ischgl?

A snowHead

I am interested in skiing Ischgl, in mid-February. I assume that some of you have been there. Please advise.

I love powder (off-piste), steep, and smaller crowds. Would Ischgl be good for this?
How is the snow this year, so far?
Is it expensive or could you find a basic apartment for two for the week reasonably cheap? Ischgl?
What non-skiing activities are available?
Is the crowd mainly English or German/Austrian or. I can get by with speaking German so no big deal.

thank you,

asland

A snowHead

asland,
There is quite a bit on Ischgl if you hunt, I am not that knowledgable but have been the last two mid febs and am going this one.

Powder, it's like anywhere it depends when it last snowed, it has a decent snow record though.
Steep, Not particularly on piste though there area couple of itinaire type runs that are not gentle. I go with the family and have not really explored far off piste though some say it is decent.
Mid feb is high season in Europe and it can get relatively crowded in the main bowl but not bad elsewhere.
Prices are highish by Austrian standards and we are staying in a village down the valley where costs are much more reasonable though the nightlife aint exciting
Non skiing has a reputation for being very lively at night though with a family I don't partake.
Mainly German speaking, with relatively few English tourists compared with some resorts in the alps. I speak very little German and get by as quite a bit of English is spoken and understood when needed.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Mid February is a peak week & will be crowded and worth avoiding.
Off piste is good but no powder guarantee, you should use a guide as we don't have the ski everywhere with the boundary rope thing so not all avalanche protected or patrolled.
Snow : Good start to season with good early base, Feb ? who knows.
It is one of the finest quality resorts in the world, i.e. expensive & owned by a select number of families. It won't be cheap but will be good quality. Modern lift system. The Dollar has strengthed so better for you now but the wealthy Russians will call the tune & keep prices high.
Non-sking - Full on après-ski on the promenade, Nightclubs, shopping boutiques and quality restaurants.
You can get by with english or maybe even american but an effort to speak German always goes down well.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

There isn't anything particularly steep, even their hardest marked ski route is nothing to write home about but there are plenty of long pitches between some of the pistes which is good if you have a mixed ability group particularly off the top of Palinkopf down to Gampenalp which is nearly 1000m vertical. When we went last year and it dumped, the whole mountain emptied very quickly, most people are there to party and we had an awesome time playing in the trees just doing laps in powder with no one else around. Great place.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

I did a season there in 87. There is plenty of Off-Piste (even now after they have lift service everything). Some of the classic runs are on the Swiss side down under the Cable car to Samnaum. Get back & I can tell more.

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There are Four ski areas in the Valley in this order

See http://www.see.at/
Kappl http://www.kappl.com/
Ischgl
Galtur http://www.galtuer.com/

If you buy the Sivretta Ski Pass you can ski all four areas.

http://www.ischgl.com/en-ski-pass-prices.htm

A regular Bus service links all resorts.

http://www.ischgl.com/en-ski-bus-schedule.htm

There are alot of small villages in between the ski areas also offering accommodation but these are more family types places (quiet)

All the outlying ski towns are fun & have good atmosphere but not full on like Ischgl.

After all it is free

asland,
As stanton, says regular bus service. they appear to work well but we have rented cars for transfers as well so use them.

I stayed in Kappl last year, it is quieter and family orientated,kids loved the night time tobogganing, we are returning this year.

I have in the past stayed in Galtur which is very pleasant at the head of the valley though a bit pricier.

2 Years ago we went to Samnaun which is on the Swiss side of the skiing and has very good access to the slopes. There is a slightly artificial village / resort at the head of the valley with a lot of duty free shops and some pleasant more rustic villages further down.

Every time I have been it has been with family and friends with youngish children, nightlife has not featured for us but I don't imagina any of it is as vibrant as Ischgls is said to be though all appear to have at least one or two lively bars.

The powder doesn't seem to get tracked out very quickly.
I have been on untracked powder days after the last snowfalls - and that includes the stuff accessible from the lift system without hiking.

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

we went this year (march) and had an incredible time. With stronger dollar, itllbe a lot cheaper than Colorado. I blogged about it - some of it is here with pics linked:

http://gortonator.spaces.live.com/?_c11_BlogPart_BlogPart=blogview&_c=BlogPart&partqs=amonth%3d3%26ayear%3d2008

There's a massive amount of off-piste and not a lot of competition. We're thinking of heading back this year, combining with some other hills in the area. It was huge! Some video too:

http://youtube.com/v/G7qS64F53MU

Snow record is reliable, but you takes your chances, like anywhere when going to Europe. i'd do it ...

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

For me it's the ultimate Austrian resort. Stayed there 4 times and never found it overly expensive however we tend to put our own packages together. Typical costs staying in Ischgl centre in a nice B&B run at about £450/£500 inc flights and hire car for the week. I would'nt even go near a tour operator as their prices seem to start at around £800.

Both the skiing and apres are top class and the village has a real Austrian charm about it. I'm sure you won't be dissapointed.

snow reports

Is Galtur a quaint town - where one can get an Austrian feel - or is has i been overrun by foreign tourists?

You know it makes sense.

Help!!

ischgl?

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