April Obergurgl v Lech v Oberlech

A snowHead

Any thoughts on these three resorts for a post Easter trip? Mostly concerned about conditions / as well as the nursery slopes. My original thought had been Zurs but the only available option is a bit out of my price range.

Given this season / warm weather, which one is likely to be holding up best? Leaning towards Obergurgl?

A snowHead

Reports from the Arlberg are of good conditions though a Föhn is forecast over Easter. Issue with Lech is the main home run slope gets very mushy in spring conditions but should be fine higher up. Obergurgl is likely to be good but with the forecast Föhn storms might not be ideal (though that is this coming weekend). Have you considered Ischgl? Open until early May.

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Easter trip you mean at 2025?
1st you have to check out the dates. Easter ir really late in 2025
Lech has a very south orientation (many slopes) and is really slushy but doable
I suppose obergurlg will be better.

If you are looking for nursery slopes, either Lech/Oberlech or Obergurgl.

I was one in Zürs with the kids, and it was a disaster. There are some nursery slopes down in the "village" but there are nothing special and either they are too narrow or you have to "push" with the poles to go further...
As a snowboard (and i am an experienced) have never sweated so much since 2005 as i began to snowboarding
Except that, although is the off piste paradise, most of the slopes are something like i use to say as "skiweg" in the German language.
Narrow and with many curves

I had always in mind "ok, now is a little bit so, but after the corner come the wide nice slope", and then suddenly i was down to the bottom lift station , and didnt find this wide nice slope (although there are a couple of them)

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@turms2, sorry but it's called Ski Arlberg, not Snowboard Arlberg. The problems you are describing are very much snowboard-related, and not an issue for skiers. To say that Ski Arlberg is mostly 'skiweg' is rather ridiculous. It is one of the most beloved ski-resorts in the world, and not just for its off-piste.

@bowman, Post-Easter, Lech/Oberlech might be getting a bit too late, Obergurgl more reliable. But if you could make it a real last-minute decision, and weather is cooperating, Lech-Oberlech is the -much- nicer destination

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@turms2, I understand about Zürs there are some annoying red runs on the eastern side which have sections which are a cross between a "skiweg" and a piste, painful not just on a snowboard. Stick to the western side especially in the morning sun good on a board too.

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Obergurgl.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@munich_irish, Painful? Why then do you go skiing here so often? Painful, seriously...
And...the Eastside?....For snowboarders especially Zürsertäli ends in a nightmare. Yes, Zürsertäli...
Snowboarders should quit complaining about inherent issues of their discipline (and presenting them as general resort problems), it's tiresome.

After all it is free

@Langerzug and @munich_irish
first of all i didnt said that Arlberg is a "snowboard" Arlberg or something like this. And i dont think tha "Ski Arlberg" means that its only for skiers as Alta in USA (Its Alta or not? do not remember)
Furthermore i do NOT find Arlberg bad or somethling like this. I didnt said something for Arlberg generall
All our One-day ski excursions are in Warth - Lech and i love it (especially Warth and a part of Lech)
However @bowman said specific for Zürs and nursery slopes. And since i am always with the kids and the kids are on skis and not snowboard i can see from an another perspective , and not als snowboarder
My kids are not novice skiers e.g. we want down the route 138 in order to reach the red slope, and then twice the 139 (i think it was 139).
However my kids and my wife are really found it annoying the the slopes on the one side of Zürs they always have some points which are either too flat or even a little bit "mountain Up"
And before someone said said why i was there, we wanted to go to Stuben and stay to the Albona side, but 1st the parking was full, and i had to go to Zürs, and secondly we skied till Albona from Zürs but it was too windy and foggy and we decided to go back to Zürs

My opinion is that if the slopes have to many flat points, it is not the best for novice skiers, and also if the slopes are not so wide open.
And that has not to do if someone is with a board, ski or monoski. The problems i describe are (according to my opinion) problems for novice skiers/boarders in zürs. Not for boarders specifically, and not for Arlberg generally wink

Btw Zürsertäli i suppose you mean the 144? well it is doable even with the board. The worst part is the other side around Hexenbodenbahn and trittalpbahn.

