 Poster: A snowHead
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Seeking advice for anyone who has stayed in Stumm (or surrounds). Young family with a week stay in Stumm, mid December. Kids will be first time skiiers.
Current plan (wish) is to get the kids into a ski school so we can try and enjoy the runs on our own for a bit.
Any general tips/experiences going with kids?
How far ahead do we need to book a ski school?
Do we need a ski pass for the kids if the are only enrolled in the ski school?
What is best value for a ski pass?
How should we do the equipment hire?
Is being based in Stumm going to be a problem to get into town and other places? Ski bus seems sufficient?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@darrinm81, it might also be worth asking your question in this thread:
https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=170407&highlight=
Your best person on Stumm is @SaraJ.....
In terms of best value for ski pass, there's no 2 ways around it, you'll have to buy a 6 day pass, and that covers you for the whole of the Zillertal.
The kids will need a pass as all the learning in Hochzillertal is up the top of the lift.
Stumm is probably a 20/25 minute walk to the gondola in Kaltenbach, so ski bus is probably sufficient, but also, if you wanted to go in to Kaltenbach for dinner of an evening, it's not too far to walk if needed. I'm not sure what time busses stop, but I'd guess around 8pm.
There is a ski hire shop with lockers at the top of the lift in Kaltenbach, and you might want to consider that for ease, so you're not traipsing around in ski boots.
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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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We stayed in that area over Xmas time.
I wouldn’t walk to Kaltenbach with young kids. If using the ski bus it can get pretty crowded in the mornings but mid Dec might be ok. Be aware of bus timings , they didn't seem that frequent and that there seemed to be no buses running back in the middle of the day.
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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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@darrinm81, The Hochzillertal website has a fair bit of information regarding lift pass prices, links to ski schools etc. https://www.hochzillertal.com/en/
It doesn't look like the skibus timetable has been published yet for the coming season. You say you're thinking of coming mid December? Last year the free skibus started on the 16th Dec. I expect it will be about the same time this year. It would be worth looking at last year's timetable alongside a map to see how far your accommodation is away from a bus stop.
Sport Stock is the shop at the bottom and the top of the gondola to hire skis. They have lockers top and bottom to leave your equipment. You don't say how old your kids are... And you don't say where you're looking at staying in Stumm... Most of Stumm is less than 2kms to Kaltenbach, so walkable without equipment. There's a wooden footbridge over the river. Head for that if you're walking, don't even think about trying to walk along the main road over the river and main Zillertal road.
SkiCheck (www.skicheck.at) is the ski school that I work for. We offer half day private lessons in Hochzillertal. If you prefer group lessons, we recommend Skischule Keiler https://www.skischule-keiler.at/en/
I don't know if any of the ski schools would be running kids group lessons in mid Dec. There isn't usually any demand until the week before Christmas. There's no harm in asking though.
Kids over 6 yrs old need a lift pass. As @swskier, said, the skiing is at the top in Hochzillertal.
The lift pass is the lift pass, there are no cheaper options. However, if you don't want to ski every day there's a 4 in 6 day and a 5 in 7 day pass. Which seems like a good idea if you think you'll have a day off.
Does that answer all your questions?
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Big thanks for the responses including @SaraJ for the local insights.
Main questions/worries was knowing how soon to book gear and kids ski classes.
We will be there week commencing 16th to avoid the xmas crowds.
Good point in the ski bus, however fingers crossed looks like it starts mid Dec if last year is a guide at all. We will definitely need the bus.
We are just under 2km walk from Stumm to the ski lifts, via the wooden bridge. Unlikely both kids (under 10) would manage it along the day out on the slopes.
I'll reach out to the ski schools again. When I last contacted them they said to book via their website. The plan was to leave the kids with the instructor for part of the day so we could hit the runs - but let's see.
x in y day passes could be an option. I could certaintly do 100% of the time on the mountain but think the family won't be able to manage it first trip.
