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Austria Snow Report 2011/12

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Yesterday was even better than thursday in Saalbach. Great weather all morning, then a few clouds but not everywhere. The snow was worth crying for joy in the first hour of the day, then remained great (or acceptable in the most crowded areas) all day, mostly without the icy patches of the day before. I think whoever picks this resort for the coming week will have even more fun than they might expect, provided the temperatures do not rise too much.

As for me, an unexpected change of work schedule allowed me to stay one more week... Am I turning into a ski bum? Wink After thoughtful considerations and some advice from other Snowheads I've resolved to come to Lech. People should know (or maybe not, tehe) that even in such an "exclusive" resort, if you arrive without a reservation on a week like this you can get quite good bargains! From what I've seen so far, the village is great and the slopes are in top form... I'll be updating in the following days.

Ciao,
Matteo
www.tipsology.net
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
nobrainbcn, I'd stay in Saalbach if you're hoping for pow (at least 'til Monday/Tuesday).
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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?
wops, too late... i'm already in Lech Smile
you're right, i had enough powder in Saalbach for the whole season - though i'm not a real off-pister, but still i enjoyed quite a few untracked runs!
i'm sure Lech will be good enough for this week, just the view from my window is worth the trip.
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A bit late sorry for a weather report, but spent last week in Maria Alm, it was fantastic, super sunshine Tuesday and Wedsnesday, snowed all day and night Thursday, so visibility wasn't so good, and Friday was sunny again, soft lower down but all in all a brilliant 4 days, I actually managed to get across to Muhlbach, and apart from the horrible soft, mogully and bottle necked red 21, into dienten the rest of it was great. Even managed a black run! Thanks espri for all the pics leading upto it, snowHead
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Glad you enjjoyed your holiday Very Happy
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Just back from a trip to Austria. Slow levels in Tirol are still reasonable although there was not that much new snow in the last 10 days. Whilst in East Tirol the snow levels were far less. The weather was generally very warm and sunny which meant great views but not the best skiing conditions particularly in East Tirol. Chances are that in East Tirol and Carinthia many resorts will shut early. Best places to visit would be Heiligenblut, Molltaller, and perhaps Kals/Matrai. In Tirol while the temperatures remain high I'd suggest staying about 1500m for ok snow. Hopefully the weather will get colder and some new snow will fall.

Places visitted and conditions:

Niederau - poor
Auffach - average
spieljoch - average/good
hochfugen - good
hochzillertal - good
mayrhofen - average/good
zillertal arena - average/good
kitzbuhel - average/good
lienz - poor/average
kals/matrei - average
sillian - average
obertilliach - average
spittal - poor
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I got back from Ischgl on Saturday after seven days skiing. Two non consecutive days of heavy snow and the rest were primarily sunny. Temperatures from -2 to -12, so snow held up well. However, warm on Friday and the run from mid station to the village was slushy in the afternoon. Forecast for this week is warm and sunny and certainly looked that way on the webcams this morning. There is loads of snow though.
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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!
sammawby wrote:
I'd suggest staying about 1500m for ok snow.

Blimey I've been skiing snow at 750m, may be a bit soft but still enjoyable. What criteria are you judging conditions on?Dryness of powder, depth of snow, extent of piste skiing, the off piste conditions, the quality of the springtime afternoon slushy on piste bumps?
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Granted around the zillertal and over towards kitzbuhel there is still plenty of snow even with the warm weather. I skiied to a couple of the base stations in the Kitzbuhel area on Thursday. Below about 1500 meters the snow was slushy by mid/late morning. Some of the runs to the valley were shut. In the current hot conditions I'd still suggest going above 1500m but I guess if the colder weather returns then the snow levels are sufficient to have pleasent skiing lower down. In east tirol this is not the case as the base is gone. I did a number of runs on pistes on bare mountain-sides (below about 1300m I'd guess). I was exploring the area so skiing what I could but the lower runs were not that great. Even at higher levels some pistes were closed, in some cases like in Sillian an area had been closed all season. Anyway if you're in an area where the lifts allow you to stay higher you should be fine. Also obviously it depends on whether the slopes are north facing like in schladming and protected to some degree from the sun.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
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sammawby, the Kärnten (Carinthia) area has not had the massive amounts of snow that the northern provinces had. Sadly, it has been affected more by the snow drought that has affected the Dolomites among other regions south of the Alpine watershed. That is not to say that they have not had any, before anyone jumps in with their size 14s! Laughing

Your statement was a wild generalisation based on very subjective information. That is why the locals on the ground in the particular regions concerned are a far more reliable source of information as they have been in situ for the whole season or at least an extended period of time. For example, your report/estimation of conditions in Niederau conflicts considerabley with that of Carolyn, an established member of this forum who actually lives in the Wildschonau area and has been reporting on an almost daily basis all season.

