I haven't been to Mayrhofen and don't know anybody who has. What's it like when compared to Soll, Tignes, Val d'Isere, Les Deux Alpes or Chamonix?
We would be going in mid January.
The "we" is...
- a group of 8-12 people aged 25-30.
- approximate breakdown: 1/3 beginners, 1/3 low intermediate, 1/3 high intermediate/advanced. Zero experts.
- mix of couples and singles
- cost is a factor for some in the group
- all have a large liking for drink (we're Irish, so it's genetic)
Would be interested in any opinions...
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I haven't skiied in France so can't compare with those except by reputation. The skiing is a fair bt higher than the Ski Welt, so more snow sure than Soll, particularly at that stage of the season.
Mayrhofen is IMO pretty well ideal for the type of group you describe.
There isn't as much expert skiing as you would find at Val d'Isere or Chamonix, but it sounds like you wouldn't want much of that anyhow. There are a couple of the blacks at Mayrhofen that you might struggle on, but high intermediates will cope with everything else, including the blacks elsewhere in the valley (Kaltenbach, Hochfugen, Zillertal Arena).
And there is a decent amount of skiing for beginners and low intermediates.
While I didn't sample the nightlife myself, there are plenty of places to drink, and reasonably priced.
You should find prices generallly cheaper than France.
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?
dingbat wrote:
- all have a large liking for drink (we're Irish, so it's genetic)
Sorted then.
Popular with the Dutch, and they have a large liking for drink too.
Not been to any of the other places mentioned, so can't compare, but there's a good mix of skiing (ignore the fact that the piste map shows all red), and plenty of drinking establishments.
dingbat, As a fellow paddy it is perfect! I will deal with the important stuff first
ICE BAR, SCOTLAND YARD (Dinner somwhere) AND THE SPEAKEASY all fine establishments
The place has a little bit for everyone and alot for Begineers/Intermediaris and advanced skiers. If you can get over to eggelgam there is some seriously great cruising there for intermediaries wide and smooth piste with great gradients everywhere.
Try the Pizza at the board pork it is amazing!! Its a great resort and if you do a search you will find loads of trip reports etc in relation to it.
There is some great off piste if you know where to look aswell SMT are the best of the ski schools IMHO and if you are looking to rent and store gear Kroll (Address below is good value and great craic loves the Irish even looked after our Uchtarn once!).
If any of the group are actual 'never strapped in before' beginners, it's not the best resort in the world IMV. Nothing at valley level so they'll need a full lift pass, and the best (only?) genuine novice stuff is up on the Ahorn mountain where there's nothing for the rest of you, so that might divide the group.
I love Mayrhofen though. Make the journey to Hintertux while you're there too.
paulio, There are 5 nursery slopes around the bottom of the penken and at the top of the old two man behind the elk bar? It is a pain in the ass about having to pay the full wack for the lift pass allright. The run down from the top to the bottom of the Ahorn is a good laugh when its Icy you will be holding on to the mountain with air and suction
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Dinner at the Bruckke? (Bar there is good for a quick drink, we left Scotland Yard early doors last trip to get some kip beforew first day on the hill, sort of drifted in to the bar and left much, much later). Try the Hexengeist.
Worth having lunch at the Schneekarhuette (sp?) at top of the hill. I stayed there for a couple of nights, highly reccomended but you need a big (single sex) group as it's one big dormitory. Great having champagne breakfast up there and then skiing straight out.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Fri 26-09-08 14:06; edited 1 time in total
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dingbat, A nice resort, been a few times and it has been ok, just ok. IMO the others you mentioned are far better! Pay a little extra and go to Val D, if skiing is important to you.
Will agree with Ordhan, re Ice Bar at bottom of gondola and Scotland yard pub. Dont know the speakeasy by name but no doubt was probably drunk there on an occaision!
Certainly a party resort, so that may appeal but the skiing would not be the most challenging. Mind you I have not done the Hari Kiri run as the Ahorn sector has always been closed when I was there!
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I think the Harikiri is on the Penken hill, not the Ahorn.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Nice to see a bit of the white stuff there already, though appreciate it is very early. Off to Mayrhofen to experience Austria for the first time in early Jan...fingers crossed...
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.
Roy Hockley, The Hari is on the top of the Penken runs to the right of the Nordhanger lift. Speakeasy is the night club next to the icebar in the strass
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
Mayrhofen's own ski area is split between two main mountains: Ahorn is perfect terrain for beginners and Penken with a lot of fast and exciting reds, Penken is also home to the 38-degree "Harakari" black. But there are no runs back to the village itself. A good bonus is that the Zillertal Superskipass covers all 11 different villages in the valley. Buses are frequent and a free train goes down the valley to Zell am Ziller and to the mainline station at Jenbach. Queus for gondola cause some somplaints but can be avoided by getting there about 8.30 in morning and drinking in bars at the top in afternoon, they only throw you out when the queus is nearly gone.
There is a lot of bars and discos open until the small hours. Try: Sport Arena Disco, Ice Bar, Scotland Yard Pub, Win Win, Prinz Charles Pub, Strass Sports Lounge, Niki's Schirm Bar. For nightclubs, try: New Speak Easy or Schlussel Alm.
