Poster: A snowHead
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OK, just by way of a record - all imho and only as far as I can say, some points that someone, somewhere, sometime may find (however slightly) useful to know -
Went to Hintertux for a long weekend early December 06. Great place for early season snow as probably the most extensive glacier skiing in europe. Indeed snow didn't disappoint. Flew to Munich. Booked car hire through Holiday Autos, but their provider Budget had run out of cars . Not wishing to delay things as I was hoping to ski same day, I didn't quibble when HA said I should pay first and claim back from them later. So far have only received 80% of the exorbitant on-the-day-rental charge back, but I'm confident I'll recover the rest ( ). The drive took about 2 hours 30 minutes in good-ish traffic, excellent road conditions, driving fast in Germany and legally in Austria. The route is easy. Follow signs for Austria, then Zillertal, then Hintertux (with satnav as backup ). Stayed at the Rindererhof, a 4* just to the right of the cable car station as you look at it. As convenient as you will get in Hintertux, plus a true 4* in quality and service, but no swimming pool (though use of one at their sister hotel a few hundred metres down the road). We skied with Pete Silver Gillespie of Alpine Coaching for a couple of days. BASI Trainer, but very down to earth with it. Genuine good guy, canny and effective teacher and of course ace skier. Poured snow on my last couple of days but roads remarkably clear even with a morning exit from resort. Returning car to Munich very easy.
Went to Murren last weekend. Charming and quiet place with great views but limited skiing even if it were properly open (which it wasn't). Flew to Zurich. Train station downstairs. Had Swiss Transfer Ticket prebought and predelivered via Swiss Centre in London. Train journey not unpleasant despite changing at Bern, Interlaken Ost, Lauterbrunnen, then from train to (linked) cable car at Grutschalp. Would've been more pleasant if luggage had been checked from LHR straight to Murren, but am told that sometimes it doesn't arrive at the same time as you, so maybe outbound still best to cart your own. View from lakes near Interlaken onwards quite stunning . Had to cart luggage up small hill from train station as none of the hotels' electric carts were running because it was Inferno week and a cross country race through town was about to start. Dragging the bags/skis uphill was no fun at all in the snowy course they'd laid down. Next day high winds closed the upper runs which still had good snow. The Inferno GS was run on the best of the remainig slopes so it wasn't open to the public. A couple of days later the Inferno proper was run and most of the upper runs were closed for that. Lesson: unless you're competing (which I've gotta admit is tempting) don't go in Inferno week (same week every year) . Stayed at the Anfi/Alpin Palace (the place can't seem to make its mind up what it's called). Purportedly 4* but imho not quite there . But don't get me wrong, it wasn't bad - HB food was pretty good and location also (the only other hotel we noticed with a better location was the Jungfrau). Went to the Jungfraujoch - not bad but probably only worth going to if you're staying on the Wengen/Grindelwald side (personally we reckon that going from one side to the other is probably too much of a hassle unless for occasional novelty value). BTW Murren has 2 stations LSMS (which is actually one of the stages of the cable car from Stechelberg (which you get to by post bus from Lauterbrunnen) to the top of the Schilthorn/Piz Gloria) and around 12min walk (not wearing ski boots) to the other end of town, BLM (which is the end of the line of the cable-car/train combo that runs from Lauterbrunnen via Grutschalp).
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