 Poster: A snowHead
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rubish, rubsh, rubish !
I learnt to ski in Austria and have been in France ever since. Went back with a group of 4 as thought, in my msystical rose tinted memories of fun apres, difficult runs, excellent lift service... etc, etc..
The area(on piste) was tiny, squashed in, time consuming to reach all parts, BUSY on the main runs, Mogules on the main BEGINNER runs back home, the village too widely spread, poor bus service, no local wines at a reasonable cost (18euro +), expensive ski schools, apres bars that treated women as if they were like thailand whores.
However, we did have great fresh snow conditions and fresh powder three days that disguised the unpleasantness of this place. Had it not been for the snow, i'd have flown back early !
One of our group is a blue run skiier in France.... she skiied EVERY BLACK fine in a resort for "adventurous intermediates".... she is not that!! Whilst the off piste was good, no pisted runs were challenging for even the least experienced of our group.
The lift system was great, there were about 3 lifts per run, yet the links between the parts were impractical!! that'll be why the lift pass wass over £200 for a pretty small area!! The queues were like nothing that i'd experienced, the runs to the bottom were busier than the M25 on a friday night and in a terrible state. to get a gondala down was a 25minute wait.
See you next year..... back in France
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Libertine wrote: |
| ..........fun apres, difficult runs, excellent lift service... Mogules ........ local wines ....thailand whores........great fresh snow ............fresh powder three days ...........the off piste was good...... |
Ticks all my boxes 
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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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Libertine, Sounds like you went to a different Solden than we did. Plenty of fresh snow, no queues on the lifts, gradings to suite eveyone (you *do* realise that gradings are resort-specific?), and excellent ski school for #1son.
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| One of our group is a blue run skiier in France.... she skiied EVERY BLACK fine in a resort for "adventurous intermediates" |
Bully for her! But there is a big difference between being able to get down a black, and doing so in style and with finess. Any foool can go fast on a black run: going fast on a green/blue is far harder.
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I would go to France every time - Austria is for losers ! 
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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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RobW, "style and finess" is not something that is the issue. She done blacks on her own (which is unheard off) as thearea was VERY tame. I'm not saying that she is the most stylish, but she struggles on most french reds but here she looked (ok not stylish) but pretty damn competent on the Blacks.
I was told that the area was "difficult".... !!
I must say that there was one nice bar, an Irish Bar at the far end of town. chilled relaxed atmosphere and great bar food from the grill next door.
Just saying that its back to france for a "way f life" as opposed to manic fools.
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Never been to Solden but I generally prefer Austria to France. The pistes are generally easier and more to my liking, the accommodation is more hotel-based, rather than self-catering, bars are normally fun and the villages quaint and lively. Never really witnessed large queues anywhere but I never ski at peak weeks...
Sorry you didn't like it but Solden sounds my kinda place...
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Smokin Joe, THATS RIGHT !
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queen bodecia,
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The pistes are generally easier
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I REALISE !
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villages quaint and lively.
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modern village made to look like they are old... not quaint !
Lively as in full of groping animals.. if thats your cup of tea.
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Sorry you didn't like it but Solden sounds my kinda place...
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I thought you liked a lot of personal space ?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Libertine, If the blacks [hardest graded runs in a resort] are too easy, then there are plenty of harder unmarked runs to try out. But of course, you have to be suffently adventurous to go and try them.
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RobW, I have said that the of piste was good, but that is not suitable for a whole group. If a French blue run skiier can handle all the blacks, it should not be described as an "adventurous intermediate" .... an intermediate should remain , ideally on piste, whith enough to test them??
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I definitely wouldn't like 'groping animals', but fortunately I'm not the sort of gal that these sort of creatures target...
I did meet some people in Kitzbuhel last season who sang the praises of Solden. One person's nirvana is clearly another person's hell. For example, I hated La Plagne, my worst ever ski holiday and I can't see myself ever going back there...