@Langerzug, I now avoid those runs if at all possible so many better ones to choose from. As discussed the other day Täli is perfectly OK for boarders too, no idea personally but others who do were happy with the run out.

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@munich_irish, which runs exactly do you avoid then? I can't think of any runs on the Hexenboden/Trittkopf side that are a problem for skiers. And where it is flattish, it's time to enjoy the glorious scenery, yet still gliding easily forth. (I must say I'm not noticing much appraisal for the scenery in general from you...)
And regarding Täli and 'the other day': this means that a snowboarder always and every time must hope for that 'other day'. Quite a sad starting point -repeat > always and every time - for one of the most beautiful pistes of the Alps....Whilst for skiers even a break at Flexenhäusl is possible without causing any issues for the last track towards Zürs....

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@Langerzug, @munich_irish, Never had any issues late season in Lech, just the opposite the scenery is breathtaking and the terraces great fun, skiing not half bad either!

The above with snowboarders bemoaning flatter areas in a world class resort renowned for steeps and off-piste that they can't glide easily reminded me of a couple who piggy-backed a group trip i'd organised a few years ago, all the group were competent skiers hunting out powder stashes on a cold bluebird day and skiing fast between, and the boarders were only a few seasons in. After a quick schlep off top of Valfegehrbahn, and big schuss down towards Happy Valley and a right down to Schindlerbahn when we all went for it I was told at lunch by the boarders that we should make more allowance for them.....needless to say we didn't see much of them all week! Shocked

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whats the meaning of more allowance? e.g. to wait for them? or leave some parts untouched for them? or both??
if they were more than one why they need it...

@turms2, He said they couldn't move about the resort quickly without walking on flatter bits, and thus couldn't go at the same pace....and we should all therefore wait for them wink

Only messing by the way- boarding looks great fun in powder conditions on deep off-piste powder, but on piste especially hard pack it looks hard work.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@Markymark29, Off-piste guides (on ski themselves) don't want mixed groups just because of this: snowboarders are slowing down the group, and often can't get to the best off-piste spots, because you need your poles, and need to have both legs free to move nordic-style.
(and walking not an option in deep-snow).
There are so many limitations to snowboarding....

A snowHead

Thanks for the replies, they were helpful in choosing but thought I’d wait to give some feedback-

In the end, went for Obergurgl since the forecast was so hot and looked like even Zurs would be 5c hotter than Obergurgl

Apart from one afternoon when 2/3 of the mountain was closed due to high winds (and the open bit was busy, slushy and warm..) conditions were great (at least v my low expectations..). Got a mix of spring slush, snow all day, icy first thing etc but all part of the fun.

Stayed in the Alpina which I think was good value for what you get. The little one was in a ski school group of up to around 7 which was great- that said apparently In peak weeks it can get up to 12 which wouldn’t be ideal

Already thinking about next year- maybe will start a different thread- ideally want the combination of a ski school with (guaranteed) smallish groups but also a ski school with an advanced group that lines up with the kiddies..

Think Obergurgl could work but weren’t running an advanced group this week (and kids groups could end up too big). Lech the top group leaves at 9.30am (earlier than the kids..). St Anton would work but don’t think it’s great for kids. Zermatt might work, taking a guess that they will run some good (adult) groups but might be too much faff for under 8s? Zurs ski school could work (taking a guess the top groups are decent) but they seems to have the worlds worst ski school website so hard to tell. Open to suggestions…

A snowHead

St Anton's ski school were brilliant with my kids. Took the little beggarts all day and weren't too fussed it you were hafl an hour late picking them up cos you'd misjudged how long it would take to get back from Lech esp if you missed the bus. Smile

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I'm looking at this great late season forecast (e.g. 70cm fresh up top St Anton this coming Fri & Sat ,and it's staying cold), & I'm considering a last minute dash over to St Anton this week coming ,skiing from Monday to Friday.

Anybody about who'd like to meet up for skiing some freshies??

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@horgand, sadly the last day is Sunday 21st

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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@horgand,

Obergurgl closes on 21 April too.

Ischgl, Solden and Obertauern will be open until May.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Thanks ste_B

After all it is free

@horgand, you making a common mistake: it's not about snow quantity, its about temperatures: slush!

Help!!

April Obergurgl v Lech v Oberlech

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