 Poster: A snowHead
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Flying to Innsbruck for a long weekend 10 December 2010 with 3 friends
All competent piste skiiers/boarders
Chose Innsbruck due to glaciers close (ish) to airport if needed
Would prefer non-glacier resort if snow OK and will wait and book last minute
Keen to try Arlberg but open to other suggestions
Typically St Anton seems to be open by then -any views on how open (lift numbers, piste numbers) welcome
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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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St Anton & Solden will be open, plus locally Kuhtai should be open too, nice resort (at 2000 meters) 30 minutes away. The Stubai Glacier will be open too (open all year) and you cann stay up the Stubai valley rather than Innsbruck. Maybe worth staying in Innsbruck, hiring a car do the drive to each resort based upon conditions, but for a long weekend I personally would pop up to Kuhtai and stay in the resort there
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Mon 17-05-10 12:41; edited 1 time in total
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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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Most of the resorts around Innsbruck should be open then, Stubai Glacier will be a good bet if snow is a little thin on the ground, Anton should be perfectly fine (although Rendl may not be open at that point). Ischgl should be open by then too, maybe check what date they're having their big opening party?
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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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Ischgl is worth a look very easy to get to and they always get it open by the beginning of December.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Early season obviously puts you very much at the mercy of the elements. In the last five seasons snow cover has been good and sometimes great that week in all but December 2006 when the snow was very late and cover was very poor and last year when that was the first real week of winter snow. Stubai should be good and Hintertux too in terms of glaciers. St Anton too should be fine, but it does not normally open all the lifts (not just Rendl) until the weekend before Christmas even in good snow years. Last year the snow was fairly late, delaying the opening of St Anton until 11 December and at that stage only six pistes and five lifts were open (though parts of Lech and Zurs were also open). Ischgl normally gets the majority of its terrain open by this time of year. The opening party will probably be the weekend before or the weekend before that.
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We were in St Anton for the week starting 5th December this last winter, and only a small proportion was open (due partly to the temperatures being too high for the low level snow to hang around). I must say though that I was not particularly impressed by the amount of effort being put into opening up more higher stuff. We visited Ischgl for a day, and with only slightly more snow they has pisted and opened up virtually the whole area. Ischgl does have the advantage of being more joined up at a higher altitude. This is of course only experience of one winter - the next could be the opposite!
I would say that if I was just going for a long weekend though I would probably head for Hintertux, the skiing there is pretty good, and if the early season is good I would expect it to be open right down to the bottom at 1500m - plenty enough skiing for a long weekend.
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In 2008 Anton opened on 30th Nov with pretty much every lift running (apart from Rendl), and great snow cover. In fairness we did have a HUMUNGOUS storm the week before - managed to get thigh deep pow by hiking up the home run.
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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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rayscoops, I thought you'd mention Kuhtai 
I was in Soelden the last weekend in November last year after original plan to go to St Anton for opening weekend was cancelled because of lack of snow (as discussed above). Soelden would be a great stag spot as decent nightlife and skiing is fairly extensive. I had a great time and there is a super spa just down the valley that's well worth a visit.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I was in Ischgl on the weekend it opened (last w/e in Nov) back in 2003 and it was pretty well all open (apart from runs back to valley).
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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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Thanks one and all -will see how the snow transpires. Kuhtai could be the place -not too fussed about the nightlife so long as there is some beer to drink somewhere
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FAQ
top spot if you are in Innsbruck for a couple of days but maybe quiet for a Stag bash although I have had a good laugh with the west Wales beer monsters !
