 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi guys, newbie here 
I'm planning a trip to Austria late this year (Dec) with my friend who boards (I ski).
Having never been to Austria before, I wouldn't mind some suggestions as to where to look at.
I prefer the quiet resorts, not too busy on the runs, or big queues for the lifts etc.
Also, we're planning on going December time, so a good bit of snow that time of year too.
Would anyone mind reccomending me a few places to look at?
Cheers
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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well took a mixed group of boarders/skiiers to St. anton in Jan and we all loved it...but it's not exactly quiet...spent a couple of days in Lech as well which is good but very cruisy compared too st. anton.
what kind of stuff do you ski / what kind of stuff do you like skiing?
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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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that early look for snowmaking - we really enjoyed schladming in jan last year. Quiet cruisy pistes and easy access from salzburg airport. ajxx
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Scottland, welcome to snowHeads 
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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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Scottland,
Welcome to 's
Pre christmas most resorts should be quiet and for early season I always think it is best to see where the snow has fallen before booking. If you are going for late Dec towards New Year or you particualrly want to book early there are the glacier resorts. In addition Lech /St. A, Ischgl /Galtur, Obergurgl and Obertauern are all said to be decent for early snow.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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why are you planning a trip in December when it's only early Feb ??? ... you should be planning a trip late Feb or March!!
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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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Hi there,
Would definately reccomend Obertaurn or Obergurgl/Hochgurgl - both relatively quiet, both pretty snowsure, and both have good network of pistes at all levels.
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Scottland,
Based on what you are saying I would scrub St Anton from my list of suggestions it really has very little gentle skiing and what there is is often crowded relative to other resorts.
If you can do January it is generally more reliable for snow than Dec (Though not this year in Austria from what I read). It is still worth booking late if you can as resorts really can vary quite a lot early season in unpredictable ways in their snow quality. On your criteria there should be an awful lot of resorts that would work very well and january is low season and you can almost invariably find accommodation last minute providing you are not trying something like Kitzbuhel at Hahnenkam weekend.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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dont crystal or inghams do 'white weeks' offer in obergurgl at the start of december - like an all inclusive deal with skis etc?
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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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I'd echo neilkav, and Mattmulkeen, - Obergurgl is good that time of year and should suit the both of you
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Thanks guys. I've had a look arouns, and have a good idea what most of the resorts mentioned are like.
If I were to look at Obergurgl, can anyone reccomend somewhere to stay? Prefereable an apartment for 2-5 people. But a hotel is ok, if it's not too expensive
Also, I have had a look at Solden, and this resort looks like it would be good also?
TIA
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You know it makes sense.
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Scottland, Solden has good skiing and a glacier so guaranteed snow but the resort is very rowdy... apres is very germanic and booze orientated, but may be quieter at that time of year. Obergurgl is more traditional, pretty, quieter and more sophisiticated. Obergurgl is also very snow sure but you can always get the ski bus down the valley to Solden if the snows not great. It depends what sort of holiday you're after... If it's couples or family I reckon Obergurgl is best, if it's a lads trip then Solden could be what you're looking for...
Not sure if you'll have much joy with an apartment in Obergurgl. I'd ask the tourist office, but it's mainly 3-5 star hotels. There are Pensions but there aren't too many eat out options unless you use the hotel restaurants in which case you may as well stay in one!! Haus Gugl is a nice B&B in the centre...
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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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Went to SOlden recently, there is a quiet end of town and a more noisy one, which is by the Giggijoch lift.
Like any resort, you can make of it what you want.
People always went on about Pas de la Casa in Andorra being Ibiza on ice. It was nothing like it at all ! Chill out bars, lively bars, whatever.
Obergurgl is meant to be pretty and Hoch-gurgl in particular. The snow in Austria is decent enough on piste at the moment and the glaciers in Solden have good snow. If you want off piste, then they were'nt very good a few weeks back.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Relatively snow secure although cheap flights and following the snow is my standard advice (I bet there's a few wish they had done that this year).
Obergurgl
Obertauern
Kaprun
Sölden
Hintertux
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Thanks for all your comments (again)
We'll be driving over from the UK, if we were to go to Solden or Obergurgl - what are the roads like - snow/ice wise?
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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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Long drive up to Obergurgl. Take chains or 4WD preferably.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Scottland wrote: |
Thanks for all your comments (again)
We'll be driving over from the UK, if we were to go to Solden or Obergurgl - what are the roads like - snow/ice wise? |
Don't even consider driving without winter tyres and chains. People might advise you what they got away with driving to France but in Austria it's different. There are insurnace & safety implications if you haven't got winter tyres (even if you have a 4x4). A much higher percentage of the roads are in the mountains when compared to France. Virtually all car drivers in Austria put on winter tyres, the ones who don't are considered idiots.