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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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Libertine, I wouldn't agree that Austrian villages are made to look old or quaint. Buildings don't look old just attractive as considerably more care and attention is paid to both in terms of design and build quality.
queen bodecia, Unfortunately, Solden is the exception that proves the Austrian rule. I've been to loads of Austrian ski resorts and Solden is by far the ugliest. Its crammed into a narrow valley with much of the accommodation halfway up the hillside, has a very busy road running right through the middle and some of the buildings are not very traditional in style. Good night life though. Of course, its all comparative, its still far more attractive than most resorts in France
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| Libertine wrote: |
| bars that treated women as if they were like thailand whores. |
| queen bodecia wrote: |
| Solden sounds my kinda place... |
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You know it makes sense.
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its still far more attractive than most resorts in France
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it doesn't sound it, it sounds grim. More attractive than the likes of Flaine, Les Menuires and Tignes, maybe. But there are loads of quite attractive resorts in France. Big lift queues at this time of year are really not on.
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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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i went through Solden on a bus in the evening once - it definitely felt a bit like Blackpool
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Poster: A snowHead
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Mosha Marc, I was referring to the easy runs! 
Luckily I'm not the sort of gal that attracts male attention...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ah, Flaine: Nuclear power station in the middle of a quarry.
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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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I like Flaine and Tignes, I like Kitzbuhel, I like St Anton. I don't like Meribel (town; the skiing is fine). This thread would be more interesting if people stopped posting 'I went to one resort in Austria/France, hated it, so I'm never going back to Austria/France.'.
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Libertine, sounds like you picked a very untypical Austrian ski area in my experience ...
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Lively as in full of groping animals.. if thats your cup of tea. |
British groping animals, or a more cosmopolitan herd?
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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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| queen bodecia wrote: |
| I definitely wouldn't like 'groping animals' |
Don't knock it 'til you've tried it
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LOL! I need to think before I type...
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Jerry, At least it can be a stable relationship.
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I've been to loads of Austrian ski resorts and Solden is by far the ugliest. Its crammed into a narrow valley with much of the accommodation halfway up the hillside, has a very busy road running right through the middle and some of the buildings are not very traditional in style.
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Maybe I should steer my disapointment at Solden as opposed to Austria. I just feel that every french resort I hve been to has more to offer the skiier overall. OK its a little more expencive (Solden was very reasonable to eat out), maybe its the 'crazy' wild apres i cannt stand anymore. I just feel that the ski area was not at all challanging on piste despite what i had read beforehand and that the lift pass was well over priced for the area.
Interesting to note that no one has really defended Solden.... wish you'd said before I went 
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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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| Libertine wrote: |
| Quote: |
I've been to loads of Austrian ski resorts and Solden is by far the ugliest. Its crammed into a narrow valley with much of the accommodation halfway up the hillside, has a very busy road running right through the middle and some of the buildings are not very traditional in style.
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Maybe I should steer my disapointment at Solden as opposed to Austria. I just feel that every french resort I hve been to has more to offer the skiier overall. OK its a little more expencive (Solden was very reasonable to eat out), maybe its the 'crazy' wild apres i cannt stand anymore. I just feel that the ski area was not at all challanging on piste despite what i had read beforehand and that the lift pass was well over priced for the area.
Interesting to note that no one has really defended Solden.... wish you'd said before I went |
Errr.....Robw has
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Libertine, It would deffo be wrong to write off Austria because you didn't like Solden. I've been there in summer and found it 'professionally polite' as opposed to Stubaital where they're genuinely nice to tourists (or were back then). I've never skied the resort only the glacier at Hochsolden, however, even in my limited experience of Austria it wouldn't seem to be typical.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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As I have said before (and it's a shame Libertine didn't read it) Sölden is probably best suited to a lads week / weekend away where apres ski is at least as important as skiing. ca 150 km of skiing isn't going to compete with the 3 valleys but it's normally enough for a week.
