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Obergurgl Pros & Cons. Advice Please

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Obergurgl - Pros & Cons. Advice Please.
We are two 60 year old guys. Good intermediate skiers. We have booked Obergurgl for week 6/3/21. We are also doing Tignes in January.
The attraction of Obergurgl/Hochgurgl was that’s it’s quite snow sure. Rarely any lift queues and maybe a bit more sophisticated than Tignes. We are aware that the Apres is a bit limited at OG and it’s not the biggest ski area. Also aware that on a bad weather day the lack of tree lined runs can mean no skiing for the day. We are there to ski, not party, but do like a drink in the evening. Will there be enough decent skiing for us there? Aware that we can get the free bus to Solden but the ski in/out is a big attraction for us, so a couple of days in solden is acceptable.
It’s not too late to change the resort if you think it’s not the right choice for us. We mainly ski Reds and a Black or two. Don’t want to be skiing easy Blues most of the time.
We figured we could blast it out in Tignes then have a fun week in O/G. Have we got this wrong? Is O/G the wrong place for us? It looks a stunning location and the resort reviews are all quite good.
Any advice is appreciated. Would we be bored there? An expensive mistake if we have got it wrong. The cost of the trip would open up most resorts to us if we were to change from O/G.
Many thanks in advance to anyone who replies.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Obergurgl is very laid-back. Nice cruisy skiing and relaxed nightlife. Some of the hotels are pretty classy. I'd say go for it - we did Obergurgl 2 years on the trot over Xmas and new year (and they were 14 day holidays) and we weren’t remotely bored.
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@Eggfried, We really liked it. Friendly resort, nice cruisey runs. Pretty village. Solden (town) is a horror IMO and I certainly wouldn't go there. I confess we did start to get bored with Obergurgl after a week but the snow was pretty soft so we had to stay up high.
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@Eggfried, You might find some info in this thread re Obergurgl..

https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=153171
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@Eggfried, I think you'll like it. Hotels are all pretty much in the nice to fab range although if you want ski in/out please let us know which ones you're considering as only Hochgurgl is all ski to the door. If its Obergurgl pick ones on the south side of the main road in general but you'll still need to know for sure to avoid a mistake?

The Apres is limited but providing the Nederhutte is doing its usual routine you'll be perfectly happy there. Nightlife is not extensive and the vast majority of folks tend to stay in their hotel of an evening. There are a couple of bars and the hotels are fine with a bit of inter hotel bar tourism.

I've never been out after 11 at night there so can't comment on what's doing but I suspect not much.

Its the highest resort in Austria, the village is at 2000m and the skiing is all above it, so pretty much the case that if there's no snow there then there's no snow anywhere in the Alps.

Sölden town is garish, nasty and sleazy at night although the skiing is quite good and a change for a day or two?

There are three tree lined runs and a fun park (nothing serious) in Obergurgl under the Höhe Mut peak. It's not a lot but if the weather closes in its better than nothing?

Never queued for a lift in 4 trips. Stayed in 4 different hotels and favourite of those was the Alpina. The Bergwelt was very posh but I didn't feel particularly welcome there. That sort of feeling that they think they're doing you a favour by taking your money and letting you in? Alpina was just as nice with really pleasant owners and staff.

As for enough, plenty for me but I've never been bothered about big mileage bagging and am more than happy to ski a nice run several times a day than look for another one just because its different.

