 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi All,
I have been tasked with the job of finding a resort for me and my family in March (weekend of 6th). My Dad can't ski (although he has been on 2 ski holidays) and ideally is looking for somewhere that has a couple of nice, long and gentle pistes that he can snow plow down for a couple of hours a day. Courchevel (1850) was one place we had in mind but it is too expensive - it was a contender because of the nice long gentle runs which end up back a the main lift station.
So - the challenge is on, where is the best place for beginners in Austria? All comments welcome!!
Cheers,
Chris
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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 learnt in Rauris. It is very limited for good skiers but is excellent for beginners.
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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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blondends, just about anywhere in Austria will be OK except for the well-known (to us, anyway) places which are a bit more hardcore. St. Anton is the most obvious to avoid, but even there you would be able to find something they'd all be happy with.
Saalbach, Zell am See and Flachau/Wagrain are the most obvious places off the top of my head, all with lots of blue and red runs which are relatively easy, and many of which are long. All have lifts in the centre of town, and runs which come back to the lifts, so there's no separation between skiers and non-skiers if you want to meet up for lunch, plus all will probably have plentiful snow in early March.
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blondends, my first ski holiday was to Niederau in Austria. I don't remember a huge amount as it was February 1977 and I was a child, but I do remember that it was picture postcard pretty and very beginner friendly. Judging by the prices in the TO brochures for this season it's very good value for money too.
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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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what ousekjarr, said 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Westendorf
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My first time (no, not that first time - that was in a council skip with a friend of my uncle) was in Westendorf and whilst the nursery slopes are amazing, I remember there being only quite scary stuff to move onto. Even during our newbie ski school lessons on a blue, we were being taken across the intersection of a black run which I remember as being an awful experience - traversing gingerly across something too steep for comfort, with disgruntled "proper skiers" buzzing past.
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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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Italy has (much) better food and no cigarette smoke, but similar prices to Austria, so if you're not bothered by the lack of apres-ski it might be another option.
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Thanks for all the comments and suggestions - I have been looking in to each of them.
Here is a little more background info - the last time my father skiied it was in Soll about 10 years ago, he trained on the nursery slopes at the foot of the mountain and when the progressed up to the next stage (short blue) he just couldn't handle it. He really just needs a nice long, gentle, sweeping green/blue run - one which he can trundle down a few times a day with a bar/cafe nearby (he would be chuffed with that). The rest of the group range from 2nd week beginners to intermediate/advanced skiers - so the size of the ski area is certainly a consideration.
The reason we have chosen to go to Austria is because it is cheaper for the holiday and while you are there, good apres & hotel accomodation.
We'd rather book a package deal - just for the ease of it all really.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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blondends, If you could be tempted away from Austria, there are runs exactly as you describe in Morillon (Grand Massif, just an hour from Geneva). Your dad would love Marvel - 6km-ish of sweeping green/blue, with a cafe at the top and a couple at the bottom. The skiing would also suit the rest of your group with plenty for all
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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 wouldn't count Italy out. I learnt to board at Passo Tonale, the instructors where excellent. And the resort was very cheap. Although night life lacked a bit... there was still a few good late night bars.
Crystal do decent package deals to Passo, and most the hotels are Half Board.
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blondends, Why not go back to Soll then - he will have that familiar feel and lots of UK Tour Operators run trips there? There is plenty of skiing for any of the others. You could also look at Ellmau, Scheffau or Going as they are all on the same ski pass. On the other side of the Wilder Kaiser/Ski Welt area you have Brixen im Thale and Westerndorf.
I still think St Johann i/Pongau (be very careful not to confuse it with the other one in Tirol) will meet all your needs. If you are flexible in when you can go there are lots of options on offer. It is a gateway to one of the biggest ski areas in Europe and with the simple area pass you have access to a huge and varied ski area, more than enough for a week's skiing just on the doorstep.
One tour operator who does go there is called Snow Slippers (www.snowslippers.co.uk/adult_groups.html). They do trips for adults organising everything for you from the UK. They also offer Wagrain and Flachau as alternatives, but I think the set-up for your father is better at St Johann-Alpendorf as the beginner runs are off to one side of the main home run and have direct access to a café/bar in the top station of the gondola. If you give them a call they will advise you as to what the price ranges are.
I know that they offer very good school trips and have met several families out there who have had a tailor-made package made for them by Dave and Betty Williams, the owners of Snow Slippers. They are based in South Wales out of the ski season I think.
Let me know if I can help out in any way
Sue 
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You know it makes sense.
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We went to Saalbach last year as I wanted somewhere good for teh newbies going with us, I chose this because it seemed to have the most runs available to most people. i.e. You could get most of the way round the valley just on blue runs, but with reds available if the group wanted to split off.
