Ishgl - 23rd Feb or 22nd March?

A snowHead

Hello! Still looking at holidays but now looking at Austria, namely Ishgl. Looks great but options are either 23rd Feb or 22nd March. Which week would be better do you think, bearing in mind we are beginners? Does anyone know what the Austrian holidays look like?

Many thanks in advance!

Mirjam

A snowHead

Well, the 22nd till 29th March 2008 is the second of the two Easter weeks and peak season in Ischgl. It's going to be very, very busy and there will for sure be lines at the start of the day to get up to the skiing area - in Ischgl even the beginners slopes are at the top of the mountain. February is still high season but lines will be more reasonable. So, my recommendation would be for 23rd February. Ischgl's a great choice by the way, a real fun-place and my favorite - but actually, if you are beginners, you might want to choose somewhere where the beginners' slopes are right outside your hotel -you'll save a lot on lift passes for a start but moreover you'll be relieved that you don't have far to walk! Consider Obergurgl instead. or, if you are looking for extra night-life, look at Saalbach.

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The advantage with the beginner slopes being up the mountain is that they are much more likely to be in good condition than pistes at village level. We went last year at the end of Feb, and while it was busy, it was acceptably so. To reduce queues in the morning use the upgraded Fimbabahn - it gets less use than the other lifts as from the nearest parking you have to walk past the Pardatschgratbahn to get to it.

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Snow should be great either week that time of year. If u r beginners make sure u get the gondola down to the village at the end of the day. The runs home are icy, tricky, fake snow and full of p1ssed up Germans! If you are timid beginners u may struggle to get out of the idalp bowl but try to get down to Alp Trida for nice sun, restaurants and some easyish blues and reds which are wide open with no edges to fall off! I echo RobinS comments about accessing the mountain but would add that it depends where u r staying. If you're in the main part of town simply take the travelator through the mountain off the main street and it brings u straight to the Fimbabahn

Personally I would avoid advanced booking Saalbach that late in the season. Fine if u know theres snow there but often all the south facing runs are snow free by the end of march, and in a bad season there can be very little on the north facing side of the valley too! Obergurgl has great snow record just like ischgl... depends what kind of holiday u want... sophisticated and british in a small high quaint resort or wild and german in a big commercial resort....Both are high quality but FYI Ischgl is my fave... try to get there at least once a year!

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Ishgl - 23rd Feb or 22nd March?

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