 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm going with a friend to St. Anton between Christmas and New Years, and were considering getting a guide to go off piste for a day. We are both experts (we grew up together in Colorado skiing every waking moment) and want a challenge.
Can anyone recomend an (affordable) guide for a day?
Is there an online directory of ski guides in St Anton?
Is a guide necessary? By that I mean, is it worth going off piste, or will we be challenged in bounds?
Does one have to book a guide in advance?
We LOVE steeps and cliffs and powder.
Thanks for the info.
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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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I always used to join a regular ski school class (top classes only offer this) for all-day off-piste, much cheaper than using a guide. Ask the ski school if this is still available.
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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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Hey fs2k2isfun!
You were spoilt - "growing up in Colorado". Just had a top season out there in Winterpark - lets just say bump skiing improved no end with the Jane mtn. giving it her best on the bump front, & powder dayz after powder dayz!!!
Re Off-Piste: I'd recommend a company called Piste2Powder (owned & run by an English mountain guide called Graham Austick) - check out their website - http://www.skimountaineering.com/ - they cater for advanced off-piste. I've done several trips with them - last one was ski-mountianeering trip in the Silvrettas mountains in Austria - Awesome trip! Give them a go. Graham & Tom (guide I ski with) have a nose for powder & each trip have found stacks of good stuff to keep our adrenalin going. 
I certainly would recommend a guide to go off piste anywhere in Europe especially St.Anton. Unlike the States, in Europe they don't avalanche control ungroomed areas outside the trail markers.
Have top time!
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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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Good skiers will always have more fun with a guide in Europe (who will always ski off piste with you and with his local knowledge will find you fresh tracks even a week after the last snow, when you would not find it yourself). Also in places like Chamonix with lots of glaciers you need someone who can guide on glaciers which only proper High Mountain (UIAGM) guides can do.
There is no such thing as in bounds or out of bounds in Europe - all off piste is at risk from avalanche unless it happens to benefit from protection given to a piste. You could get a map and a book of off-piste runs. but are you confident you can tell when a slope is safe? There is a huge amount of off piste in St Anton much of it in valleys where piste skiers never go and sometimes ending up miles down the valley and needing a local train or taxi to get back. For example a trip off the back of the Valluga is very memorable and leads to skiing in another (not otherwise linked except by bus, but on the same ski pass) valley (Zurs and Lech). They don't let you up the tiny top lift at the Valluga with your skis unless you have a guide - you will see why when you get there!!!
I agree that Graham Austick http://www.skimountaineering.com is very good. He has lived in St Anton for many years. With us he was constantly the first onto new powder slopes when they became safe and found us very challenging skiing. You need to make sure you book to be in a top level group (which he guides personally). Make sure he will be running one that week. A private booking costs much more.
And yes, we have already booked him for a week with our group in 5 - 10 March - Good guides get booked up. Book at least 2 days, you won't regret it
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Fri 29-09-06 17:33; edited 2 times in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I was thinking of over the back from Valluga 2 rather than the way to the left!
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I should mention that at St Anton (as, to a lesser degree, in a few other resorts) the authorities have responded to greater litigenousness by turning all the more difficult black runs into Ski Itineraries which are marked and avalanche patrolled like normal pistes, but not groomed. This allows them to be kept open at times when they are a bit more hazardous and fear of the law being invoked after accidents might regularly nowadays have closed them. It is a shame that this attitude of skiers (originating from the US but now endemic) has necessitated this change - but at least the runs remain open and the "at your own risk" permissive attitude off the marked runs remains the same. I hope this never changes.
I think it is probably obvious that even the hardest piste (unless you want a to ski bumps) will not be as challenging as the steepest off piste couloirs or the crud you might often find there. (Personally I just enjoy powder and other natural snow rather than groomed slopes, and going off into the wilds away from the crowds.)
fs2k2isfun any reaction or other questions?
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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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I would definitely recommend a guide in St Anton particularly in high season. There are so many good off piste skiers in the resort that the obviously accessible off piste stuff gets tracked out very quickly. The guides can keep finding fresh snow for some days though.
Also regarding peak season I would recomemnd booking a guide before you go, as you may well find that if you leave it until you arrive, they may no longer be available.
