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Obergurgl - piste advice please

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
We are off next Sunday for a week in Obergurgl and having been persuaded by hubby (a reasonable boarder) not to do ski school this year am now a bit nervous about exploring the area on our own as he has a habit of over-estimating my skiing abilities (and confidence level!). If anyone could let me know of any tricky runs that I should be cautious of I'd be grateful. I'm fine on blues and ok on reds as long as they're reasonably wide.
Any advice would be appreciated! Thanks Cathryn
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Based on our experience over Christmans, runs in Hochgurgl are generally easier than in Obergurgl. In Obergurgl we found Red3 down from Festgokl and Red16 down from Hohe Mut Alm a bit on the dark side: but that may have been the conditions and time of day.

Be aware that Red1 and Red11 are itineraries (yes I know the piste map says that, but it's not obvious!).

In Hochgurgl, the Wurmkoglhutte is a very large self-service restaurant with a surprising amount of atmosphere. We didn't try any other huts that side: Kirchenkarhutte was closed - serious rebuilding work going on. Back in Obergurgl, Nederhutte is great, prices a little more than elsewhere though, and their apres ski starts about 3pm with live bands 3 nights a week. David's Skihutte was the only place we found on the mountain that took credit cards.
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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?
Oh, and don't bother trying to get through the village to Weisenlift on a board - it's totally flat and bad enough on skis, imagine it would be horrendous on a board.
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Thanks for the info - it's really useful to know what to look out for (and probably avoid!).
Good to know about lunch options too. Cheers!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I am of a similar level to you, Cathryn ie ok on blues and wide reds. Have been to Obergurgl twice and I think I would definitely agree with RobW re tricky reds being Red3 and Red 11. Hochgurgl is lovely and wide and great for cruising down.
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Thanks Snowy - am really looking forward to not being tied to ski-school times but nervous I'll get lost and the only way down is something I'm not comfortable with - hubby has a habit of saying "see you at the bottom" and then disappearing! - will be sure to mark 3 and 11 on the map!
I'm taking it as a good sign that you've been to Obergurgl twice - we chose it mainly because we like to go with Esprit for the child-care and they had availability there but it does look like a nice resort and Hochgurgl is sounding very good for me!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Why not just get hubby to board behind you, so you can take your time?

You won't get lost as long as you check the maps and make sure you know where you are. If not sure ask the lifties, they're usually helpful and friendly and for definite know exactly where they are on the map Smile
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
I've never bothered to learn the numbers, but the red that goes from he Top Express down to the bottom of the Festkogelbahn bubble gets quite icy and narrow in places so sounds like it may not be your cup of jagertee.
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Whoops...sorry Cathryn...I meant Red 3 and 16 (not 11). Obergurgl is great and very family friendly. We actually went there with Esprit 2 years ago for our first family ski trip and my son really enjoyed it. The Esprit guide actually provides a ski guide service as well, I remember. It might be a good way to get yourself familiarize with the resort. We will be back for the third time during Easter hols. Laughing
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
Katy123, We were in Hochgurgl for the first time at Christmas and agree with the above comments re runs and huts. When skiing Hochgurgl note that the skibus only runs from the bottom of the Hochgurglbahn not up to the village itself so you either have to ski the quite easy red down to the bottom or catch the last Top Express gondola back to Obergurgl if you want to avoid the price of a taxi.

We also got the chance to upgrade our lift pass for €10 to include a day in Solden which is good value and allows you to see another ski area (and some shops if you are going stir crazy with the very few at Obergurgl). We went on the normal bus (free for those in ski gear - but you can probably show your lift pass too) thus avoiding the TO charge of €20 pp.

As an area to explore for the first time out of ski school I think you've made an excellent choice. There is nothing too scary. Even the blacks wouldn't be classed as such pretty much anywhere else in the Alps. (Although obviously ice, wind, poor vis etc can make the easiest blue as scary as the hardest black on its day!).

