 Poster: A snowHead
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Off to Ischgl on friday & just wondering if anyone has any recommendations about apres-ski bars, restaurants ( sense a drift here ?) pistes that must be skied, lifts with bad queues, ski instructors, ski hire - indeed anything that might add to an ageing hedonist's pleasure ?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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nickH, it must have been c.1968 that I was in Ischgl - a school ski trip - so my memory's a bit rusty! We stayed up the valley in Galtur, which has some nice mellow skiing if you want a bit of piste and quiet. At the time we skied there, there was a postbus linking the two resorts.
Galtur was the scene of the worst Alpine avalanche in 40 years, back in 1999, which killed 31 people:
Galtur avalanche (Wikipedia)
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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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Apres Ski - Nicki's Stadl near the Pardatsgratbahn is good fun. Restaurants - all the ones we've been in have been good, but I can't remember the names of most - Pizzeria la Nona is one I can remember and was excellent both for pizzas and other food. Queues - less queues for the Fimbabahn in the mornings than the other gondolas, some queues for the chairs up from Idalp, but never more than 5 minutes or so. The restaurant at Bodenalp is good for lunch, table service, cheap, and not crowded like the ones near Idalp. There are ski lockers and ski depots near the Fimbabahn and Pardatschgratbahn (presumably near the Silvrettabahn as well?) so you don't need to carry skis anywhere. Skiing brilliant (we came back saturday night - was snowing heavily then after fine week). I liked reds 80/81, 7/7a, 40, Blacks 14a, 34 and 35 were also good fun. Also dont miss the 7km Rodelbahn on Monday or Thurday night - it is absolutely hilarious (as long as you like sledging at high speed in the dark and crashing a lot!) Take a helmet and low light goggles for it.
As long as you enjoy skiing, beer, and food you'll have a great time.
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Last year I found queues at the Fimba gondola (A3) much shorter than the Silvretta gondola (A1) - although it has been upgraded this year so may be more popular.
Not got many specific comments on runs, but I do like the long run into Samnaun (60) - it gets quite slushy in warm weather, but it has great scenery. Get to the bottom and then get the bus to the double decker cable car L1 to get back onto the mountain.
There's a great food hut (tiny place) at the bottom of the Bodenalp lift (E3) to have something to eat on a sunny day.
Try the horizontal drag (E5) for a great experience - especially if you are a boarder trying to control your speed when it starts going down the hill!
As for apres - the Schatzi is good at the bottom of the Fimba gondola. At the bottom of the Silvretta gondola I like the Kuhstall. I would certainly try to find the Trofana Alm round the back of the Trofana hotel - great atmos with crazy Austrian/German music.
If you need to get a board (or skis) serviced I can highly recommend Silvretta sports - the best service my board as ever had.
Can't really comment of restaurants - we went half board last year. I have eaten out in Ischgl the year before last, but I can't remember where.
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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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Depends which side of town you are staying, as it can be quite a trek - I was Silveretta Bahn side, so there is the Kuhstall, Fire and Ice and the experience of a lifetime in the Trofana Alm - as mentioned above, it is behind the best hotl in town, the Trofana Royale....
Skiing wise, just go with the flow - never found a bad run or any queues (apart from first thing in the morning to get on the Silveretta..), having said that, the conditions were great....also found that the run over the top to Samnaun, there is a bar half way down - great curry wurst, cheap too....oh, and if wearing a backpack, be prepared to get stopped on the way back over at the customs office at the top of the chairlift 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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You have to search very hard to find a bad restaurant, poor hotel or a cranky old lift in ischgl... everything about the resort just oozes quality. One downside is that the instructors don't speak any or much english... it's a very germanic resort which in my opinion is a good thing! Some great Apres bars... Nikis, Nevada Alm, Elizabeth ice bar and kitzloch on one side of the hill, and Kuhstall, Fire & Ice etc on the other. Its not cheap by Austrian standards but its still cheap as chips compared to much of France and Switzerland. If your hotel is convenient try and use the Fimbabahn gondola to access the mountain. If as u say, u r an "aging hedonist" u might like the dancing girls in the Elizabeth or Pascha!!! Food is generally excellent if a little "samey" wherever u go. The only disappointment for me is the mountain restaurants which could be better although there's a couple of nice places in the alpe trida bowl on the swiss side and u can ski down to Samnaun where there are a coupleof fab places on the right as u ski down the track just before the town. Its worth skiing Kappl and Galtur for a day accessed via ski bus (or car if u have one). Overall the runs are excellent... mainly reds and blues but not a huge difference between the gradings. They're virtually all early to mid intermediate capability although beginners may struggle to get out of the idalp bowl. Ischgl is a fairly well kep secret from the hordes of Brits as packages are expensive generally and not many TO's go there (5 years ago is was only Inghams!).... All in all a superb resort... one of the very best in the alps if not the world IMHO
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SnowGod, I concur - so stop telling everyone about it !! 
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Many thanks all !,
some great recommendations there & all duly noted ! I had heard that not only was it a superb area, but also that it was Brit package holiday free, both big plusses in my book - I'm now itching to get over there !
thanks again
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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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SnowGod, I concur - so stop telling everyone about it !!
Ooops, sorry Guvnor... got carried away i love it so much! My lips are sealed from now on... "Stay away from Ischgl if u can't speak fluent German and don't like copious amounts of beer and lap dancing" will be my future advice!!!
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yeah, Ischgl is completely rubbish and the Trofana Alm is not loads of fun at all ... you'll hate it - stay away (and leave it to us) !!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Thank goodness I'm not going there this year, off to Kappl instead. 
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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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Hi Thinking of going to Ischgl next year as just got back from La Plagne which was fantastic but want a change - does anyone know if i can get an aaprtment or chalet for 7 as we have 3 kids and 4 adults and want to try and stay in the same place - thanks for any replys
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juliebenn, the Ischgl tourist office is, in true austrian fashion, really efficient, so the first place to try would be the accomodation section on their website. In planning my upcoming trip I requested the accomodation guide, which is quite a substantial magazine that contains a good number of appartments, a number of which, on quickly flicking through, would seem to be large enough for your needs.
Good hunting !
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You know it makes sense.
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No catereed chalets in ischgl as far as I know... had a good look a coupleof years ago. Loads of fab B&B's and apartments though. Just bear in mind when booking independently that the Ischglites are a "cash only" race and don't do credit cards for accommodation apart from the big 4 and 5* hotels. Just email the Toursit Office with your requirements and they'll email u "offers of accommodation" back... u then contact thehotellier or renter directly. They'll probably want u to transfer a deposit into their bank by interbank transfer which will cost £10 to £30 depending on your own bandits, i mean bank.
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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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Hi as we are going to be travelling independently and not with a company is it best to hire our skis and buy ski passes on line before we go (if you can) or wait til we get there and just hire it from a hire shop??
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Poster: A snowHead
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SNOWGOD - is there always snow in Ischgl in Jan / Feb or is it a bit hit and miss some years
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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