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The area , Saraj may confirm as my info is a few years ago pre-covid, wasn’t busy until boxing day. So ski school will probably be quiet until then, but it may be they dont put many group classes on, or you’re lucky and the group class is virtually private.
Rentals should be no problem.
I can dig out the ski school we used (booked I think via checkyeti as I like the ability to cancel free)
They can do all day and take the kids for a supervised lunch, paid extra as I recall so affords you lots of skiing time. We sometimes would pick up at lunch time though. Also bear in mind you may not hear too
many English voices and your kids might be the only native English speakers in the class, ours were, but the instructors were ok and spoke English.
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@SaraJ - Unfortunately only private lessons available and these are quite pricey. Is there enough on the mountain that is accessible for free for beginners - with or without a ski pass?
The adults can ski, so it is really just some safe space to build the basic skills up and confidence. Not expecting off piste this trip 
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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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@darrinm81, they need a pass regardless, as you need to take the gondolas up. At the top of the lift there's some drag lifts and beginner runs.
Is it possible to try elsewhere accommodation wise if it means there's ski school available? Zell am Ziller or Mayrhofen?
If not, maybe try and get some private lessons for them, but not the whole week? I really don't recommend teaching your kids though, unless of course you've got some instructor background/qualifications?
You could do a part week skiing and part week sight seeing? There's a good swimming pool in Fügen. You could take a train to Innsbruck for the day. Kaltenbach has a trampoline park type place called Kaboom. There's an indoor climbing centre in Aschau.
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Bus drivers get a lunch break so yes, few busses around lunchtime. But you can just sit at a bar/restaurant and fuel up until the busses get running again.
We went to Aschau, Hochzillertal in Feb 2024, enjoyed it. I'm going back with my son in Feb 2025 and staying in Stumm Central. Ski busses will go from the gondola station to Stumm Central.
We hired skis/boots from Sport Stock at the Gondola station and it was good. Used their lockers too. And yes, there are ski lockers and a Sport Stock hire shop at the top of the Gondola station too. So another option if you don't want to take the kit up and down the Gondola. It's a pfaff for sure.
As experienced skiers, you might want to ski all the way down though, but would recommend beginners take the Gondola. Else it's a Red/Black run down.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@darrinm81, To access the skiing in Hochzillertal (Kaltenbach) you have to go to the top of the gondola, so you need a lift pass.
I wouldn't recommend trying to teach your kids yourself in Hochzillertal.
There's a tiny magic carpet in Hochfügen that can be used without a lift pass. There's also a bigger magic carpet that you need a lift pass for. It's possible to buy a points card to use on the bigger magic carpet - one point = one ride up... so you don't need to buy the full pass if all you're doing is messing around on the bottom of the beginner slope. To get to Hochfügen from Stumm you would have to take the train from Kaltenbach to Fügen (10mins.) and then the ski bus from Fügen to Hochfügen (35 mins.).
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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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| SaraJ wrote: |
| There's a tiny magic carpet in Hochfügen that can be used without a lift pass. There's also a bigger magic carpet that you need a lift pass for. It's possible to buy a points card to use on the bigger magic carpet - one point = one ride up... so you don't need to buy the full pass if all you're doing is messing around on the bottom of the beginner slope. |
This is what we did when we had beginners out last season, and I was teaching them, as per Sara's suggestion to me earlier in the season 
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| swskier wrote: |
| There's a good swimming pool in Fügen.. |
The pool is really good. We took the postbus to/from it. Although keep an eye on the time and the time allowance in the pool itself.
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You know it makes sense.
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Thanks, some really good advice and ideas.
Shifting location going to be tough. Even then, appears to be very short lessons for kids at other locations. I was anticipating full day lessons but that doesn't seem to be a thing.
I'll have a think. I wasn't expecting miracles on the first trip. Magic carpet probably a good start, then make a call from there. The flex day passes sound practical. Mix in some non skiing activities.
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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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I’ve had a couple of weeks holiday in Stumm and I really liked it but I wouldn’t want to be based there without a car.
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