 Poster: A snowHead
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Not a proper report, just a quick update on our trip last week. Went to Zell Am See and had a fab week. The snow is in good nick at the moment and there is plenty of it, plus it was snowing at Salzburg airport again last night as we were leaving, so expect there will be new fluffy stuff around the region this morning. They've had a long run of cold weather after the Christmas snows, so everything has stayed more or less where it fell, which made for some nice skiing.
We skied at Zell Am See, Saalbach-Hinterglemm and Kitzbuhel on the new All-Star card, which was only slightly more expensive than the local pass but loads of skiing to go at.
In Zell Am See, the run down to Schuttdorf was probably in the best condition I have ever skied it, right the way down to the bottom, and the Sonnenalm area was lovely and quiet  .
In Hinterglemm, the snow was again great, but we had a very cloudy/foggy day so poor vis made for less fun skiing  . Still, a bad day on the mountain is better than etc. etc. etc.
We drove up from Zell to Mittersill to get into the Kitz area, and really, for a 20 minute drive, it was great to have such a massive new area opened up on the new lift pass. We skied from Resterhoehe (I think) over to just above Jochberg and back, and whilst there were a few icy areas (due to wind rather than freeze/thaw), we had a lovely day on and off-piste in that area. When we had holidayed in Kitz a few years earlier we had never made it that far over, so it was good to approach the area from the other side - it's worth a trip if you are in Kitz, either ski there, or drive there and ski the area itself without being already tired from getting there! And we felt it was also well worth the trip from Zell, although I am not sure how easy it is to get there without a car - there is a narrow guage railway that runs to Mittersill, so that would be the best way I think. It made for a welcome change of scene after a week in Zell, as that part of the Kitz ski area is quite high altitude, not as many trees, and much more open with some spectacular scenery, so it really felt like quite a different ski experience and well worth doing.
Nowhere was busy, but it was lively enough in town in the evenings. We didn't queue for a lift all week, and frequently had pistes to ourselves.
As people seem to have been interested in the great alpine beer/food price debate, I can report the following:
Zell (mountain): Goulash soup EUR3.50 to EUR4, large beer EUR3.30, Hot choc EUR3, Tirolergroestl EUR8, Chips EUR2.80
Zell (resort): We only ate out once, but had three courses each plus nice bottle of wine and schnapps at the restaurant in the Freiberg hotel, which has an excellent rep for food with fish specialities, and the bill came to EUR75 for two people. Would have been quite possible to get a nice evening meal of 2 courses plus wine for less than EUR20 per person. Gluehwein was about EUR3. Our supermarket shop for the week including beer, wine and 4 x evening meals for 2 people, as well as breakfast stuff etc. was EUR54.
Hinterglemm (mountain only): Goulash soup EUR4, large beer EUR3.45, jacket spud with bacon and soured cream EUR4.80
Kitz (mountain only): Goulash soup EUR4.80, large beer EUR4.50, hot choc EUR4, ham & cheese toastie EUR4.80
Yes we ate a lot of goulash, but for the uninitiated, it's a very good filling warming lunch!
Zell and Hinterglemm mountain prices were in the same league, Kitz was noticeably more expensive, but on the whole, we felt that prices that would have felt like a bargain a year ago, now felt 'about normal', as in no more expensive than the UK, but not much cheaper either. So that's due to the change in the Euro, not really due to higher Euro prices at point of sale.
Town felt quite lively, but restaurants on the whole were quiet. A lot of people seem to be eating/drinking in or staying on hotel half board deals.
Props to the Schoberalm on the way down to Schuttdorf for really excellent food!
Only 6 weeks till we go again!
D
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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please note a llarge apple juice which is not as large as beer will set you back 4.40 eu
and the moral of the story IS drink more beer
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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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Deliaskis, thank you for great report. You covered a lot of ground in your week.! Glad you had a good time. Where about 's is Frieberg Hotel ?
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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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Thanks Deliaskis, nice report. We're off to Kitzbuhel next week so good to read about the snow conditions in Resterhoehe/Jochberg area. We always prefered the skiing over there for the better quality of the snow and fewer people - this year we're finally hoping for decent snow and we might be able to ski more of the Kitz area down to the valleys.
The restaurant at the bottom of the gondola down from Resterhoehe does the best Groestl - and cheap! A couple of times we've skied/gondola-ed down to there just to have lunch - mmmmmm
For anyone based in Kitzbuhel - it doesn't take too long to ski over to the Pass Thurn area from Kitz itself - and there's always the option of the ski bus back if you don't fancy/too tired to ski back. Make sure you have a bus timetable with you as the buses are pretty irregular but we've found they do at least keep to the timetable.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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alicia, the Freiberg is also called the Seehotel. If you go down to the lake, past Crazy Daisy's, and go as if you ar going to the Grand, but turn left along the lakeside walkway/cycleway. the Freiberg is about 5 minutes down there.
It does excellent food with always several fish choices, and the restaurant manager who is called Mike (or Michael, or perhaps Meikel) or something like that, is really very good, friendly, and excellent service.
The winelist is also very good, lots of Austriah whites from Steiermark and Burgenland which are fab. For the unintiated, Austrian wine is NOTHING like German wine. The whites are really excellent, dry, clean, crisp flavours.
OK, so now this post is not about skiing or snow at all, it's actually about food & drink!
Oh well  !
cathy, just spotted your reply. There was more new snow after we left Salzburg, so you will get even better conditions than us.
D
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| Deliaskis wrote: |
We drove up from Zell to Mittersill to get into the Kitz area, and really, for a 20 minute drive, it was great to have such a massive new area opened up on the new lift pass. We skied from Resterhoehe (I think) over to just above Jochberg and back, and whilst there were a few icy areas (due to wind rather than freeze/thaw), we had a lovely day on and off-piste in that area. When we had holidayed in Kitz a few years earlier we had never made it that far over, so it was good to approach the area from the other side - it's worth a trip if you are in Kitz, either ski there, or drive there and ski the area itself without being already tired from getting there! And we felt it was also well worth the trip from Zell, although I am not sure how easy it is to get there without a car - there is a narrow guage railway that runs to Mittersill, so that would be the best way I think. It made for a welcome change of scene after a week in Zell, as that part of the Kitz ski area is quite high altitude, not as many trees, and much more open with some spectacular scenery, so it really felt like quite a different ski experience and well worth doing.
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I agree the extended lift pass is a great option, just another 20 euros or so on top of our Ski Welt pass & gives you loads to go at especially if you have a car. We skied from Westendorf through the Kitz area to Pass Thurn (Mittersill) last Friday & got stranded there when they closed the lifts we needed to get back because of a storm. Oh well, had a nice late lunch in the Breitmoos Hotel before an hour long bus ride back to Westendorf.
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Deliaskis, Thanks, very useful, we are off to Hinterglemm in March and was wondering how much mountain food was going to cost us, we are half board but our adult sons (that are joining us this year) are worried, as they eat like horses! We don't expect it to be cheaper than the UK, as long as it's not too much more.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Wed 28-01-09 9:33; edited 1 time in total
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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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Deliaskis,
A nice week to cover the 3 areas. Good info on the ski pass too.
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FAQ
It's for 2 people, and is a HUGE portion!!! Yum 