Night skiing as well on the ski school display and fireworks night if you fancy it?
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The Edelweiss & Gurgl in Obergurl is ski in/out (well, lift out / ski back). The two main lifts are immediately outside the ski / boot room. Hotel isn’t cheap but it is good and very convenient
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@robboj,
Thank you all for your replies. Robbojf- we have booked the Hotel Alpenland. I have read all the reviews on it on Trip Advisor and you can ski to a roads width of the hotel. It’s family run and has very good reviews. In the morning you just ski down to the lift. It’s a bit of a walk back up the hill of an evening but it ticks all our boxes.
Everybody’s comments In here have Been really helpful, so thank you everyone. We don’t mind skiing nice runs a few times each day so it sounds from everyone’s comments that it will suit us fine. I figure that what it lacks in verity and size is made up for in the lack of queues. So more time on the slopes. I hate queuing. I have studied the school holiday chart for Europe and 6th March looks a good week to go. (I hope).
I feel a lot happier with our choice now.
What a nice And helpful bunch of people all you snowHeads are.
Thank you all
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@Eggfried, You might want to have a look at Serfaus / Fiss. It is not far from Obergurgl, it is two valleys to the west. It is not as high but is snow sure (certainly for early March). It has a much bigger skiing area. It does not have typical Austrian apres (not that is happening next season anyway) but that is not a concern for you. Nothing wrong with Obergurgl at all but it is small, ideal for a day or two very early or very late season but competent piste skiers are likely to find it find it a bit limited for stays of any length.
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@Eggfried, it’s a lovely little place, well groomed pistes and a real high-mountain feel as it’s mostly above the tree line. I’ve spent a couple of weeks there and I’d cheerfully go again if I saw a decent deal. In recent years I’ve spent more time in Serfaus and Ischgl, both have equally good piste skiing but are a bit bigger.
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There are no wrong choices here. Perhaps better ones for the next years.
If you'll search Obergurgl in the Snowheads' forum, you'll find many posts including my own.
It's a good place to start the season. Snow sure with 2 glaciers in Solden from November. Early March will also be good.
Cosy and mostly easy. In bad visibilty or bad weather days (not too bad, bus traffic will stop in heavy snow) you'd better get to the Giggijoch in Solden. But it's definitely not a challenging spot. Or a place for 2 intermediates enjoying reds for a full week and not keen to go on wide cruisy blues.
The only quality Apres was at Nederhutte before returning to the village.
We were at Hotel Austria with Crystal. A good choice for a family trip with beginners.
After Tignes you'll feel like entering a chill out meditation shrine.
Hence Serfaus might be a better choice. For this year or the next one, in a post Covid19 Austria, happy to party.
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foxtrotzulu wrote:
@Eggfried, We really liked it. Friendly resort, nice cruisey runs. Pretty village. Solden (town) is a horror IMO and I certainly wouldn't go there. I confess we did start to get bored with Obergurgl after a week but the snow was pretty soft so we had to stay up high.


In contrast to the above I'd recommend that you do indeed visit Solden for a day or 2 skiing. It will have more than enough to keep you occupied, with some stunning scenery - especially on the 2 glaciers.

And, while its not as picturesque as Obergurgl, we certainly don't find Solden "a horror." If we had we wouldn't have been about 10 times wink
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My first choice for the last 10 years - am 81 and have been skiing since I was 14! Hotel Edelweiss & Gurgl is my favourite with 2 lifts literally on the doorstep.
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skilegs wrote:
My first choice for the last 10 years - am 81 and have been skiing since I was 14!


I can only pray to any higher power that I can say the same at 81! Good for you!

I was in Andorra a couple of years ago and a mature gent at the lift pass office in front of me asked, in a very Germanic accent, if it was true there were free lift passes for the over 70s. He was told yes, he just needed a copy of his passport, so he left to get it. As he turned round he smiled at me and said "at least there are some advantages to getting old" Very HappyVery Happy
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:

You might want to have a look at Serfaus / Fiss. It is not far from Obergurgl,


Unfortunately we have already booked with Inghams. They don’t go to Serfaus Fiss. So we would not be able to switch to there. I don’t think Crystal go there either.
Will deffo have a look At there Next season
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Week March 6. is the last of the two “Hamburg-weeks”.
And Hamburg is the second city of Germany after Berlin, and definitely has more skiers than Berlin....
And Hamburgers like places such as Obergurgl.
Not too much of a problem, but should you be able to change to 13. March, it might be worth it!
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@Langerzug,
Quote:


Week March 6. is the last of the two “Hamburg-weeks”.
And Hamburg is the second city of Germany after Berlin, and definitely has more skiers than Berlin....
And Hamburgers like places such as Obergurgl.
Not too much of a problem, but should you be able to change to 13. March, it might be worth it!


