 Poster: A snowHead
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We normally go on holiday to the Pyrenees in September for some mountain biking (nothing too extreme or energetic  ) and pottering around, but this year I cannot get leave until early October. We have been offered some cheap accomodation between Zell am See and Saalbach and thought it might be a win-win situation. If it is sunny we get some good biking, and if it is raining it will hopefully be snowing on the the Kitzsteinhorn so we can go skiing. This would be an extra bonus as we haven't been able to go this winter.
What is the glacier likely to be like in October and how easy is it to get up to it, last time we went was before the fire so we used the funicular. Also does anyone know what the mountain biking is like in the area, we tend to stick to the easier runs (blues and reds in the Pyrenees), and even better any rides down from lifts (I think a few are still open in the Saalbach area).
Thanks for any help
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Early October is quite early. It will be very dependent on the summer and how September has gone. I have had some great (if limited - it is a glacier) skiing in early October in Austria (actually Hintertux, but I think it would have been good in Kitzsteinhorn at the same time). And I've been reading the papers in Salzburg in September to see photos of them excitedly running the lifts surrounded by early season snow. But it will just depend on the circumstances at the time.
More generally it is easy enough to get to, good lift system in place now and it's a lovely area for hiking etc.
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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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No MTBs allowed on gondola in Zell am See (not sure if it's open in october anyway). Bikes are allowed on the gondola from Kaprun (again, no idea if it is open).
http://www.gravitibikehire.com/index.htm
These guys could be of more use than me, very helpful.
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Anniegirl, You should be fine to ski the Kitzsteinhorn but I would go on the basis that the biking and hiking are the primary and, as you suggest, skiing merely a bonus.
You can get the best of both at that time of year, I've experienced temperatures that would be more usual in July and also the other end of the scale with literally a foot of fresh almost to the valley. The last two or three years have seen great dumps then but it is a bit of a gamble. Uplift to Kitzsteinhorn is fine, two stage fast gondola, then cable car and finally a funicular down to the easier slopes if you need it.
The main Schmittenhohe cable car at ZamS is operating until 16th October this year. AFAIK MTBs are now allowed in the new cable car. Some of the lifts at Saalbach/Hinterglemm are going until 23rd October. S/H is actually really developing itself as a MTB resort these days.
Where is the accommodation, Maishofen? Viehofen? although either should be fine if your keen on the bike.
Only thing to be aware of in case it bothers you is that October is very much closed season as far as hotels and events are concerned, S/H will be very quiet as it is still very much a winter resort (thus why they are promoting the MTBing theme) ZamS will be a bit busier but only as it is the main town for the region, so probably quite quiet at night
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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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Re the mountain biking, there's a trail down form the Schattberg gondola in Saalbach that looks pretty funky (to a non-biker anyway), few wall ride type things and jumps on it.
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Brilliant thank you for all the advice sounds like we should have a good time. robboj, We would be staying at Veihofen, but don't worry we are used to closed ski towns, in the Pyrenees everything closes after the kids go back to school, so having even a few lifts working is new
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Doubt any lift apart form the glacier will be open in otctober so you will not be able to use them for mountain biking.
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