekjarr, I don't intend to buy much more for the atmosphere and feel of it ... though the missus may have other ideas!
@Gored, Salzburg just because I can get reasonably priced flights in and out and tbh I personally like it to visit anyway and imagine it would do Christmas markety stuff well. That combined with convenience is the main driver. |
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@Rowlski, Kitzbühel claims to be open from late October, in reality this is one short piste at Pass Thurn where they store snow from the previous season and supplement with snow cannons when the nights get cold enough. It is only of interest to the local ski clubs for training, not much better than a dry ski slope in the UK. That said there is usually some skiing from early December exactly how much varies from year to year. If what you are after is a pre Christmas holiday with maybe a bit of skiing thrown in, it would be a good choice. I would give Salzburg a miss, way too crowded and often cold & wet. There are plenty better places to go. Traunstein has a nice old town (with the inevitable Christmas market), Chiemsee has plenty of nice villages around it with great views over the lake to the mountains, the Chiemgauer Alpen (the bit of Bavaria north of the Kitzbühler Alpen) is a bit off the main tourist track but with lots of small picturesque villages.
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@Rowlski, Also look at Bregenzerwald, Christmas markets in Dornbirn are very good.
Having skied many weeks in Kitzbuhel i'd be wary, it can be touch and go for the men's downhill mid January, you may be lucky but often ski coverage in the town can be an issue early season. Jochberg and Pass Thurn will likely be open but in town in can be c.10-12C at that time of year. Alternatively it could be good, but it depends on the early season snowfall and whether deep winter arrives early.
Personally i'd suggest leaving it for now and reviewing end November rather than committing at this stage.
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I was in Westendorf Brixen last Feb, very warm, little natural snow. The difference between north and south facing was pronounced. Isn’t Kitz mainly south facing? Might make a difference.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Nope north
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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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| Whitegold wrote: |
| Kitz has gotten very good at snowfarming in the early season. |
There's as pile of snow stored from last year up at the top run at pass Thurn. Webcams show it. That's when they say they are "open" sometime in October - just have the short run (red 71) (with a single slow 4 man chair) running.
In the past they've also stored snow for the very short black off the right at the top of the Hahnenkamm (21a?), but that's 200m lower
These are just so they can say they are open first. Their snowmaking is no better or worse than most Austrian resorts - i.e. it is excellent. But it still suffers from the usual altitude issues - as do most. Maybe Mayrhofen is a better bet, or better for guaranteed snow Obergurgl/Solden
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| Markymark29 wrote: |
@Rowlski, Also look at Bregenzerwald, Christmas markets in Dornbirn are very good.
Having skied many weeks in Kitzbuhel i'd be wary, it can be touch and go for the men's downhill mid January, you may be lucky but often ski coverage in the town can be an issue early season. Jochberg and Pass Thurn will likely be open but in town in can be c.10-12C at that time of year. Alternatively it could be good, but it depends on the early season snowfall and whether deep winter arrives early.
Personally i'd suggest leaving it for now and reviewing end November rather than committing at this stage. |
Not sure that's quite right having skied Kitz over race weeks many times. The weather is frequently inclement at that time and can cause shortened/cancelled races through bad viz, blizzards, etc., but not known snow shortage.
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You know it makes sense.
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| davidthornton wrote: |
| Markymark29 wrote: |
@Rowlski, Also look at Bregenzerwald, Christmas markets in Dornbirn are very good.
Having skied many weeks in Kitzbuhel i'd be wary, it can be touch and go for the men's downhill mid January, you may be lucky but often ski coverage in the town can be an issue early season. Jochberg and Pass Thurn will likely be open but in town in can be c.10-12C at that time of year. Alternatively it could be good, but it depends on the early season snowfall and whether deep winter arrives early.
Personally i'd suggest leaving it for now and reviewing end November rather than committing at this stage. |
Not sure that's quite right having skied Kitz over race weeks many times. The weather is frequently inclement at that time and can cause shortened/cancelled races through bad viz, blizzards, etc., but not known snow shortage. |
in 2014 I was there and the race was affected through snow shortage. The Steilhang was brown and they took the path round it instead. That is at the bottom of course...
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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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Kitzbuhel is to a large extent on meadows. This means it doesn’t need a great depth of snow to ski, unlike places where it’s bare rock under the snow.
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Poster: A snowHead
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On the aspect question, Kitz has slopes that face in all directions, but the majority of the popular slopes face between north-west and north-east. Yes, there are some facing east, some south-east, and a few face south or south-west, but they are few and far between. It also depends on which area - the Kitzbüheler Horn is very different from Ehrenbachhöhe, and both are very different from Pass Thurn, or Ki-West.
It remains inescapable that the bottom of the signature run into town is at 800m above sea level, and therefore more prone to poor snow than somewhere 200-300 metres higher with the same aspect (primarily north-east). From mid-January to the end of February it is rarely a problem, which is why the race is held in the third week of January and not earlier, or in December.
Above 1200m there are few problems from mid-December until mid/late March that couldn't be described as standard early/late season variability.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@buchanan101, Steilhang is at the top, just after Mausefalle where the skiers have to handle forces in excess of 3G in order to get into the flat 'Brückenschuss' without ending up in the netting (plenty have not made it including Brian Stemmle who was nearly killed there).
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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 think he was referring to the Hausbergkante
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@munich_irish and @Markymark29, thanks I'll have a look at Bregenzerwald and Traunstein as well.
I know what you mean on waiting to see though the flight prices are currently trending up for our dates. As for the other comments I know and realise that altitude and that time is a real gamble. Normally ski late March and that has been Saalbach, Serfaus and Mayrhofen in Austria in recent years, all much more reliable ... but this is a dual purpose trip and need to keep the other half happy
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