What one person derides as poor, another enjoys, by the way so your doom laden list writing off large sections of the eastern Tirol is not exactly correct. It is YOUR assessment is that they are poor/average/etc. How long were you in each location? and how did you empirically arrive at these conclusions? Poor compared to what? And so on!

Perhaps if you had chosen a less authorative form of reporting, you would not be under scrutiny for making your particular statements!
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Hi sue Smile, clearly everyones views are subjective and I would hope mine are also unbiased. I have no connections to any ski area or region and can give an opinion on the conditions I witnessed skiied during my trip which could be useful for some of the users of this forum. It is quite ok for others to have a different opinion. As I say my views are based on recent experience and offer something different than from a local with potential self-interest or a site that promotes ski holidays. I hope my observations were balanced. I did say there is plenty of snow in the Tirol but it is clear that lower down the snow is going to suffer in the sunny weather. East Tirol (and Carithinia which you mentioned) have had far less snow and are in a less favourable state. I explained my views on Niederau in more detail on their thread and the points I made related to important facts such as having to ski down to the base as there are no lifts other than small drags that allow a skier to stay high. It's also actually not that good a ski area but that's a different point. Auffach is a bit better for those who are going the area in the next week (more enjoyable ski area and importantly lifts to stay higher). I also mentioned some resorts in East Tirol/Carinthia that would still be good for skiing this year. It is better people are informed than not? A holiday located in the Zillertal for example offers far more flexibility and scope in variable conditions than a trip to Niederau this is clear for any reasonable person to see. In terms of elsewhere in the Tirol I have been there for every Sat/Sun in Feb so got a good idea of the changing conditions in the area (Innsbruck and east to Kitzbuhel). For example I would not probably advise in the current weather a last minute trip to the Ski Welt. Conditions a few weeks ago were beginning to deteriate. Still lots of snow but the condition not that great. Although you do again have the option to stay on higher lifts on the west side.
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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.
sammawby, luckily for the resorts, people are not taking your advice right now and are still booking for the Ski Welt. The season is far from over yet!

As I pointed out on another thread recently, this is a typical March for us; temperatures go up and down, sun comes out and goes in again, sometimes it rains, other times it snows. Last Thursday/Friday parts of the eastern Tirol had fresh snow, even at my lowly elevation of 800m we had another 10cms of the stuff land on us. Saturday was a bluebird day and Sunday was not (depending on which valley you may have been in). And so on.

Anyone skiing at this time of the year accepts that the afternoon conditions are going to be different from the early morning ones. Any newbies asking for advice will be given a fair assessment of what to expect rather than trotting out the usual suspects of "glacier resorts only from the end of February onwards". I have just booked a 5 day stay in Altenmarkt for Easter for example. I know that the likihood of having snow actually up to the hotel door is slight to nil, but I also know that within that region I will have more than ample snow to play on for my needs right through until the end of the season on April 29th.

