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Will I regret this?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I'm just about ready to book a fine ski-in ski-out hotel in the high Austrian resort of Obertauern for 2 weeks over half-term. Is the skiing big enough to keep us happy for 2 weeks? 5 adults all either strong or fit intermediates who do at least some off-piste, 5 kids all under 10 but race club members.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Nope, you already know you need to go to Frosty the Snowmans La Rosiere. Cool
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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?
boredsurfin, perhaps he'd rent me his new chalet?
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slikedges, or Johnboys Toofy Grin
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Slikedges -- Obertauern has a tiny 95km of onpiste.

It is one-half the size of Saalbach (200km), one-fourth Zermatt (350km) and one-sixth ValTho (600km).

One week is fine. The onpiste is reasonable and the offpiste is half-decent.

But two weeks will suck.

My rule-of-thumb is that a resort needs atleast 100km, preferably 200km, to amuse for a week; and atleast 300km, preferably 400km, for a fortnight.

Perhaps think about doing a two-stopper. One in Obertauern, and one in, say, Saalbach.
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slikedges, Whitegold says it will suck. Go for it!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
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slikedges, I have never skied there, but good friends who have skied twice with us in Les Saisies (linked into Espace Diamant) had previously been to Obertauern for a week, and said they found our area - which is hardly vast or very challenging - much better for piste skiing (they don't do off-piste). More varied, more interesting, a lot more runs, fewer people. They said they would not go back to Obertauen for a week and I'm sure they wouldn't go for a fortnight. They have visited a number of resorts, including some small ones in the eastern US when they lived in Washington, so I don't think they are making unrealistic comparisons.
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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!
Forr a 2 centre break why not try somewhere like Wagrain which is at the heart of the Ski Amade and much closer than Saalbach.
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slikedges, We were there two years ago (Two families). We went for a week and thought it was great. I thought the pistes were varied and interesting. I didn't ski much off piste because of the group that I was with but what I did was enjoyable. An instructor I had for a private said the off piste was generally very safe indeed from avalanches and the little off piste I did with him was good. The area is not large but the mileage is probably a little deceptive as the height ensures pretty much all the skiing is in good condition so there are no runs counted which you don't want to ski because of the snow conditions. Our children really enjoyed the whole area. We were there for the february half term break and although the resort was not quiet it was nothing like as bad as I have experienced in France at the same time though there was the odd queue.

Is it too small for two weeks? I think that is a very individual thing, I would certainly have enjoyed a second week there. If skiing variations of the same runs is not your thing others may differ. I think that quality of snow outweighs quantity of runs. Having said that I quite enjoy visiting other places. When we were there we purchased the Salzburger ski pass which was only a little more expensive than the local pass and allowed us to ski elsewhere. We went to Flachau and Zauchensee, I really enjoyed the latter as it was quiet and varied, Flachau was not. There are a lot of other resorts close by if you have transport. Obertauern sits on a col and is well known for attracting bad weather, I guess this means in a two week holiday you have a pretty decent chance of getting some powder, but with much of the skiing above the tree line it can be a little bleak and wind exposed at times. My own view is that with my own transport I would jump at a two week holiday there though I can see why others differ.
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Whitegold wrote:


But two weeks will suck.


In the context of skiing, this statement for me does not compute Toofy Grin
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slikedges, I skied there for 5 days and thought it the most interesting piste skiing I'd done anywhere (except maybe the 3V). I much preferred the bowl shape of the resort (where you get a different aspect and view on almost every run) to resorts where you have half-a-dozen pistes on the same side of the hill where each one feels exactly like the last one.

There are definitely runs that you will want to do again and again, with an almost infinite number of variations. Alternatively, if you like the feel of clocking up miles, you get that as well as you can do the circuit in either direction. I didn't get to do any off-piste (apart from a bit off the side of a few pistes), so can't comment on that.

If you do want to explore other areas then there is options within 10km in either direction and loads of other skiing within a 20km radius (an easy bus ride or taxi).

Would you get bored in 2 weeks? Dunno. But possibly, it largely depends on what you like doing. I didn't get at all bored in the time I was there (and I do get easily bored) and it would be top of my list of resorts that I'd like to return to.
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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.
Many of us go for a season or even a lifetime to the same resort, sometimes very small ones! I have skiied the same mountain for year and years and I don't get bored...
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Skied there for a week with the school. Snow conditions were alway good with snow showers happening nightly (back in 2006 in february). The off-piste there is just awesome, as long as you have a guide to show you where the stuff is as most of the good off piste is a 20 minute hike away. We ended up skiing on the other side of the mountain down and there was tree skiing involved, awesome fun.