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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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How would you rate Saalbach for complete beginners?
Do the blues tend to have some steep sections OR are they fairly gentle?
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Poster: A snowHead
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As a beginner I would stay away from the big resorts. After all you have to pay (directly or indirectly) for all those big investments even if you can't use them (read: loads of lifts, pistes etc.). Everything (from accomodation to drings / eating out to lift tickets) is of course much more expensive in these large and famous resorts than in the smaller ones. And last but not least you have tons of people at the lifts and especially at the pistes. It is not conducive to learning when dozens of faster people keep riding near you. That can be very intimitating.
For a start: look at smaller ski areas around Salzburg, e.g. Postalm in the Salzkammergut. You can go to bergfex and research the smaller areas. They really tend to be cheaper and much more comfortable for beginners.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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http://www.seefeld.com/de/webcam/index.php
Check out Seefeld, great place for beginners, short transfer from Innsbruck and good hotels. Lots to do, lovely resort with three different ski area's, all within walking distance
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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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Hi Blondends,
Another vote for Rauris. I learnt to ski there and went back 6 years running and loved it . Not very extensive for advanced but a package with Crystal including lessons,gear and pass is very good value. Look up ski schule Karl Maier or raurisskigang.net for more info. I brought my parents, both first weekers and in their mid 60s and they loved it, great nursery slopes and easy progression also really easy for all to meet at lunch. If you can afford it stay in the Rauriserhof hotel,next best is Alpina with Frau Fencl- lovely lady nice hairsytle!!! It may be worth more advanced people signing up with the school as they'll ski with the owners son who is top class. His style is lessons in the morning and ski like crazy in the afternoon- off-piste,trees blacks etc. it's more like guiding within your ability rather than ski-school- he is also a cousin of a former double world champion ,who sadly is no longer with us, so I cannot reccommend his school highly enough.If you need anymore info drop a pm.
Yodel-eh-hee-hoo,
briand
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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If you can venture away from Austria the Alpe D'Huez is the place for you - the huge wide greens and blues at resort level are great for confidence building and the rest will also be able to get their kicks else where. These resort level blues are serviced by gondola or chair lifts and a great meeting point at lunch time. There is even some night skiing !
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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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The vast network of greens at AdH is indeed awesome. They get a bit (a lot) of through-traffic though, and the obvious next run to progress to (the blue Le Couloir) is literally the busiest run I have ever seen in my life.
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Sweeping blues..hmmm Lech?
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paulio, have you ever been on 'the' blue in St Anton, or 'the' blue down to Lindarets from the top of Avoriaz ? now those are the busiest I have ever seen. I can not even remember the blue to which you prefer
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The Avoriaz one yes, not the St A one. Also, the main one down towards the Medran lift in Verbier (shudder).
That one in ADH was the busiest though. Maybe it was the time of year (mid January).
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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blondends, Take a look at Westendorf.
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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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There are many places and several have already been mentioned. If you want a real beginners' area, Kirchdorf would be a possibility too (not to be confused with Kirchberg, which is part of the Kitzbühel area - and no doubt can also handle beginners). Kirchdorf is, however, pretty restricted, with really only a flattish piste for absolute beginners and a slightly longer, slightly steeper run (or two) for the just beyond beginner stage. If you want more skiing, you would have to bus to St. Johann in Tirol or Waidring/Steinplatte, both only about 15 minutes away and both of which would also be suitable for beginners and just beyond.
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blondends, Joining in here a bit late. However, I see you're looking for somewhere suitable for intermediate/advanced skiers as well, so I wouldn't necessarily agree with some of the recommendations for small resorts with limited skiing beyond the beginner stage, or those that entail the hassle of bussing and walking for those who would find the immediate area too limiting.
I do agree with rayscoops about Alpe d'Huez - very good for beginners and a decent sized area for everyone with no need to travel elsewhere. The village itself is a bit ugly, although there are some nice restaurants over towards Vaujany. Apres-ski - not bad for France.
I can't comment on some of the other smaller places that have been suggested, but no doubt you'll do your homework and decide which piste map looks the most compatible.
PM me your e-mail if you decide on Austria and would like me to e-mail you some information.
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FAQ
. I was there in December a few years ago and decided to come down it late in the day, flat light, trees casting shaddows and to top it all they had let the cannons run for days without spreading the snow so every now and then I found myself encountering an iced up 'sleeping policeman' the size of a VW Beetle !! needless to say I fell a few times and had a strop with my self that went something along the lines 'if I can not get down the mountain on these trails then I had better give up boarding' ........ anyway 9am the next day I went up Medran and took every path I could find to get back to town, .... rinsed and repeated all morning...... No crappy blue path was going to beat me and mess up my boarding 