Your observations are based on your snapshot, not based on long term knowledge AND experience of the areas. The people posting on here are not primarily pimping their businesses, they give honest assessments of the conditions. Many, such as myself, do not work in the ski or hotel business at all, but have been out here for a lot longer than a week or a month, or even a season. We have nothing to gain from promoting these areas except maybe longer queues! Toofy Grin
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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
Hi Sue, it is shame you don't think people are taking my advice, although it is strange how you might know. You also don't seem to be reading my entries as I have pointed out that there is plenty of snow above the tauern pass and that some non glacier resorts would be fine to still visit in this warm weather. While it is fair to say it is still possilbe to ski is most places in Europe since we are in a period of warmer weather some areas are going to cope better than others. Good advice is to suggest going somewhere late season where you have options depending on the conditions. Also you need to consider the standard of the skier. Heavier snow is harder for beginners but manageable for regulars. It also depends on price as obviously somewhere lower will be cheaper late season and this may suit some people. It is clearly not a simple decision but unless there is a good snow fall to a low level in the Tirol, East Tirol, and Carinthia any late bookers should be looking at areas with some higher skiing available. This is just common sense. Maybe in a week the situation will be different (temporarily). Though I stress for Carinthia and East Tirol slopes below about 1300m probably have as much chance as Scotland for a late season recovery. I'm looking at options for the next few weeks in west Tirol and shall be concentrating on ski areas with mostly slopes above 1800m. Some will be glacier and some will not. Why settle for worse conditions when you could have better conditions. My summary above may be better used as a comparison of areas. Obviously with a car in eastern Salzburgland you have the option of Dashstein and higher resorts like Obertauern if required.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
am actually in the ski welt at present and the skiing is quite good high temps and slushy but they have a good base so nothing to worry about, i can ski to every village in the valley at about 700m in 15C temps and will be able to for another week easy probably much longer, wont be doing that when i get home not sure what sammy is on about..
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
geeo...are you able to give us any more info on current conditions in the ski welt, were due to fly out this saturday and the high temps have got me a bit worried,

what kind of depth is the base on the home runs and what about at the mid stations??
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
It's Sam but anyway the point as I explained to Sue was not lack of snow in the SkiWelt but quality. During this hot weather if you haven't already booked go somewhere else. Simple but sensible advice. Heavy slushy snow is not easy for beginners or for that matter probably many intermediates. You can stay high on the Soll side to avoid heading to the valley which you can't in Niederau but still any late ski holiday choice now isn't going to have the Ski Welt top of the list. If you're already booked don't worry as the person above said you'll find snow and my advice would be to stick to the area above soll and perhaps do a trip to the westondorf area which is quieter and therefore the snow will keep best at least on the top chairs in the middle of the area.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Not sure if I dare say anything on here - but we are staying in Burserberg this week and really enjoying the skiing here and in Brand - the two areas are linked by a fairly new (last couple of years I think) gondola. Chose the place as its not far into Austria and should have been about a 4.5 hour drive from Les Gets (coach broke down on the middle lane of the motorway adding an hour or so). We are in a delightful B&B, Pension Brunhilde and Brunhilde and her husband Werner could not be better hosts. The breakfasts are huge and send us on our way well fed.

The lifts round here all seem to open at 8.30 which is very good this week so we are out early and my OH quickly sussed out the order in which to ski the various slopes saving the northfacing and shaded ones for later in the day. Sunday was busy with lots of families and flat light which I didn't enjoy so when it was really quiet on Monday and clear blue skies it was all wonderful! We are enjoying Austrian prices to eat and drink - and Werner went and bought our lift passes which seems to have been beneficial financially. Interestingly Seniors are over 60 here, other places in Austria that we have been have abandoned reductions for Seniors, and you can also buy a Monday to Friday pass here. We are tending to ski till about 2.30 and then stop for lunch and call it a day then as it is getting very soft lower down but certainly so far it has been good - and the sun just lovely.
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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?
hows the ski conditions in mayrhofen at the moment folks,Was there in Jan and conditions were excellent.Webcams look ok and plan on headin to Hintertux this time hopefully as missed it in jan due to high winds and heavy snow fall.Its booked now anyway flyin to Munich sat am and then onto Mayrhofen so hopefully ski conditions are still good.Bruck n stadl Sat night for me Very Happy
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Had a couple of rather different skiing days on Monday and Tuesday, as I struggled with the ankle I had sprained at the weekend.

On Monday my friend and I went to the Steinplatte above Waidring. Weather was not good. Particularly at the top of the hill, from about the top of the Kapellen chairlift, everything was in cloud and visibility very poor. Here's the eponymous Kapelle only just to be seen through the mists.



However, just a little further down the run things were much better. The photo shows the bottom station of the 8-seater Steinplatte chairlift.



Snow was pretty soft but not impossible. We only held out for about three hours, mostly skiing the Kapellenlift piste, before calling it a day.

