 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm off to St Johann am Tyrol for a long week end next week. Has anybody ever been? I remember some kind person had been to Fieberbrunn and gave me some useful advice last year.
Anything would be useful especially.
Best runs, flat bits (I board)
Best restaurants and bars on and off the mountain.
thanks a bunch
ashton
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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 went to St Johann am Tyrol for half a day in 2004 New year as it was included in the Ski Welt pass. I think Fieberbrunn is another small resort a bit far away from the Ski Welt circuit but I didn't go there. St Johann was small enough that I drove to Going to do the lremaining half day there. It took me 3 to 4 days to go through the Ski Welt and I was eager to see what Going, which was the last on the list, was like. Didn't have any particular memory of St Johann except remembering it having two skiing sections. It was good for crusing around but didn't have many lifts. I think St Johann is less than 10 minutes drive from Ellmau and even nearer to Going. I would take bus to Ski Welt for the sheer choice of terrains. Having said that I must admit that I am been nutty in the last few seasons doing one resort per day and my recollection of a resort is only relative only. By the way once in St Johann the Kitzbuhel circuit is also within the striking distance just down the road, possibly 15 to 20 minutes by bus.
Ski Welt is formed by 8 main resorts seven of which are fully linked. The detached one is Westendorf which is many times bigger than St Johann. The resorts of Ski Welt is formed like a octopus with the resorts spreading.
I stayed in Ellmau and the restaurants there were superb.
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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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ashton parker, Many years ago (1987 I think) when I had only recently started skiing I spent a week staying at a hotel in Oberndorf, which is a small village linked to the St Johann in Tyrol ski area. I seem to recall that there are some nice easy blue runs just above St Johann leading back to town, and there is also a long reddish run from the top of the mountain down to Oberndorf. Incidentally, my copy of "Where to Ski and Snowboard 2002" says that a new 8 seater gondola starting from Oberndorf was being installed for the 2001/2 season. It also says that St Johann has a funpark, half-pipe and jumps area.
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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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I am currently out of the country and haven't had the piste map in front of me but I recall St Johann has only one summit point. The second area is smaller and for the beginners practicing at the bottom.
This site suggests 670m summit, 19 runs making up 60km of piste and 18 lifts. Although the resort is small the runs are long.
Ski Welt is the largest resort in Austria. In term of size it has 250Km piste. French 3 Vallees alone has 600km.
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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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If you have a car I would ski Kitzbuhel, its only 15 minutes away..
I skiied St J and Ellmau (ski welt) last weekend. Snow is poor - patchy and icy. Hence the Kitz advice.
If you board at st J the bottom of the run to Oberndorf is flat, otherwise OK
It was VERY icy, hence the advice to go to Kitz, the new gondola there has opened up the higher terrain more easily.
Try Bunnies bar in St J (just near the railway line going to the gondola from the town centre), then the crowded house later on.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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thanks for the info guys. Just a week end away with the Mrs. No car. If snows bad will just sit in a bar and chill. Or get the bus up to fieberbrun.
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ashton parker,
Feberbraunn is very good and you can dive off here and there and get into deeper stuff if you want or cruise around.
I haven't been back there for years but there and Stienplatte were worth a day out. I imagine a post bus would get you to both and it is worth the effort. A week at St johann would be a bit much for me so I would go to the other places. Kitz is nearby
Feberbrauann and Steinplat are small areas but we had a blast in good snow. They are real Austrian villages without the glam of Kitz IMO.
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How easy is it to get between the feiderbrunn/St Johann and Steinplatte ski areas? Is there a ski bus? Or what about local buses?
Are they frequent/cheap?
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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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| lewis wrote: |
If you have a car I would ski Kitzbuhel, its only 15 minutes away..
I skiied St J and Ellmau (ski welt) last weekend. Snow is poor - patchy and icy. Hence the Kitz advice.
If you board at st J the bottom of the run to Oberndorf is flat, otherwise OK
It was VERY icy, hence the advice to go to Kitz, the new gondola there has opened up the higher terrain more easily.
Try Bunnies bar in St J (just near the railway line going to the gondola from the town centre), then the crowded house later on. |
I don't think Kitzbuhel is particularly good for boarders. Loads of flat areas and if you get caught heading for the path that leads to Jochberg you'll be walking for ages. Pass Thurn is probably where I'd head if I were boarding (which, of course, I wouldn't) and/or if I was looking for the best snow conditions and it has loads of spark new chairs.
Both Fieberbrunn and St Johann are better suited for boarders compared to Kitz as they are both downhill all the way. Both are less busy than Kitzbuhel. Recommend Fieberbrunn - the less talked about but better area.
If one area is icy, they all are (apart from Pass Thurn maybe).
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| Pete_On_The_Snow wrote: |
How easy is it to get between the feiderbrunn/St Johann and Steinplatte ski areas? Is there a ski bus? Or what about local buses?
