Poster: A snowHead
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Hi all
What would be the cheapest/quietest ski week in Austria.
No local school holidays etc.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Second week of January or April barring Easter
January seems to be less quiet post covid though
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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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Everything before the christmas holidays begin is very quiet....
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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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@ianvip, 3rd week of March. If you're looking for family options then lift passes in Ski Amade offer kids go free that week. If not, then the week before is "Ladies' Week" when there are two for one deals to be had. Of course, you no longer have to be a Lady to receive the same offers.
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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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Pre-xmas in Saalbach-Hinterglemm is great value & quiet, with assured snow due to extensive snow making
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@ianvip, Even with good early season conditions pre Christmas is quiet, locals seem to prefer the Advent markets & Glühwein to skiing and very few tourists. However many services like buses might not start until nearly Christmas. March depends on where, the lower Tirol & Salzburgerland areas are likely to be quieter as conditions less reliable (though can be good for morning skiing, afternoon drinking). In higher spots like Ischgl & Arlberg March is still busy.
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Was thinking March.
It’s a lads trip. We tend to always do St Anton or Lech.
Am trying to avoid German/Austrian Half term.
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If you can rent a DeLorean, you might be able to set the dials back and wind it back about 30 years, when prices were a bit more reasonable, and Austrian Schilling was king.
I'd love to find a "cheap deal" in Austria, as Munich Irish suggests anything pre Christmas at the last minute is the only way. The big snag is getting your mates to find that time before Christmas.
The next slightly more reasonable time is the week after new year.
But you've got to pray for the right weather and of course we just can't second guess the weather.
I used to get involved in these sort of trips 30 years ago, but I think its much harder now.
Back in the day you could snag a cheap week with chalet companies such as Mark Warner.
If you were prepared and equipped to book up just a few days before departure that used to be the best way.
I dont think there is such a surplus of rooms as there used to be.
Anyway Good Luck and good hunting.
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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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Pre-Christmas reliable snow tends to be high (in the East relatively less high) so at Val d'sere we have consistently had the best off-piste powder of the year on our week just before Christmas. Just down the road in Ste Foy it was less reliable, because lower. (For me this has only been the last 4 years, but for the others in the group they were doing it at least 2 years earlier as well.). I don't know which Austrian resorts might be comparable, if any.
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@snowball, last winter i'm pretty sure the stats would show the biggest snowfall we had in the Zillertal (outside my house at 650m) was the first weekend in December. We were walking around in knee deep powder in the valley. As it happened, I then skied a foot of fresh powder a week later also with a mate who happened to be over at that time.
The plus to the Zillertal (and a few other places in Austria) is you also have the virtual guarantee of snow up at the glacier in Hintertux.
Virtually the whole valley is due to open this season coming the first weekend of December, with some smaller areas opening up for Christmas as there just isn't the skier numbers to make it worthwhile pre Christmas.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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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@ianvip, My experience in recent years is that school holidays have little effect on the numbers in the Arlberg, it is busy pretty much all the time from Christmas until the end of March. Some Austrian places do get busier in various school holiday weeks eg Brixental popular with Dutch folk, Salzburgerland with Viennese but with Arlberg, Ischgl etc the costs are higher so less affordable for families. March is a good option as likely to be a good balance between snow conditions and afternoon drinking weather.
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We normally go to Austria, the week after new year, then again the last week of Jan and then the last week of March, for the last 20 odd years, it's normally not too busy or expensive.
This year was Lech, Fiss, then Mayrhofen.
Next year TBD, Ischgl then Mayrhofen.
The middle week is always a mates trip and tends to be a bit more expensive and busy than the early or late trips.
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You know it makes sense.
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@swskier, I have skied there twice in recent years and really liked the area. The first time we transferred there from the Dolomites which had very little and sh*t snow and arrived to lovely light powder. Might even go again in early January. Where are you based?
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