 Poster: A snowHead
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Resort: Ischgl
Country: Austria
Date: 23/01/10 to 30/01/10
Who: 3 couples and a single friend (3 strong skiers & 4 early intermediates)
Transport: Ryanair from Dublin to Memmingen in Germany. Transfer with Diddelcar, Memmingen approx 2 and half hours to our accommodation in Ischgl.
Accommodation: Stayed in the Hotel Nevada, Ischgl. Very nice hotel, food was top-class, rooms were modern and clean, nice small spa area and perfect location near 2 gondolas. On a whole hotel was very good value and staff were friendly.
Lift system: Excellent. Ischgl has 3 gondolas serving the main ski area. All the chairs are fast and modern quads, six and eight seaters – all with visors, so great in bad weather.
The terrain: Nice varied runs, most of which are red and blue runs, but also has some good black runs (21 & 35). Most of the runs are above the tree line.
The runs to the resort get very crowded in the afternoon and they are also quite icy in parts and a little on the tough side as a result. Would not recommend these to a nervous intermediate. There are nice blue and red runs into Alpe Trida on the Swiss side. There is also very good red (80) into Samnaun. The blue runs in the main bowl can get very busy during the day due to the high volume of people skiing in Ischgl.
The snow: It had not snowed for 3 weeks prior to our arrival so the pistes were hard and icy in some areas. However, there was some fresh snow during the week so conditions improved.
The resort: Ischgl is a small town comprising of mostly hotels, restaurants and sports shops. It has a very up market feel, with small narrow streets and nice traditional chalet style buildings. The town is split into 2 sections – eastern and western and linked with a pedestrian underground escalator. Ischgl is a very busy resort that runs at a rate of 90% occupancy for the ski season, so the slopes can get very crowded and also this is why it is difficult to get accommodation (even though there are over 100 hotels in the village).
Food: Overall, I would say the food was the highest standard we experienced in 10 years of skiing, particularly in the village with lots of options and good value e.g. 2 course meal with wine for 7 people averaging €140. Would recommend the restaurants attached to the Hotel Nevada and Hotel Sonne, Salz and Pfeffer and Nona.
Up the mountains there are plenty of choice, big modern self-service restaurants. The Pardorama at the top of Pardatschgrat was very good and so too is the Alpenhaus at Idalp. The Alp Belle is a lovely rustic restaurant with table service near Alp Trida.
Après-Ski: Ischgl is famous for its après-ski and did not disappoint!  All the action is in the village and it starts at approx 3.30pm until late! The atmosphere is very good, not rowdy. Everyone is in good spirits. There are numerous après-ski bars and the best ones we visited were Nikis Stadl, the Schatzi Bar at Hotel Elizabeth, the Kuhstahl and the Trofana Alm. We voted Nikis Stadl the best.
Highlights: Lift System, Après-ski, Hotel and Food Standard.
The resort overall is very good and we will find it hard to beat next year.
Only negative was the price of ski-hire. We hired ours in Kappl for half the price.
Journey Home: We experienced somewhat of a detour on the way home – costly  but could have been worse and we got to experience some fabulous views on the way to Munich – suppose to be Memmingen!
There was heavy snow and lots of traffic accidents the Saturday morning we were leaving. We were still a good hour away from Memmingen when our flight was departing, so we diverted to Munich and were very lucky to get a flight to Dublin that night. In all, it took us seven and a half hours to get to Munich from Iscghl compared to 2 and a half the Saturday before.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Nice report glad you enjoyed it, it definetly is the kind of place that will draw people back for repeat visits.
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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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Agreed, we had our first time there last week and thoroughly enjoyed the area. Stayed in Galtur which is cheaper if you dont mind the lack of bars pumping out bad euro techno
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Going to ischgl on saturday for 2 weeks
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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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Great report. Ischgl, not rowdy??? The Kuhstall? Guess yo  u weren't in any of the gentleman's bars?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Chick, Good report, myself and 'the boys' were there the same week as you and found the conditions as you say, improving throughout the week.
Nikki's Stadl is a favourite, although we also enjoyed (and just about survived) an afternoon in the Nevada bar, which is 100m down the road from Nikkis. I assume your hotel was not above this bar, because you would definitely have noticed the noise!
We stayed at the Alpenrose which was very nicely situated at the top of the escalator up from the lifts and was also very comfortable. Food was good too. However drinking at the nearby Madlein was not a good idea @ £40 for four drinks.
Ischg'ls a great resort, but as you say the price of ski hire is ridiculous, so all the more reason to buy your own! 
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Great report. Thanks
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Axsman.Yes that was our hotel beside the Nevada Bar.They must have good soundproofing.I think the most we paid for a drink was €5 which is not too bad.
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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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Chick, Ok. We really liked the Nevada bar possibly because in addition to the wonderful Austrian Cheese, (Eine Sterne, Life is Life, etc etc ) a lot of the music was a little more 'our scene' (i.e. recorded before 1980 )
€5 is pretty good. I was in the 3V the week before last and at Courchevel a hot choc was €6! In our hotel a (large) beer and a Genepi were €21 the two!
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Chick, We too were there the same week. Same flight as yourselves Dub - Memmingan. We also could not get back to origional airport and got back via Munich! I think we met (or someone from your group) collecting our bags in Memmingan on the way out!
You forgot to mention the Leprechauns at the Main gondola station! 
Any more plans for another holiday this season?
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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It sounds a great place - except for the crowds. Whatever's it like in peak season?
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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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pam w, Only the (red) run back down to the resort is really busy. (and you can ride the gondola down to avoid it)
We took the family at half term a year or so back and because the lift system is new and efficient, and because there are a lot of pistes to chose from the main ski area was never that busy.
This pic was fairly typical of the 'crowd' level.
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Roy.I think we were sitting beside some of your group at the back of the plane on the way home.Did you miss your flight home to kerry aswell?.Myself and the Mrs heading to La Clusaz in middle of march for 4 nights.Cant come quick enough.
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You know it makes sense.
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Yes we missed flight! Still it was great to get away, we are off to St. Anton in a couple of weeks. This time with a group from Cork! Hope they have forgiven us for Croker!!
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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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Roy Hockley, They'll never forgive you for that although with Kerry's loss of personnel this year they may get their revenge.
Chick, Good report, off there myself for the umpteenth time two weeks tomorrow.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Corky, I thought it was fair to allow them a chance of Liam and we will look after Sam!!
Enjoy the trip!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Roy.Look forward to hearing how St.Anton compares to Ischgl.
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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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Roy Hockley, Thanks, sure will enjoy it. I'm an exiled Clare man so tis the Banner for Liam. And as the wife is a North Kerry woman I have a great admiration for the Kingdom.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Corky, I am but a blow in but; you have good taste in the better half!
Chick, I did not know how unfit I was and did not have the best skiing holiday ever! The last couple of weeks I have been down at the Brandon working on my legs! So hopefully it will be better for me than the last time! Alas technique does not last long these days as I need a bit of fitness. The OH was right but I could not admit it!!
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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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| pam w wrote: |
| It sounds a great place - except for the crowds. Whatever's it like in peak season? |
I went in March 2007 when there was absolutely virtually no snow below about 1800m in Austria, so Ischgl was very busy. 90% of the ski area is above 2000m, so a lot of people were heading there. Aside from a 10 minute wait for the gondola in the mornings, waiting around was virtually nil. The lift system is very modern and incredibly efficient.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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pam w, only the weekends are busy really
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FAQ