Are they frequent/cheap? |
Haven't used the bus system there because I use car, but it all looks well connected up. Certainly regular buses ran from Fieberbrunn to/from Steinplatte and St Johann is very well served.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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St johann is quite a nice town with small but good ski area it is one area not two as suggested by some people no real flats bit to worry about for boarding. The ski pass includes the nearby resorts of Fieberbrunn and Steinplatte both served by free ski buses from St Johann. Fieberbrunn is a boarders paradise is a known as birthplace of snowboarding in Austria it has quite a good park and some easy and great off piste. St Johann is probably the best place to stay but I prefer skiing in Steinplatte and Fiebebrunn. If you go to Steinplatte do not board into Germany there is a really long flat bit and you might end up walking. On the mountain there are plenty of bars/restaurants to choose from wouldn't really say one is any better than the others. I fyou like to mix with lots of 16 year olds then head for Bunnies in town if not Rogi's Stadl is really good and also shows all the UK sport, also try the Gasthoff Baren in the main square, a nice early evening beer can be had at the Huber brewery which has a bar at the top of the brewery with great views on a sunny day. Apres is not that lively unlike most of Austria but Wednesday night's in max's bar is famous and pretty good fun.
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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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I have been to this area for the last 3 years and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Steinplatte is probably our favorite and we normally spend at least 2/3 days there, there's nothing too taxing but the snow always seems good. Richiavo is spot on with the lower runs toward germany, good advice (run 14)! The best restaurant is that way though marked 'steinplatte' at the bottom of run 1, just get the chair lift back up to avoid 14. Fieberbrunn is probably a bit better for the boarders and it's well worth exploring the higher runs, watch out for the choke point on the T bar by 8a when heading back. No particular restaurant tips on piste but in the centre of town is a little place that serves the best steak I have ever had, called La Pampa, I recommend the rib eye. Will be back there myself in about 3 weeks! Have a good trip.
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I went to St Johann last year first week of march. The snow was not great until the last two days due to high temps and no new snow fall. We decided day two to take the ski bus free on our pass to fieberbrunn which was better altogether. I was a beginner but enjoyed some good blues and reds and had great time. St johann was good too but atleast you have flexibility to move around fieberbrunn, st j and steinplatte. Bus journey from st J to Fieberbrunn nice and easy around 15 - 20 mins. I would suggest the skiing was intermediate friendly with some good long runs and a nice slalom course down the side of one of the good reds. Transfer from Salzburg was easy and around 90 mins tops. I can certainly imagine worse places to go and I would go back some time in the future.
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You know it makes sense.
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| lewis wrote: |
| If you board at st J the bottom of the run to Oberndorf is flat, otherwise OK |
I think the run lewis is talking of here must be the blue 6b down to Oberndorf. The black (but not very) 7 run down to the bubble lift at Bauernpenzing/Oberdorf would be fine on a board, I think (there is one flatter section in the middle but even that must be possible).
| Richiavo wrote: |
| If you go to Steinplatte do not board into Germany there is a really long flat bit and you might end up walking. |
This was very true (though not the 14 piste harryw mentions but rather the track 12). However, this year a new track has been made from the top of the Möserbahn to the top of the Scheiblberg T-bar on the German side which is relatively short and more practical on a board. However, there isn't really much point in going into Germany to board - the Winklmoosalm is pretty flat (which made it the place where I made my boarding breakthrough - though my boarding would probably embarrass most 10-year olds  ).
The restaurant spoken of by harryw is actually the Stallenalm - recommended.
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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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We went about 5 years ago for a long weekend (the year when there was no snow!). There was a cool restaurant (I think it is the one marked 2 on the St Johan in Tirol map (Grander Schupf) at the bottom of the 4a/4b runs. It had a slide to take you downstairs to the toilet. Now, as a boarder this won't bother you much, but as a skiier it was the best way to get down the stairs!
We took the bus across to Fieberbrunn a couple of times and it seemed to have better snow. We did like it as an area. I almost ended up in the half pipe - just managed to brake in time. I would not have been happy if I'd ended up in there at that time (not so sure I would be happy now).
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Poster: A snowHead
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Saalbach (via Leogang - watch yourself though, nearly had to walk from the station and it's a fair distance but some kindly soul picked us up) and Zell am See also trainable from St Johann (made the journey in the opposite direction last year heading for Kitzbuhel - the trains are great and dirt cheap).
Thought Kitzbuhel was fine for boarding personally - had a great day out cruising around Pengelstein and finishing off coming down the Hahnenkamm.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| CaurnieBred wrote: |
| Grander Schupf: It had a slide to take you downstairs to the toilet. Now, as a boarder this won't bother you much, but as a skiier it was the best way to get down the stairs! |
For a while I was imagining you skiing down to the loo 
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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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Would be a bit hard to turn around in the cubicle methinks
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