Tuesday was completely different, though when we started out from Leogang it didn't look that promising. Everything in mist. But by the time we had crossed over into the Glemmtal the clouds were disappearing and the sun shone brilliantly for the rest of the day. The photo shows the mists rising over the Seidlalm, taken from the Asitz near the top of the Polten chairlift (which is to be replaced by an 8-seater for next season, I believe).



Although the snow was very soft, hard going for a man with only one and a half legs, we still enjoyed the skiing. We lunched at the Thurner Alm, which must surely be recommended - it has a snowHeads sticker Laughing



After skiing to Saalbach, we returned and finished our day with several more runs on the Leogang side where, as might be expected, the snow was a little firmer (although it had been pretty soft there too in the morning, presumably because it had been overcast and mild through the night).
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Morning all. Just letting you know about a webcam that I found for Ellmau - 98.panomax.at (no www needed it seems) which pans around the entire village from up above the nursery slopes. As you can see even in the village there is still plenty of snow even on the sunny side (which you don't ski). By way of comparison, we skied there last March (this week in fact Crying or Very sad ) and the mountains and slopes you can see (the Wilder Kaiser) were green green green but the skiing itself on the hartkaiser etc was still fine (not fab, but fine). So anyone going out there now is still going to have a great time. F Very Happy
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Quote:

geeo...are you able to give us any more info on current conditions in the ski welt, were due to fly out this saturday and the high temps have got me a bit worried,



what kind of depth is the base on the home runs and what about at the mid stations??



there is plenty of snow still and it will be about for a while they have a 2m base in places, the south facing slopes are suffering a bit but you will be able ski to the valley floor for another week probably more no problem, and because you can ski every aspect you can go south facing early and north facing later on in the day and have a lot of fun still.


Quote:

It's Sam but anyway the point as I explained to Sue was not lack of snow in the SkiWelt but quality. During this hot weather if you haven't already booked go somewhere else. Simple but sensible advice.



i hear the himalayas has had fresh snow not sure what other country you mean,where in Austria is this powder at sam seeing as you have all the knowledge please enlighten me to where has escaped the heat and the thaw/refreeze rolling eyes
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Hi Geeo, I'm struggling to get the argument that you're trying to make. Do you disagree that in the current weather skiing on the Hintertux glacier for example is going to be better then skiing in the SkiWelt? I actually also tried to give some advice as to the best areas in the Ski Welt to ski in the hot weather, for those already booked. Again I'd suggest keeping on the higher Soll side chair lifts and I'd also venture into the Westendorf area to the chair lifts in the middle of this section. They are high and the pistes generally quiet so will hopefully keep the snow better. People may appreciate your replies more if you stick to facts and useful info rather than trying to be clever.
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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!
sammawby,

Quote:
People may appreciate your replies more if you stick to facts and useful info rather than trying to be clever.
the same could also be said about you.

You are pontificating and actually we know nothing of your credentials to support reasons for accepting your statements. Plus your reports are currently at odds with locals who actually ski those areas ALL SEASON. And no, not all of us have "vested" interests in talking up the resorts.

I'm just back from a day in Mühlbach which is part of the Hochkönig area in case you have not heard of it. We aimed to start early ski hard through to about 1.30 lunch then ski back to our start point to finish around 3pm. The snow was excellent in the morning after a hard frost (which was also true for the Ski Welt region just down the road) and started getting heavy low down around 11am. We stayed high and enjoyed excellent conditions until about 1.30pm when we decided to have lunch. Then we skied back to the the top of the gondola and downloaded as the conditions were getting very heavy from the mid-station down. There is plenty of snow despite the warm temperatures and a top up is due again at the beginning of next week.

What you have failed to accept here and elsewhere is that your report is a snapshot in time and that the mountain weather varies considerably from day to day as well as from valley to valley. You posted your first report condemning the Ski Welt last weekend, when it in fact snowed quite heavily, thus changing conditions from when you were passing through. I think any skier worth their salt accepts that March and April skiing can mean starting and finishing early and that there is no shame in downloading at the end of a great day's skiing. It can also mean powder up to your ears and howling gales, because mountain weather is like that, unpredictable.