Do a serch on "winter wheels" or "winter tyres".
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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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Solden's not as high though. Check the snow conditions first.
When we were there the roads through town were fine and most of the way up the mountain.
Obergurgl is higher though I think. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Thanks for that, we were planning on taking a hire car - so we may reconsider. Although we can still have chains if they would be sufficient
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Scottland, If you are driving from the UK, and arranging your own accommodation, then another possibility is the Zillertal valley - not going as far up as Mayrhofen if you want a quieter resort. Hochfugen or Kaltenbach share a ski area with pretty reliable snow and good snowmaking (it was where we were taken when there was no snow in Neiderau in January this year).
Neither of those are served by ANY of the large UK tour operators, because they don't have very many hotels (but enough for you - I have seen suggestions that the big operators only go to places which can offer them at least 700 beds).
There is one small operator (Redpoint http://www.redpoint.co.uk/) that only operates to Hochfugen and nowhere else but doesn't do packages including travel.
Or there is Zell am Ziller in between those two and Mayrhofen.
And you can get a weekly pass that covers the whole valley, including theHintertux glacier if snow is really bad.
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| Scottland wrote: |
| Thanks for that, we were planning on taking a hire car - so we may reconsider. Although we can still have chains if they would be sufficient |
Chains alone won't satisfy the Austrian insurance companies even if someone hits you it'll most likely end up being your fault if you don't have winter tyres. I've driven to Obergurgl and there's no way I would even consider driving there on anything but winter tyres. Snowchains are for when conditions get really hairy, they are not a substitute for winter tyres.
Central europe hasn't got the sea to warm it up, snow very rarely lasts for more than a day in the UK. In central europe mountain roads can be frozen for months. Think of refrozen slush on a steep hill with new snow on top, summer tryres just can't deal with it providing neither the traction to accelerate or brake effectively. Do you really want to risk your family and car on that sort of stuff? A cheap flight probably won't cost much more but it'll be much less risky.
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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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Jesus ...the risks we've been taking for all these years (30) without winter tyres...should be dead by now. If you have chains as a precaution and know when and how to use them you'll be fine. if you want to stay that's another matter perhaps.
And don't bother pre-booking any accomm. Despite the rather obvious masses of zimmer free (room available) signs you'll be seeing outside all these very, very comfy and cheap b&b's, the local tourist offices are generally very good at getting you what you need.
Try a few resorts in the tirol that you have never heard of - like Lermoos. Places like that manage to produce world champions and so on, can't be all bad.
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| ron allan wrote: |
Jesus ...the risks we've been taking for all these years (30) without winter tyres...should be dead by now. If you have chains as a precaution and know when and how to use them you'll be fine. if you want to stay that's another matter perhaps.
And don't bother pre-booking any accomm. Despite the rather obvious masses of zimmer free (room available) signs you'll be seeing outside all these very, very comfy and cheap b&b's, the local tourist offices are generally very good at getting you what you need.
Try a few resorts in the tirol that you have never heard of - like Lermoos. Places like that manage to produce world champions and so on, can't be all bad. |
Your third post here and you have effectively advised someone to drive without full insurance in a foreign country and then advised them to visit a ski resort with 33km of piste. http://www.bergfex.com/lermoos/
You could drive around with duff insurnace and bald tyres for thrity years in the UK but it doesn't make it right. I'd agree with you that you don't have to book accommodation for Dec (exc Xmas) esp not after this season's snow though.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Quote: |
Solden's not as high though. Check the snow conditions first.
When we were there the roads through town were fine and most of the way up the mountain.
Obergurgl is higher though I think.
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Solden has a glacier which they bus you down to from Obergurgl if the snows no good. The resort itself is lower though.
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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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Another vote for Obergurgl/Hochgurgl. Ticks most of the boxes for you.
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Have a think about Ski Amade. We are 45 mins from Salzburg. Ski Amade had excellent skiing from the beginning of Dec. We are also just 20 mins from Obertauern which opens mid Nov although its not on the Ski Amade lift pass.
Also- winter tyres - you must have winter tyres on your car by 1st Nov.
Snow chains - you only need them with you to travel on certain roads - you will see huge road signs with pictures of wheels and chains. The road to Obertauern requires you to carry chains - as does Zachensee. Basicly its the roads that climb high - if the conditions are bad then they close the road, although they are very good at keeping roads clear over here.
PS - just had loads of snowfall - the skiing is fab!
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FAQ
), so any resorts need to have a good range of easy and intermediate runs as well as more challenging ones.