Have a great time.
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Thanks for all the info. and reassurance! Am really looking forward to the trip - will just have to keep reminding hubby not to leave me too far behind!
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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.
How much is a taxi from Hochgurgl to Obergurgl? snowHead
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Liam,
Quote:
How much is a taxi from Hochgurgl to Obergurgl?
I've no idea and can't really see why anyone would use one. If you can ski the blues in Hochgurgl you will be able to ski down to Untergurgl or to ski from the Obergurgl side of the top express lift down into Obergurgl. So even if the lift's closed because of wind you can still use the ski bus.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
€18 to the Festkoggel end of Obergurgl -got stuck In Hochgurgl late in the day with son too cold to ski on and the Gondala down closed. Receptionist in hotel sorted us out and gave the boy some chocolate to perk him up -another example of Austria kindness and service
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Dont forget to apres ski in the Nederhutte and ski down to your hotel after ...that's great fun and the the piste is well lit..enjoy Obergurgl is brilliant. Very Happy
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Steve Sparks, MattWild, Thanks for that, my parents are of this weekend and staying in Hochgurgl and were considering a night or two out in Obergurgl, or if not a few apres beers after skiing, and just wanted to price up whether or not its worth a taxi ride.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Liam, Hochgurgl is definitely pretty dead in the evenings. The hotel Olymp has a quite pleasant "hutte" and the Hotel Riml has a much trendier modern bar. The Riml also has (rather strangely) a large indoor golf area with state of the art golf simulators (which are great fun if you're a golfer).

The best entertainment is to do the apres ski in the Nederhutte (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays), ski back down on the floodlit piste and get a cab back to Hochgurgl. If you drink enough you won't notice the cost of the cab!

The floodlit skiing on Thursday nights at Hochgurgl is definitely worth doing though as it is a really long piste with excellent lighting.


Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Thu 4-02-10 11:09; edited 1 time in total
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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?
Tiger2,thanks, I'm pretty sure they are staying in the Olymp and will probably be happy most nights with a few sherberts in Toni's Almhutte. I'll mention the Rimi aswell to them for a change of scenery!

The Nederhutte has been mentioned a few times, so i'm sure they'll be missing last lift and catching a cab on more than one occasion!

I'll mention the floodlit skiing, but reckon they'll be too half-cut by the early evening! Toofy Grin
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Its also worth paying a few Euros for a lift pass upgrade and skiing a day in Solden just down the valley... 20 mins bus ride on free ski bus straight to the solden lifts... obergurgl is quite a small area for a week if you don't like doing the same runs time and time again and taking all the steepish reds and blacks out of the equation makes it even smaller....... Solden also has some lovely wide runs, particularly on the glacier and on the right hand side of the piste map in the Giggjoch sector.... plus if they like a few drinks the tea time apres is Solden is banging! Probably better for more timid skiers to get the gondola down rather than ski though.... much like Ischgl, you take your life in your hands on the home run at tea time!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
I got to say I didn't really fall for the area but that was purely because of the piste marking at the top. Me and the kids (10 & 7) got on the lift at the crystal to the plateau at the top when the weather really closed in, they shut the gondola and we tried to ski down to the nederhutte but with the poor piste marking and lack of features we ended up crossing across of piste and ending up on a black to a chair back up...scared the kids to death!. I also found a lot of the upper runs in Hochgurgl similar with it very difficult to spot the edge of the run in low light conditions.
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ollski, that's a shame. I've been to Obergurgl loads of times and learned to ski there. The areas you mention have been pisted into wide amorphous motorways over the past few years to accommodate increasing numbers. I now find it disorientating in bad light and can relate to the mistake you made. I guess you should have gone further over to the left when coming out of the Festkogl gondola and headed for Plattach middle station as a landmark to get round to the nederhutte.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Quote:

I now find it disorientating in bad light


Kelskii, so do I..... it was awful above the Nederhutte last Wednesday..... had to stop for a beer much earlier than usual Laughing
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
SnowGod, ollski, Kelskii, thanks for your points - We went to Solden last year and had a cracking time, i think it gets some pretty bad press on here but we found it to be great, ok a little crazy apres time, but if you didnt want the table dancing you could easily find a more sedate bar! Smile

A good ski area that had a big vert so some good top to bottom skiing, with the couple of glaciers the snow was in top condition, and for some reason off-piste was generally accessibe and generally untouched! Puzzled
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Quote:

and for some reason off-piste was generally accessibe and generally untouched!



Liam, Most skiers in Solden are too hammered most of the time to even contemplate off piste skiing Laughing .... only kidding... I did notice however that there seemed to be a higher than usual proportion of relative novice skiers in the resort compared to many other larger Austrian Resorts I've visited. Mainly largish mixed ability groups visiting for the apres and the skiing is secondary maybe???? Worth a visit though, especially if you're just up the valley in Obergurgl.
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