By the way, I'm raring to get back to Maria Alm tomorrow and will be starting even earlier as the lift company has decided to open up at 8am instead of 8.30am. I'm pretty sure the snow will not have melted away by then either! snowHead
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Hi Sue,

Again I'm not really getting your point. I just expressed my own views as you can/are expressing yours. I don't think I'm saying anything that is particularly extreme and I've tried not to be argumentative and rude like yourself and geeo. I'd hope people would make their own mind up as to where to go and not take either of our opinions as gospel. For anyone interested the Hochzillertal area from Kaltenbach opens at 7.30am every day and I believe as of today on Thursday and Sunday you can ski some lifts in the Zillertal Arena from 6.45am. I don't think it's sensible to assume much more snow in the next week or so as the forecasts seem to vary greatly. Where do you advice people to currently book a last minute ski holiday in Austria and why?
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
sammawby, you are not getting my point because you think your view is right and mine is wrong! Currently there is more than enough snow just about everywhere north of the main Alpine watershed. Currently it is mild but the weather is beautiful. Those of us who live here ski early and finish early. If temperatures go down again (which they are supposed to do at the beginning of next week) we make accommodation accordingly.

I have advised plenty of people here according to their needs and my knowledge of the resorts based on over 20 years of skiing all over Austria and another 30 years of skiing in the Alps. What are your credentials for telling people who have booked Ski Welt for this weekend that their chances of a good holiday are zero and that they should hire a car and go elsewhere?

You fight your corner well, I'll give you that, but I will follow Espri's advice and that of SaraJ before I take that of a tourist passing through.


Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads on Fri 16-03-12 6:13; edited 1 time in total
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
sammawby, I presume you have never had a glass that is half full, I never read so much negative drivel
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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.
freshlegs wrote:
Morning all. Just letting you know about a webcam that I found for Ellmau - 98.panomax.at (no www needed it seems) which pans around the entire village from up above the nursery slopes. As you can see even in the village there is still plenty of snow even on the sunny side (which you don't ski). By way of comparison, we skied there last March (this week in fact Crying or Very sad ) and the mountains and slopes you can see (the Wilder Kaiser) were green green green but the skiing itself on the hartkaiser etc was still fine (not fab, but fine). So anyone going out there now is still going to have a great time. F Very Happy


That's an excellent cam. Whilst I understand it's getting warm, it's always a good sign when there's still snow on the roofs of buildings, they have to deal with the heat escaping from the building and the sun beating down - shows that nice compacted snow should hold for quite a while.

2 weeks until we go to Kitzbuhel. It might get soft, some slopes may close, we might be better skiing higher..... but I reckon we'll still have a great time!
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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
Quote:

Hi Geeo, I'm struggling to get the argument that you're trying to make

you talk a lot of crap is that clear enough for you?
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Had a couple of good days skiing with a friend here on a short visit. Our first day was in the Hochkönig area and has already been reported by other snowHeads we met in the Ski Amadé thread. A very enjoyable day.

Today we went to the Kitzsteinhorn glacier near Kaprun and had another bluebird day, though quite windy higher up. Seemed very busy with full car-parks when we arrived but the lift queues on the slopes were never more than a couple of minutes. Snow mostly firm but with some pleasant light wind-blown covering on runs that weren't skied so much (we enjoyed the piste down to the Gletschersee, piste 2 - the photo below was taken on that run).

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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Just returned from a week in Seefeld in Tirol. Apart from the Sunday when it snowed very lightly all day and the monday when it was cloudy and cold, the rest of the week was sunny and warm. Thursday and Friday it was up to 15 C. Still plenty of snow left in the village and definately plenty left on the slopes. In some parts of the village there is still a metre of snow on roofs that are in the shade. The village nursery slope area and the birkenlift area behind it had the worst snow conditions. Mornings were fine but in the afternoons, the snow was very soft and quite slushy at the bottoms. The snow on the middle and top sections of the Schwandkopf hill was much better. But even here by Thursday afternoon the snow became quite soft and was quite hard going to ski on. Even with the recent warm weather and the warm weather forecast for this week, I still think the snow in Seefeld and for most of Central and West Tirol will last well into April.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Had a good day skiing the Saalbach-Hinterglemm ski circus/circuit (in an anticlockwise direction). Having collected a friend first from Maria Alm, we started out from the Schönleiten gondola in Vorderglemm about 09:00. That's early for me but we wanted to use the snow before it was too soft. I'm not sure it helped because most of the pistes were quite soft, and sometimes a bit mogully, from early on. However, though you had to work at it, the skiing was enjoyable. And the weather superb. Hot! Here's the view from beside the Aster-Alm above Saalbach, looking over to the Schattberg (and with the Zwölferkogel above Hinterglemm on the right)...