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Thank you everyone for the replies. We probably will get a guide, we both love getting off the groomed runs and hitting the powder. We are very used to American skiing were (for example, Jackson Hole) the entire mountain is avalanche controlled and one can ski wherever one wishes. Thanks again for the input.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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So as not to confuse.
The Off-Piste routes I listed here are defintly NOT avalanche patrolled with the exception of Pfanne but this is only done to protect traffic on the Arlberg Pass. Likewise Rendl North Face is controlled to protect the town of St Anton itself.
http://www.snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=410449&highlight=arlberg#410449
I have not listed the Off-Piste in Stuben & Zurs & Sonnenkopf (yet) but like wise the North Face in Stuben is only blasted to provent a catastrophe in the valley below. Zurs also to protect the highway.
If in Doubt dont ski it .
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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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Let us know how it goes.
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| stanton wrote: |
So as not to confuse.
The Off-Piste routes I listed here are defintly NOT avalanche patrolled with the exception of Pfanne but this is only done to protect traffic on the Arlberg Pass. Likewise Rendl North Face is controlled to protect the town of St Anton itself.
http://www.snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=410449&highlight=arlberg#410449
I have not listed the Off-Piste in Stuben & Zurs & Sonnenkopf (yet) but like wise the North Face in Stuben is only blasted to provent a catastrophe in the valley below. Zurs also to protect the highway.
If in Doubt dont ski it . |
Super old bump I know... but I skied in sonnenkopf a whilst back. Is there other off piste routes besides the huge open bowls which are easily accessible via lifts? I ask as I'll be out there for a season.. Really keen on the Valluga already!
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You know it makes sense.
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Timmaah, There's a huge amount of offpiste in the |Arlberg area, with Sonnenkopf getting probably the least tracks. However much of it can be very avalanche prone, and holds other dangers too. Some mates got into very serious trouble in Sonnenkopf after getting seduced by powder field after powder and got lost. There are plenty of marked offpsite routes all over the Arlberg, but they'll be tracked out within an hour on a powder day (too many good skiers there). It's plenty possible to find fresh tracks, if you know where to look - which is where hiring a guide/buying a local a few drinks comes into play. Play safe though, a lot of areas can be very avalanche prone, even (especially?) the very obvious stuff.
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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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clarky999, I have heard a lot of people talk about how dangerous it is... I'm going to grab an avalung backpack, probe, shovel, transceiver in resort and then go on a course to learn how to use it. Currently reading a book on avalanches. Hopefully then I can just control my boyish adventurist side and realize any apparent dangers out there. With regards to Sonnenkopf, I went there for a weekend break when it just got a dump and was pleasantly pleased with the accessible off-piste skiing. I do recall one slope which didn't seem very stable but by 2pm it had completely been tracked out. Luckily, the slope didn't collapse...
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Poster: A snowHead
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Timmaah, there is an off piste descent from the top of Sonnenkopf down to the village of Langen but you need a guide or to go with seasoned off piste local skiers who know the route because of avalanche danger and terrain traps, cliff bands and wooded slopes.
clarky999, a number of years ago we came across a family of four (including 2 kids) who strayed off the piste in Sonnenkopf as they thought they saw some nice tracks to follow in the fresh snow (ours from earlier). They were barely red run skiers and needless to say, got lost in the trees and found themselves stranded at the top of a cliff band. We did our good samaritan thing and got them back to the piste which wasn't that far away but just goes to show some of the dangers in venturing off piste in an area like that if you don't know where you are heading...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Dont ski Off piste by yourself.
Slides occur predominantly (in the Arlberg) on North West flanks (from wind) & South faces (from sun) slopes.
Avalanches can happen at anytime without warning.
There are a couple of routes down from Sonnenkopf to Langen & more routes over the back. You need a guide or very experienced knowledgeable skier.
Last season Avalanches claimed a very high/record number including a very experienced(40yrs) local ski instructor.
It is unlikely any insurance policy will cover you for this activity.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Tue 21-09-10 19:06; edited 2 times 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?
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FAQ
Also its not usually open at Xmas / NY because of the condtions.
