 Poster: A snowHead
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A mate and I are heading to Ischgl in Austria for a week at the beginning of February - I hadn't heard much about it before booking, but since then everyone I speak says it has both a fantastic range of terrain, and the most intense apres in Europe (described by one as "imagine Meri-hell to the power of 10 with lederhosen"!!!) - can any Snowhead authority please tell me if the skiing and apres are as good as my sources suggest???? Also, any recommendations for bars / restaurants etc.? 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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I've never been. For some reason it seems to be twice the price of most other Austrian resorts. As far as I know it has a great reputation so I guess this is how it gets away with being so much more expensive. I'm sure you'll have a fab time...
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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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jboyd39221, it's like when you buy a new car and suddenly everyone has the same one!
Ischgl is great, it's just somewhat un-marketed in the UK. I haven't been to Meribel so can't compare, but it is very vibrant, lots of terrain, lots of fun, etc.
There are not many Brits there so you will be skiing/partying alongisde Germans and Scandys mainly.
It's a favourite of mine, and for lots of other  - try doing a search to get some people's reports. Mine is on the resort report thread I think...
D
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Was there 2nd week in Dec 08.
Terrain..enough to keep an expert skier happy for a season.3 other resorts in the valley well worth visting other than Ischgl.
Apres..without fail, hit the schatzi bar at 4pm.
Also, there are no British ski bores around thinking that they own the resort (ie.meribel,chamonix,val disere etc), just loads of mad germans
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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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I wonder if there is a German ski forum advising fellow bavarians to give Ischgl a miss and try Meribel this year as there are no German ski bores thinking that they.... etc
Just a thought...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Off to Ischgl for a stag week(!) end of Feb so this is all useful stuff 
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is Meribel to the power of 10 a good thing or a bad thing? 
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jboyd39221, Ischgl is the best all round resort I have every been to (out of around 30). Go, enjoy it, then form your own conclusion. It's only let down is lack of really challenging skiing.
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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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harvey13, welcome to
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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queen bodecia, I agree with you about the price, the only way I could afford it is to stay in the nearby resort of Galtur! 
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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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| Quote: |
3 other resorts in the valley well worth visting other than Ischgl.
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I've been to Ischgl several times, but never visited the other three (Galtur, Kappl, See). I'm going again on the 17th. Can anyone advise on what these other three have to offer that make it worth spending time in one of them instead of in Ischgl/Samnuan? The latter has such extensive skiing, and such a good lift system, that I've never felt the need to explore up and down the valley to the other resorts.
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Kappl..no crowds, 1500m vertical,great off piste...
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You know it makes sense.
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harvey13, I agree, Kappl is great for a day or 2, especially if you have kids in tow.
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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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I'm going there for the first time on January 17 (staying in Galtur) so will find out for myself how good it is then.
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Poster: A snowHead
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I am with masmith, on lack of challenging skiing but it as a great all round resort. Loads of terrain and nice long pitches of healthy vertical but nothing really scary but We had a great time, especially in powder, the Germans and Austrians seem more interested in getting wasted so there was loads to go around....Also I didn't think it is as expensive as everyone makes out, I know the Euro is a shocker this year but we paid 3 Euros to get in pascha last year and 4 Euros for a bottle of beer....You should definetly try the airbag in the terrain park, we are all late 30 somethings and hitting that giant kicker and trying to throw any kind of trick without bodies smashing on impact is a scream..enjoy
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Gsyfreerider, that airbag is great, has anyone ever seen one elsewhere, I'm surprised they're not more popular
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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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| masmith wrote: |
| jboyd39221, Ischgl is the best all round resort I have every been to (out of around 30). Go, enjoy it, then form your own conclusion. It's only let down is lack of really challenging skiing. |
I dunno - between/off-piste there's lots of challenge to be had ... and in a week I suspect I just touched the surface of the potential.
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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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masmith, i think they have one at L2A.
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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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masmith, I am off to Avoriaz in Feb and there is one there but apparently you have to pay 2 Euros for it which sucks. Agree there should be more of them because they can't cost much to run. I seem to remember the one in Ischgl was covered in advertising as well so that must cover a lot of the cost. It's great for middle aged Tw**s like me who still think they're 16!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Quote: |
It's great for middle aged Tw**s like me who still think they're 16!
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yep, that's me !
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Ischgl, like Lech and other expensive resorts, is dominated by 4 and 5 star hotels. Thus it is not very profitable for the tour operators to market it.
There are affordable accommodations about but they are just not at the resort but a few miles away.
Skiing in Austria and Switzerland is more civilised and cater more for the middle ground, meaning there are not much beginner facilities nor the dangerously challenging steep slopes for the adrenalin junkies.
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Julian T,
I have been to and stayed in Kappl and Galtur but not See.
Galtur was quite a few years ago my memory is of some really pleasant North and East facing skiing uncrowded with enough steepness to make near pist off piste skiing worthwhile.
Kappl I skied last year for a day in fairly low light conditions. It is south facing and can get soft but was good fun.
See is North facing and looks like it might be worthwhile but I have not tried it.
If staying in Ischgl the lift pass for the other areas isa considerable add on, if staying outside Ischgl you have to get the area pass anyway and I would definately go for it.
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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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| Quote: |
There are affordable accommodations about but they are just not at the resort but a few miles away.
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Don't know what you consider affordable - but we got a very smart two bedroom apartment for 4 people in Ischgl itself for €700 (for a week) last January which we didn't think was too bad.
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| Julian T wrote: |
| Quote: |
3 other resorts in the valley well worth visting other than Ischgl.
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I've been to Ischgl several times, but never visited the other three (Galtur, Kappl, See). I'm going again on the 17th. Can anyone advise on what these other three have to offer that make it worth spending time in one of them instead of in Ischgl/Samnuan? The latter has such extensive skiing, and such a good lift system, that I've never felt the need to explore up and down the valley to the other resorts. |
I usually go to Ischgl, but went to Galtur last year with the family. As long as you don't mind the short bus ride then Galtur is an absolutely superb resort for families. For decent skiers and boarders I'm not sure it's really worth the trip from Ischgl for a day.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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only been once (4 years ago) but swanky village, lovely oldie worldie austrian feel with plenty of class. cracking barmaids in the troffana royale make it worth a visit, although i imagine you need a new mortgage to stay there! great not to hear english too much, and the village itself really is cracking. the food in the restuarants in town was excellent.
skiing wise, plenty of cruisey blues/reds to get involved with, and we didn't have the snow to try much else, but can cover it all off in a relatively short space of time. was feeling pretty samey half way through the week. if you want steep and challenging, look elsewhere.
my old man goes every year and loves it. he doesn't stop banging on about how great the lifts are, and in his view, it's a resort that sets the benchmark for lift systems. he went to vail last year and first thing he said when he got back was "well, it was great, but the lifts just aren't ischgl.." he likes his heated seats and domes and all the rest! to be fair, from memory all the chairs were new, big 6/8 seater jobs, and it was a good setup, but it's hardly a clincher in deciding where to go.
Give it 10 years and I'm sure i'll be beating a path to the Albona, but right now, it's not on the shortlist for a return visit.
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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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There's plenty of non 4/5 star accommodation in Ischgl (and Lech) - 3 star hotel garnis of high quality and decent price are not exactly scarce.
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