 Poster: A snowHead
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You may have seen it when swiping on social media or on news sites: many videos of chaotic and dangerous-looking descents in Ischgl.
The Tiroler Tageszeitung (Local News Media) also picks up on this, but asks a possibly valid question: what is the role of social media in this reporting?
Yes, it's busy very Busy
The short films, which generate millions of views, show a narrow steep stretch below the Taja hut and are said to have been filmed at the end of January.
A similar video went viral last season.
It was also recently that already 10 years ago the crowds on this part of this slope were enormous and that it was sometimes decided to descend from the huts 10 minutes before closing time to be 'ahead' of the crowds.
With one big difference: the influence of social media back then was nowhere near that great.
On Instagram, one of the videos, which lasts only a few seconds, has already been viewed almost 48 million times with (February 07, 2024) about 533,000 'thumbs up from likes'. The video is titled "Après Après-Ski". You can see the video below:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2m8wMPoTws/
Under the influence of alcohol?
The Director of the local tourist board of Ischgl, Thomas Köhle, is familiar with the images, but sees no reason to panic.
In the reactions to the videos, there is a strong reference to alcohol consumption. Köhle does not agree with this statement: "We cannot confirm that everyone in Ischgl descends completely drunk," he says. "Even the emergency services don't have more to do in the ski resort in the late afternoon than they do in the morning."
It can sometimes get quite busy on the affected part of the slope, Köhle also knows. "This is below the Paznaun Taja, on a narrow steep section of the valley run. If it is generally quite busy and the hut closes after 16:00, such scenes sometimes occur."
Role of social media
Köhle dares to question whether this film was actually made recently. Last season, a short video had also gone viral, which was shot in the same place. "We suspect that the clip was simply recycled to generate 'views'. Unfortunately, you have absolutely no influence on what is posted". And that's the thing about social media. The viewer is not interested in the date on which this video will be made, but there is plenty of reaction and sharing about it.
"Images like those from Ischgl are images that you would rather avoid as a lift operator," says Hubert Siller, tourism researcher and professor at the Management Center Innsbruck (MCI). "Because what used to be big in the newspapers is now discussed and commented on on the internet. The reach of such images is enormous." However, Siller doesn't believe this will make the ski resort more discredited as a mecca for party tourists.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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"We cannot confirm that everyone in Ischgl descends completely drunk," he says
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 Some, particularly the youngest children, might be only slightly inebriated.
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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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Social media regurgitating old clip for starters.
The same resurfaces regularly
If it puts some of going all the better for the folk that like the skiing there. 
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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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Looks a lot like Kandahar in St Anton did on Saturday. That is above the various apres spots so unlikely to be many folk's judgement being affected by alcohol. Basic problem is that Ischgl & the Arlberg are very popular, despite the cost. They both have decent conditions whilst many places are white lines in green fields. Too many people in too small a space. Likely to mean even more expensive lift passes!
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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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| //With one big difference: the influence of social media back then was nowhere near that great. |
Ok, but the "influence of social media" in this case is precisely what? To make those who aren't drunken skiers think about going somewhere else? I reckon there's nothing in that "social media" we all didn't already know. Maybe the 50 million viewers learned something, but most of them aren't skiers.
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| We cannot confirm that everyone in Ischgl descends completely drunk," |
I'd expect the patrollers to be relatively sober, so there's that.
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| ..The viewer is not interested in the date on which this video will be made, but there is plenty of reaction and sharing about it. |
Yes, we're interested in the overcrowding and probable intoxication levels. He doesn't seem to suggest that numbers or drunkenness has reduced since the video was taken (or faked), so the date doesn't seem terribly relevant.
When I was there the entire place was deserted, wild and empty. It was the last day of their 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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Looks like a typical blue run that's turned into a mogul field. Never ends well.
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@MorningGory, an apres-ski drunken mogul field
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One of those pictures might make a good jigsaw puzzle.
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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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A man died somewhere around Paznaun Taja today earlier today, went over the side and ended up 28mtr down
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I just don’t get why people see downloading as a wimp out. We can ski pretty much anything with control and speed. But very often choose to download to avoid the madness of people tired and beyond their ability mixed up with aggressive skiers. Plus the added risk of injury when legs are tired. For sure if there was an option to download to avoid the sort of scenes posted above, I would take it every time.
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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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| zikomo wrote: |
| I just don’t get why people see downloading as a wimp out. We can ski pretty much anything with control and speed. But very often choose to download to avoid the madness of people tired and beyond their ability mixed up with aggressive skiers. Plus the added risk of injury when legs are tired. For sure if there was an option to download to avoid the sort of scenes posted above, I would take it every time. |
As said it's not a new photo and you have to remember who posted it. 
It's always busy late in the day though and we are mostly in the download camp.
I suspect what happens in Ischgl and other places is when you are at the top stations people see the line for the gondolas and decided they may as well ski down than wait.
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Having skied Ischgl many times I'd actually doubt more than a handful of those people are what we'd classify a "drunk". A couple of beers down maybe but not "drunk".
If that's below Paznaun Taja (from where you can really download) I'd guess it's just the red run turning into a block of ice and everyone leave as the Paznaun party's come to an end for the day. Queue lots of 'mainly blue' skiers hitting a red piste in quite technically difficult conditions, with the predictable result.
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You know it makes sense.
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As far I remember, getting gondola from Paznaun Taja, is qute a awkward option, need to take 2 chairs, and then cross flat area most likely walking to join the large gondola queue at the end of the day.
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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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| Origen wrote: |
| One of those pictures might make a good jigsaw puzzle. |
Brilliant idea.
Have skied that run down in front of hotel Elizabeth many times but never seen it as busy as the photos show.
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Poster: A snowHead
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... except that's meant to be up the top of 37, just below Paznaun Taja, not right down the bottom of 1a where the Elizabeth is.
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FAQ