The slopes were very quiet, a few school classes but not many other groups. The photo below was taken as we skied down the long Jausern piste from the Limbergalm back to the Schönleiten lift without the usual hectic crowds that you find on this run end of the day in high season (a few more skiers did appear while we were having refreshments at the Jausern-Alm before skiing the last 100 metres to the car-park).




P.S. My earlier report that the Polten chairlift linking to Leogang was to be replaced by an 8-seater this summer seems to have been too optimistic. The project has been postponed.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Is anyone out in Kitzbuhel at the moment? Hows the snow looking? (Heading out there 30th March for 1 week)
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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?
A quick update just returned from Ischgl today
Still a lot of snow around last dump 19th
Bit icy first thing and soft on low slopes and bits exposed to sun pm
Runs to Samnaun being closed pm a couple of days but still good fun in the mornings
Take sun cream
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jefbenitez - can help with kitz but just back from soll / skiwelt so right next door

snow on north facing higher slopes 1200+ holding up well but anything lower is being destroyed by the heat and rain, green patches starting to appear on south facing at all levels as of thursday last week so will only be worse now, probobly not what you want to hear but we still had a great week, stay high and ski early for best conditions
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Been here for three days now and it's glorious spring skiing. Of course the lower slopes which face the sun have all gone, but those with a more northerly aspect are holding up well and up high the pistes still have serious depth.

Saturday we spent above Zell am Ziller (oski was racing), and there were a few high clouds on the highest peaks keeping the heat off. Sunday we did Scheffau and Ellmau (Ski Welt) and was gloriously sunny, and we've just come today from Kitzbuhl/Kirchberg. All three areas had very few people, good snow depths high up, odd thing patch lower down - although I did manage to ski all the way back to the bottom of Kirchberg (900m) and whilst much of the mountain has a gentle covering of slushy snow (great for going GS turns through) I only found one or two patches of sticky snow.

By comparison to this same week last year, there is *much* more open and *much* better coverage.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
After a week or more of glorious sunny weather, the forecast change arrived today. I had planned to go to Kitzbühel but with the day looking damp and dreary I decided to stay nearer to home in Fieberbrunn instead. As I drove over to the lift it was tempting to maybe drop the idea altogether, with clouds lying low on the hills. However, that would have been a mistake, for I ended up having a good if slightly damp day's skiing.



That was the view out of the Reckmoos Nord gondola as I went up this morning (actually down to the middle station). "The Black Side of the Sun" it proclaims. Sun? There wasn't any. Well, that isn't quite true. Visibility was mostly poor but not impossible and from the top of the Reckmoos lifts, over on the Reckmoos Süd, with a little wind blowing the clouds there was even a hint of sunshine at times. The photo below shows the Hochhörndl chairlift and the Reckmoos Süd gondola.



The snow was mostly soft, though not as bad as I had feared. If you bashed through the crud and any ruts, the skiing wasn't at all bad, though sometimes hard work, e.g. particularly down at the bottom of the Reckmoos Süd piste. The only exception was at the top of the Hochhörndl chair, where the snow had melted and frozen again, though even there it wasn't icy and had parts filled in with blown powder. Still plenty of snow.

The slopes were very quiet, almost empty, though occasionally some groups would appear. Perhaps they were apparitions, though more likely they were just skiing faster than I was and soon disappeared again. I suspected that they were training and/or testing for the Landesskilehrer qualification - all looked very competent.