For some people their ski week is a holiday, a bit of skiing but nothing too challenging, sitting in the sun in the afternoon with a beer(s) then partying at Apres ski. Beeing able to say they skied a few blacks. Sölden would be great for them whereas somewhere like Avoriaz would be lacking. Sounds like you should of gone to St Anton or serfaus which have different characters just as Meribel and Avoriaz have different characters.
I remember the lift queues at Avoriaz and the 3 valleys being longer than Sölden or any other Austrian resort I have skied. Maybe the queues at Sölden had something to do with local or Italian holidays.
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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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Solden is on my radar and I will probably go there in the next couple of seasons. I went through people's reviews on websites like skiclub.co.uk/word snowboard guide/snow-forecast/where to ski and snowboard etc and there are plenty of very good reviews and hardly any bad ones. I've also heard a lot of positives about this place form other people where skiing in other Austrian resorts.
Having said that I am aware of all the disadvantages so I will carefully pick up the time and accommodation,
but I can't imagine this place can be so bad that you wanted to fly back early!!
Surely there must be lots of good runs and there is another 110km of pistes in nearby Obergeurgl which is included in the ski pass and supposed to be quiet and more traditional.
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Libertine, I haven't skied in Solden, (and After your report doubt I will) but have visited, Ischgl, Lech, Saalbach St Johanne and Maria Alm in Austria, and have also skied at Val D, Val T, Meribel, Morzine, Alpe D'huez, and Les Deux Alpes in France. I enjoyed ALL of the trips, but on balance find Austria to be more fun, less busy and more suited to my 'easy cruising' preferences. If 'Challenge' is your thing there is plenty to be found in Austria, St Anton as just one example. 
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You know it makes sense.
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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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It's as easy not to get involved in the apres ski in Solden as in any other resort - you don't *have* to stay in the bar until 2am everynight. We stayed in a very civilised hotel on the outskirts of town, with excellent pool/sauna/etc. Ski-school was very good with #1son, even though he was the only english kid in the group. The ski area might not be massive, but it's plenty for a week for intermediates and there is plenty of off-piste for the more advanced skier.
For some reason Solden appears in few UK tour operator's brochures, so it tends not to be overrun by Brits - maybe that's another reason why we liked it. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Libertine, looks to me like you didn't do your homework. J2ski says that it is
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OK for Expert Skiers.
Fantastic for Intermediate Skiers.
OK for Beginners. |
Which to me suggests a lack of challenging blacks, and a nondescript resort for beginners.
The SCGB says:
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* If you don’t want Party Central, you don’t want Sölden.
* Beginners slopes can get crowded. |
Which reinforces the deduction about beginners, and warns that Solden sees itself as a wild party town. Given that information, what you got is not surprising. Provided you read just a little between the lines, together the SCGB and J2ski resort information is pretty good, I think - and one area where they are actually better than snowheads (because of ease of reference).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Libertine, I've been to Solden and found it to be quite good. Not the best by any stretch, but certainly well worthy of a 'good' ranking.
The skiing is very much intermediate orientated, not really any challenges for experts, I agree with you that the black runs are tame in comparison with other resorts, but that was to be expected. To be honest, didn't take much notice of the beginner facilities, although there was plenty of cruisy blues. The lift network I found to be very good with the exception of getting out of the village first thing in a morning. The runs back to resort were in really good condition and not at all busy at the end of the day when we visited at the end of Jan 08.
Regarding the bars you mention with the thailand whores (mainly Russian btw), I'm sure you will find they will be dancing clubs where it is fairly obvious what you will get/see if you pay your entrance fee - they are easily avoidable, although the neon lights not so. There are plenty of regular bars, some lively, some not so, but I must admit, having been there I'd think twice about wanting to take a family trip there.
Regarding the charm of the place, yep, you're on the money, not the prettiest of villages, but a damn sight better than sunny old Sheffield. I know where I'd rather be given the choice.
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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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boabski, apologies - I was taking the pish !
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I am surprised that skiers blame Austria black piste for too tame. The groomed black in Austria and Switzerland are skied by locals every weekend and not intended for once a year live-or-let-die skiers who probably choose France for that excitment.