Two weeks, ya you might get bored, but it all depends on how you ski. One week, by no means will you get bored, a great place to go skiing and a place I wouldn't mind going back to at all!
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
We have been for a week and certainly think we skied most of the runs it that time. A lot would probably depend on if you were taking lessons or just free skiing. I did like the resort and would return you also have the advantage of guaranteed snow conditions.
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
slikedges,

I never judge a resort by mileage. I'll look at a map and see what terrain the lifts serves and if it is a snow bowl then with the safety concerns taken into account, your line down is your own. All you have to do is aim for a lift to get you back high again and this will make laps hugely enjoyable if the conditions are good.
2 weeks will need a lot of variety but you can bomb round the pistes, get out a guide, plan a walk and a picnic..all on skis, of course.
Maybe a trip into the next valley or resort. You can not and will not be gunning it for two weeks so pace yourselves and plan varied days.
If you try doing two weeks doing piste mileage then it could be limiting but if you keep your eyes peeled about little drops here and there and spot a few wayward tracks and ask the hotelier or locals about alternatives, then the whole area might open up.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I dont get it, 100km minimun for a week, do you just ski about taking pictures, i mean what's the real difference in the other 100km's you require, it's still snow on a mountain, how does enjoyment equate to distance travelled, i can ski all day at glenshee always in sight of my car and still have a ball
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
geeo,
Quote:

i can ski all day at glenshee always in sight of my car and still have a ball

Some days you can get very wet though. wink
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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?
I spent a week skiing at the ski area of Rofan Am Achensee in Austria with 12km of pistes - basically one long red and a black. I had a great time!

I say go for it, and if you really do get bored take a private lesson and learn something new.
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slikedges, I would pack a second set of larger ski gear for week two
We have stayed in three different hotels in Obertauern and always found we could not ski off all the calorie intake
As others have said you may want to try some of the other local areas if you are there for two weeks but it should be easy to do.
We are booked to go for seven days at the start of Feb if ten days was an option I would certainly have went for it
If two weeks was on the cards I think I would go with a two centre option
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Whitegold, It may be half the size of Saalbach but last year when the snow was poor down there Obertauern had its runs open
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I went for a week & would gladly have stayed for a second week. The lunchtime & early evening apres ski is superb. You can always have a couple of days at Solden, if you need a change of scenery.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
geeo wrote:
I dont get it, 100km minimun for a week, do you just ski about taking pictures, i mean what's the real difference in the other 100km's you require, it's still snow on a mountain, how does enjoyment equate to distance travelled, i can ski all day at glenshee always in sight of my car and still have a ball



Size matters, dude wink
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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!
Thanks to each and every one of you - I feel reassured Very Happy Sorry Whitegold, 2 weeks it is! Canada will wait another year. T Bar, thanks a lot, we'd thought about daytrips to other places but didn't know about the Salzburgerland pass - I'll look up the price
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ssnowman, Long drive to Solden from Obertauern I think Puzzled
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Garfield, I thought it said Obergurgl Embarassed Embarassed
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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ssnowman, Think I could cope with a couple of weeks in Obergurgl as well Ive not been there for years
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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.
Definitely check out the Salzburgerland ski pass. For a fortnight it is worth the extra to give you the flexibility. Like T Bar, we have enjoyed skiing Zauchensee and also Flachau and Wagrain on the extended pass, so I think it would be a good move. But also, Obertauern does offer quite a lot of variety even though piste mileage per se isn't that large. And off-piste is good.

D
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
I must admit I fall into the category of not understanding the need for constant change - we've been to the same resort for last 4 years and still like skiing there - to me every run is a little different, snow, weather, crowds etc.

Still each to their own so I'll shut up
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:
i can ski all day at glenshee always in sight of my car and still have a ball


I've skied all day at glenshee always out of sight of my car... including when standing loading gear in the boot! Laughing
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
slikedges, been loads of times love the place.. great for a week with the family great place for a few nights with the lads and its easy to get to.. 2 weeks? well if its the first time you have been there then you should be ok but i reckon your pushing it a bit and will need a couple of trips out weather permitting to break it up a bit..
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
First Post - We have been there (obertauern) 6 times in 3 years, and have just booked 2 weeks again! Whilst there is not miles and miles of runs, none of the runs that are there are those motorway ones where its just a means of getting from A to B. The "bowl" has been noted here, meaning its very quick to get from one part of the area to another.
Other plusses I can think of -
There's a road down the middle but (I think) there are 6 ski bridges.
Most lifts are the accellerated chair type (Sesselbahn). some are even heated
Apres ski rocks, and where you are staying is critical if you like late nights. basically, anywhere near the Lurzer Alm
There's "different" skiing...Nachtskilauf (night skiing) twice weekly and a Geisterbahn for the nippers.. lots of ghosts and ghouls lurking in the trees. Also Kite skiing
I reckon its reasonable as well, for lifts / meals / drinks etc. Habersatter (Radstadt) do a return salzburg airport for €40 each in a minibus.
Whilst its a purpose built resort, it still has a good amount of Austrian charm
Minuses -
weather can be very, very inclement
.......errrr.... thats it
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
oddbod, welcome to snowHead s

V informative first post!
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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?
oddbod, How lovely, a first post offering information rather than requesting it! Welcome to snowHeads indeed. Toofy Grin
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Whitegold,
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