I like it more than Soll, but France can be good choice too
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Thanks for all the tips. So the ski areas aren't as "linked" as, for example, the Ski Welt (from Soll) or the Espace Killy (from Val/Tignes)? Is it more like Les Deux Alpes in that regard?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
dingbat, Yeah you have to come down the Penken to ski the ahorn, To be honest there is not a whole lot on the ahorn for any one more advanced than snowplough unless you are going to do the run back to the village on the ahorn or the ice lounge there is not a whole lot over there.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I did the Hara Kari on my back head first a couple of years ago, hesitated in a turn, lost my edge and there is no way back. You can't really stop once you've fallen until you are well down the piste. If you plan to fall, have a friend ski behind you to collect skis, poles, glasses etc
PS Any Snowheads going to be in town 24-28 Jan? (Rescheduled thanks to Sleazyjet)
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Not sure I can add much to what others have said, but I have been to Mayrhofen many times and ALWAYS had a great holiday. Can't remember a great deal about the skiing though, but it was all a while ago. The nightlife was great
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?
dingbat wrote:
Thanks for all the tips. So the ski areas aren't as "linked" as, for example, the Ski Welt (from Soll) or the Espace Killy (from Val/Tignes)? Is it more like Les Deux Alpes in that regard?
While the areas are not as linked as the Ski Welt, you have three main (internally linked) areas which will each give you more than a day's worth of skiing. It is only if you want to ski some of the smaller areas that you will really find it matters much.
The Penken area is large enough that if you blasted your way round it as fast as you could, you might just manage to ski every run in a day, but only if you were very good, and incredibly shallow. We spent a whole week on the main area, and didn't see all of it, so we went back 3 more times, and still haven't been to Zell am Ziller, as there was more than enough to keep us happy without taking the train down the valley.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Hi dingbat,
My parents are Irish and I like the odd pint or two!! I have been to Val D and Mayrhofen. You like beers and good nightlife go to Mayrhofen, plus the skiing is good as well. The Austrians are such nice people as well. Done the Ice Bar at the bottom of the lift for the first Apres session and then lot's of others and then ended up in Scotland Yard most evenings. Plus found a great US themed bar in the centre of town. The beer's, Apres etc in Austria is way better then what you get in France. ...Plus 7-8 Euros in Val per pint verses 3-4 in Mayrhofen. Would certainly go back to Mayrhofen again. So that is the Apres sorted.... The ski area in Val is way better then Mayrhofen, but that is quite good as well. If you are all serious skiers and want to knock up a lot of milage then Val has the edge. It has some great runs and you can get over to Tignes as well, it is awesome. If you are going for a trip where daytime and nightime activities are both important then do Mayrhofen. Done the Harirkiri run in Mayrhofen a couple of times... That is a serious mental run!! For beginners, I did not think Mayrhofen was that great unless they go over to the Ahorn area I read. Austria all the way on the Apres front, snow, friendly people and the skiing great as well. Hope that helps...
http://youtube.com/v/VsZ6-P28UfA&feature=related and http://youtube.com/v/L4_6vhxRSe0&feature=related (neither featuring me, I hasten to add...) gives some idea of just what Harikiri is about. It still makes it look flatter than it is, though..
nice vids. But when folks are straightlining a run, it tells you its not real steep, or short (and there's no one around!). The 'short' bit applies to Harikari, which has one quite steep pitch over the crest, but a few turns later, is much flatter. And I suspect it's pretty firm most of the time (it was when I skied it), which makes it quite tricky - definately tests your edge control. But with decent snow it would be a breeze for a strong intermediate, which the skiers in one of these vids clearly weren't
I enjoyed skiing in Mayrhofen/Zillertal immensely. Lots of terrain, lots of variety. I'd go back with no arm-twisting.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
The Penken area is more crowded than the other Zillertal areas. If you have a car - don't miss Arena Zillertal (access - Zell), Hitertux glacier, HochZillertal (access - Kaltenbach)
After all it is free
After all it is free
Hello, RedRun, welcome to !
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paulio, Ordhan, oops sorry. Thought I knew the area. Have not done the Hari in either case. It must have been a new piste, as I thought we skied out the blacks in Mayerhofen!
Ordhan, Yes was in the speakeasy then! Did not know it by name!
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
RedRun, welcome to snowHeads
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Got a great deal for Mayrhofen. Sweet!
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.
dingbat, who did you book with?
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
Done Marhofen 5 times now in the last 20 ears and found it a bit disappoining last year. the skiing is good and we were blessed wih fanasic snow last march, but the nightlife was not what I remember. the strass hotel as it used to be with the fantasic live music and incredible buzz is gone and although scotland yard still run and are great nights I found town a litlle quieter than it used to be.
I would second the different resort in the valley ever day if you have a car, that really opens it up, lets you get over to finkenburg for the first gondola up aswell, seems to take a litlte longer for that side of the resort to get busy.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
the theme bar in the middle of town mentioned earlier is Moes - more chilled out apres here with live music most nights (rocky stuff)
cannot beat getting mashed in the ice bar after a good day's skiing
as mentioned before there is not a lot in the ahorn for anyone more than a beginner although the 5k run back into the village is a cracking run - that said when i was there this year the penken was closed the first day due to high winds so everyone was skiing over the ahorn - better than nothing i suppose.
although the penken isnt linked in the same sense as soll/ski welt you can still ski for absolutely miles - the penkenbahn gondola takes you up there initially (avoid peak times at all costs - go early or late!!) but once you are up there you can ski up to finkenberg/eggalm/ratskogel and further (one of these links relies on a ski route which is easy if the snow is good but can be prone to closure if not)
i am a hige mayrhofen fan and would recommend it to your group totally
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