I have been a few places in Austria but only stopped at Solden and then Obergrugl to survey the resorts for future trips. It did struck me a busy area and I realised Solden is a popular Austria resort marketed by many TOs.
I suppose on average France is always busier than Austria. I wouldn't write off France just because my experience in Flaine, Meribel, La Plagne or Les Menuires. I have yet to find an Austria resort that I dislike but Solden apparently appears to be a good candidate for it. I have been thinking spending between 4 to 5 days in Solden and Obergrugl to sample the places myself.
Most Austrian skiers are very mobile as they like driving to a resort. The description of Solden doesn't sound Austrian to me as they can easily drive to Innsbruck area, Ski Welts (Soll), Zillertal Valley(Mayrhofen), Slivretta Valley(Ischgl) or Arlberg (St Anton) to enjoy better skking and not having to put up one rubbish place in Tirol.
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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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| saikee wrote: |
| I suppose on average France is always busier than Austria. |
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I was going to ask the question "so, tell me all about Solden" on the forum as I'm off there at Easter for the first time, but I see that someone already beat me to it!
It'll be interesting to see how my impression of the place compares to the thoughts of others. Have also had a week in Obertauern this winter so will have something to compare Solden against.......let's see
I always think that it's very difficult to get a precise feeling for a resort, hotel, etc from reviews as it's very subjective. You can look on Trip Advisor and one review can say "best place I've ever stayed at" whereas another "hell hole, don't ever go there!" It's down to personal experiences at the end of the day. I always go with the masses when it comes to reviews....
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rob@rar,
This is based on the French don't go outside their country in big number to ski so immediately the queue is halved!
The other fact is in Austria every Austrian can travel a short distance to ski and there are 334 skiing resorts in that country, according to Bergfex. Many Britsh skiers still choose France as the first priority so it would be hard to flood the Austrian resorts.
Fact three is an Austria resort is a big car park capacity but small in accommdation availability (relative to France) and so it may be busy during weekends the weekdays are no different to what we see in Scotland.
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saikee, so based on what you say the large ski domains in France can just about cope with the hordes of French and British families who turn up during school holidays. When those families go home the large ski resorts are relatively deserted with a significant over-capacity in uplift, accommodation and terrain for the number of people who ski those resorts off-peak. That is certainly my experience. You also have the dozens, maybe hundreds, of small French resorts which attract a higher proportion of locals in much the same way as small Austrian and Swiss resorts, which will have the same attendance patterns as resorts in those countries.
Sweeping generalisations at a country level are unsustainable in my opinion and should be challenged otherwise new or inexperienced skiers might believe them to be accepted truths.
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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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| Libertine wrote: |
rubish, rubsh, rubish !
I learnt to ski in Austria and have been in France ever since. Went back with a group of 4 as thought, in my msystical rose tinted memories of fun apres, difficult runs, excellent lift service... etc, etc..
The area(on piste) was tiny, squashed in, time consuming to reach all parts, BUSY on the main runs, Mogules on the main BEGINNER runs back home, the village too widely spread, poor bus service, no local wines at a reasonable cost (18euro +), expensive ski schools, apres bars that treated women as if they were like thailand whores.
However, we did have great fresh snow conditions and fresh powder three days that disguised the unpleasantness of this place. Had it not been for the snow, i'd have flown back early !
One of our group is a blue run skiier in France.... she skiied EVERY BLACK fine in a resort for "adventurous intermediates".... she is not that!! Whilst the off piste was good, no pisted runs were challenging for even the least experienced of our group.
The lift system was great, there were about 3 lifts per run, yet the links between the parts were impractical!! that'll be why the lift pass wass over £200 for a pretty small area!! The queues were like nothing that i'd experienced, the runs to the bottom were busier than the M25 on a friday night and in a terrible state. to get a gondala down was a 25minute wait.
See you next year..... back in France |
Yes, more posts like this please!
Austria, terrible place.
Go to France.
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