All in all it was enjoyable day, though somewhat strenuous. Better than hanging around the house, though Very Happy
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Just picking up on this... probably some of the best March skiing all around Austria this year. reallly good spring conditions throughout with good freezes overnight.. and now for the troll...
TBH, sammawby, you just sound like a bit of a crap skier to me - but each to their own wink
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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!
Flangesax, it is exactly this type of reply which means I shalln't be providing any future feedback on this site. It is a great shame this site can't offer a balanced few from a wide selection of people. It seems to be dominated by people working/living in resorts and by skiers who are or think of themselves as advanced/expert. However what people seem to forget is that there are probably many newbie or early intermediate skiers who read the posts. Therefore the information that is provided needs to be useful and relevant to them just as much if not more so as it is to the seasoned skier. I've also contributed a list of short reviews for about 30 resorts throughout Tirol from this winter. I'm sure many regulars won't like this information either as it also gives an honest assessment from me so some is positive and some negative. The problem is that people seem to be blinkered to *their* favourite/local resorts and/or to the fact that any skiing is better than sitting in the office. This just isn't a good or sensible argument. The end of last season for much of Europe was terrible. I was in Tignes/Val D'isere in early/mid March and even had less than ideal conditions. So I *would* stay in the office over skiing that year in April (unless maybe on a glacier). Similarly when we talk of this year and how we should expect spring conditions, this is not an entirely accurate picture. It has been very warm and there has been little snow in March as such conditions are not as good as they could be for Spring/March. Better than last year and probably worth a ski trip but choosing the resort is still important. For example next week is *currently* forecast as rain for a lot of lower resorts. Therefore as I suggested over the last month don't go for Niederau, Ski Welt, Kitzbuhel, etc. unless you've already booked (not a good choice for this time of year if pre-booking anyway). On my trip from the 24th March (morning) to the 31st April (evening) there was hardly any new snow/rain (less than half a cm over the 8 days I'd guess) anywhere I was staying. This was in an area from Obergurgl to Galtur and everything in between. The snow level was probably between 1200-1600 depending on the area, steepness, and whether facing north/south/east/west. I hope other new posters don't get the abuse I've got and get a chance to contribute. How did beginners and early intermediates find the snow conditions in March 2012? How much snow fell during your March trip (those on holiday rather than based in resort)? Did you find any small/large resorts that you found were great and would like to share with others? I'd like to hear from those who've never written a post before and frankly I shall be ignoring most that this written by the regulars as it can't be relied upon.
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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.
sammawby, rolling eyes rolling eyes rolling eyes


....... and I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house down! Laughing

I for one will not miss your posts as I find them irritatingly prissy, self-congratulatory and wildly inaccurate. What you fail to grasp is that they are YOUR subjective view of a day in a resort! A personal snapshot in time and in that context, perfectly valid, but I would not base my holiday selection on that kind of report.

The regular posters from people actually living in a particular area are the reliable ones that people here value. Trip reports are just that, a report on A trip to a resort/region or whatever. You really can only pass judgement on resorts when you get to know them "warts and all" by being there for a) a whole season or b) from being there for multiple seasons.

You accuse the regulars of posting false reports in order to "pimp" their investments, I find that accusation extremely offensive, and I do not have an investment to pimp as you put it. I live where I do because I can and I finance my life in the Alps with a bog-standard 9 to 5 (mostly earlier and longer) job. Many of the regulars you are so disparaging about, are sometimes brutally honest about conditions in their neck of the woods. What they all are though, without exception, is extremely helpful and openly generous with their time and energy, both here and in real life in the resorts. Not all of them have property or jobs that rely on being pimped, some are like me and just love to ski so much that they live here permanently. We all have wildly different views on what we like to do and where we like to ski. If we were being greedy, we would report falsely so that the slopes were not so busy. Nor would we show people pictures of our favourite places or take people to our hidden secret stashes of powder or empty pistes.

Now go away and sulk on some other forum where your ambition to recognised as a skiing Guru/pundit is appreciated by a less knowledgeable and critical audience. May I be so bold as to suggest TGR as a suitable forum for your talents and if that is a step too far, then a close clone of this forum that is brand-new and looking for experts is to be found at www.Snivel.com I believe.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
sammawby, keep at it. I've found your posts interesting. What is often forgotten here is that posts are only written by one person epressing their views and experiences, other people will have differing opinions. Also replying with a joke or a abit of p1ss take back works wonders.
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