 Poster: A snowHead
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Bouyed by the optimism of fellow snowheads and the dumps of snow over Austria I have booked flights to Salzburg for the above dates!
I have always travelled to Ski resorts with a TO so have no idea where to look for transfers, hotels or even which ski area's are accessible from Salzburg, what would be your recommendations for this time of year.
I also presume that it will be best to wait until nearer the date to choose a resort... pre xmas there should be plenty of accomodation available last minute?
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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mollynmeg, Good for you for going independently!
From Salzburg probably the easiest region to get to is the Ski Amade region, which has quite a few resorts. You can get a train from Salzburg down to St Johann im Pongau, which is one of the main resorts and from its Alpendorf quarter has lifts to the slopes which link to Wagrain. Information on Austrian railways is here. Both the skiamade and tiscover website links have accomodation search facilities.
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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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I would wait until the week before you go before deciding on location. Keep an eye on snow reports to see which resorts are open with good conditions.
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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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You can go to Obertauern http://www.obertauern.com/ , they say some lifts will open 16 November - book a transfer bus on the website to take you from the airport to hotel, although I don't when they start operating this bus 
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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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mollynmeg, PM me and I can give you links to transfer compaines - it costs €40 to Ski Amade. As for where to go - well, Ski Amade of course. 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Kaprun is guaranteed to be open - just over an hour by car from Salzburg and 1hr 40 mins on the train to nearby Zell am See. There's a thread on this same topic somewhere else.
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mid nov is pushing it a bit.. i know we are all keen to get cracking but wouldnt it be better to save your pennies and have more trips, or longer trips in jan feb march n april?
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CANV CANVINGTON, good advice. Sport Gastein will open that weekend but I think you're much better to save up and go when it's a powder fest!
Only prob CC is mollynmeg's already bought flights. I'll will you some pow mate!!
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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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I have skied in the Alps every autumn of the last 15 years or so from September onwards. No panic whatsoever re. these dates - there WILL be decent skiing on the Austrian glaciers. Even in early last November - when snow cover was non -existent other than on glaciers - the skiing in Tignes (I know it's not Austria but same principle applies!) was surprisingly good.
You really will wonder why you've always waited until the depths of winter - a surprising number of skiers think there's no snow until Christmas, which means near-deserted slopes for those in the know about the glaciers. I've skied a foot of powder in the first week in October before (at Hintertux).
However, it's a bit unlikely (though possible in theory) that any non-glacier resorts will have decent snow that early. I suspect that non-glacier places like Obertauern will be opening a few runs on man made stuff so that they can advertise some early season skiing. I would forget non-glacier resorts unless the weather is completely freaky in the next few weeks and start planning for Hintertux and/or Kaprun glaciers.
A hire car is your best bet for maximum ski time and greatest flexibility. Kaprun is the nearest glacier but Hintertux, which is a couple of hours drive, is more extensive and varied and would be my recommendation. It will have at least 600m of vertical open at that time. You can get great accommodation on spec at that time of year - fantastic hotels (3 and 4 star) right next to the gondola in Hintertux village itself. Prices not bad (£30-50 half board) for that standard. It's also worth the money to stay at the bottom of the lift and stagger back to the hotel from the fantastic Hohenhaus apres ski bar. In full swing on a Saturday it has to be experienced to be believed. Europop has never sounded so good! There is also a great selection of cheaper B&Bs all the way up the valley in assorted little villages.
If you want to book accommodation at Hintertux in advance you can do so online on the Tux.at website.
Alternatively you can stay further down the valley. Mayrhofen is the biggest town. Again just turn up and knock on doors. Great restaurants and bars (though will be quiet in November) and cheap bed and breakfasts from about £15. The glacier is 30 mins drive.
Kaprun is a quite a nice town too. Zell am See (5 mins away) is particularly nice - bigger town with more restaurants and bars. Again, so much accommodation available that there will be no need to book.
As Austria is very geared up for short stays (no problem getting digs for stays of one or two nights) why not do a 2 glacier trip ie both Kaprun and Hintertux?
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mountainaddict, out of the normal skiable area of a resort like Zell am Zee, what precentage does the glacier make up, or rather what is the skiable precentage of the resort normally in nov?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thanks for all your help Guy's, I am sure nearer the time I will want some more info.
To those that PM'd me thanks also I will get back to you all.. eventually
As for saving the pennies... I could do that but I can't save the leave from work until next year, and this is the only date that me and my sister are boith available.
I'll let you know how great it was when I retrurn!!
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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 see Mountain Addict hasn't replied - so I'll answer your query. The glacier at Kaprun represents a large proportion of Kaprun's overall skiing - as it's quite a limited resort by winter standards. (Zell am See is a short drive away and is a separate town and ski area from Kaprun).
However, that's not to say it's a small glacier. As Mountain Addict says, you will be able to ski great snow next weekend. And the vertical drop that's skiable at the moment is over 1000m! (The same as top to bottom in Breckenridge, Colorado, in mid-winter....)
Here's a link with the piste map - you can currently ski to the bottom of the map, where the snow runs out.... definitely enough skiing to keep you happy for a couple of days at least:
http://en.kitzsteinhorn.at/panorama/winter.htm
I second his suggestion regarding Hintertux though. We are also going to Salzburg next weekend (out early Saturday, back late Sunday) and are planning to ski Kaprun Saturday pm then drive to Hintertux for Sunday. Can't wait! We'll just be turning up and knocking on doors for accommodation - no problem this time of year as Mountain Addict says. And everything from really cheap B n B's to posh hotels at a very reasonable price.
You'll have a great time whatever you decide.
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My choice would be 1)Schladming as it appears to have more open 2) Saalbach - easy to reach from the airport 3) Obertauern - looks like most of the area will. Forecast looks like more snow and cold so conditions seem reliable. Kaprun would be a good choice if nothing else was open, but it does take ages to get up there and down again. Which will eat into your short break. Enjoy it
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You know it makes sense.
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mollynmeg, Zauchensee opens on friday, Schladming is already open. Snow is forecast all week and there is tons of snow already. You can ski both places on the Ski Amade ski pass.
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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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