Would that make lifts at OG ‘Busy’? From what I have read there are virtually no queues even during school holidays. I’m nervous of changing dates again, as to avoid the last week of French school holidays last season we changed our trip To La Plagne from 29th Feb to 14th March meaning that everything closed on the day we arrived. My pal was in La Plagne on the 29th and they had a great week with good weather and no big queues. I would kick myself if I got it wrong again!
One of the main reasons for going is the lack of queues. I’m balancing all the really good points of. O/G (there appear to be many), against the two negatives.
1) the size of the ski area and apparent lack of challenging runs (I’m not and advanced skier but can complete most reds with some kind of style. Blacks see me fighting to stay in control sometimes, and hard Blacks would probably see me coming down on my backside after falling!!!).
When you look at all the reviews there is a reoccurring theme regarding the ski area being a bit limited.
2) O/G is very weather dependent! - Most high resorts are a bit like this but most bigger resorts have more tree Lind runs for better visibility in bad weather. - we are hoping to have a better chance of decent weather in March, but I obviously know that the weather can do whatever it wants, whenever it wants!!!

We are really looking forward to OG. Just hope we aren’t disappointed.

Has anyone on here been in O/G during Hamburg-Weeks? If so, how busy was it? Would it be wise to move our trip on a week to the 13th March as suggested?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Eggfried,

I can't imagine Hamburg holidays having a specific impact on Obergurgl. It's not going to be like Val Thorens, which has a specific "Dutch Week" each April.

And, particularly if you ski a couple of days at Soelden, I'm sure you won't become bored. We like to ski everything - on piste, off piste, powder, gentle runs, steep runs, bumps and everything in between. And we just love being in the mountains. Suffice to say, we've never become bored of any skiing, anywhere. We always enjoy the mountain experience and make the most of it for the privilege it is. Very Happy

I think you should relax and forget about changing plans, or wondering if you will enjoy the trip. I'm more concerned about whether we will be allowed to ski anywhere safely this season, rather than worrying about choice of resort...
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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?
@Bergmeister is probably right, its quite likely we don’t have to worry about queues and crowds anywhere this season.
Indeed we need to wait and see first whether lifts will open at all this december...

(Dutch Week in Val Thorens is no good comparison by the way, because that’s a separate, specifically organized event.
In Lech we definitely notice the Hamburg-presence. But it is indeed not nearly as bad as New Years or Fasching)
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Obergurgl has one of the lowest skier densities in the Alps. Is has next to zero day trippers and it wont be rammed even on Hamburger week. Great place, I love it. The Nederhutte is one of my favourite apres ski bars (3-8pm) then in town after an evening meal hit the CU bar or Josl keller amongst others.
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@Snowfinders apres ski tips are not very usefull for coming winter...
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@Eggfried, another vote for Obergurgl, have had some great weeks there and would also recommend the hotel Edelweis @ Gurgl which is situated right at the bottom of the main chairlift

Also worth bearing in mind that the resort is linked by gondola to Hochgurgl which gives you more options and higher pistes (though bear in mind that this link can be closed in high winds)
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Thanks All for your great advice. Obergurgl it is then
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Just still need to decide if we stick to 6th March and risk it being busy due to Hamburg Week, or move it on a week to the 13t March?
From the comments on here March 6th still shouldn’t be too busy.

Fingers crossed that we all get to Ski this season
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Eggfried wrote:
Just still need to decide if we stick to 6th March and risk it being busy due to Hamburg Week, or move it on a week to the 13t March?
From the comments on here March 6th still shouldn’t be too busy.

Fingers crossed that we all get to Ski this season


Was there in what must have been the first of the two Hamburg weeks in 2019 and was none the wiser of the fact that Hamburg were in town. It was as gloriously quiet as ever, no need to change.
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@robboj, thanks Robboj. That is good to hear.
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