 Poster: A snowHead
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After my previous attempt at looking at our skiing holiday in Switzerland got put on hold for a few years due to the price/exchange rate (http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=78245), I am looking at Westendorf or Kitzbuhel.
A search of the forums shows that Westendorf might meet our needs, but Kitzbuhel also might be nice, however I have a couple of questions I haven't found the answer to yet.
1) Beginners - we have 1 beginner (1 week on skis) with us, is she going to be going up one side of the valley (Horn) whilst the rest of us head off in the other direction, making meeting up at lunchtime difficult?
2) Busses - it seems that Kitzbuhel is quite a large town (compared to wee ski villages) and the way around is to get the bus. Is this a right faff, or is it a breeze?
Thanks in advance for your opinion and experience.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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1) No, not necessarily. There are real beginners' areas at the foot of the Hahnenkamm. If your beginner is more an advanced beginner/intermediate then I think that the piste by the Maierlbahn, no. 26, would be a good area (with only one narrower section on the way down). Staying in Kitzbühel, you can get there by taking the bus round to the Fleckalmbahn (A4) and using that to get you up to the Ehrenbachhöhe. Alternatively, on skis, you can go up the Hahnenkammbahn (A1) and then ski down piste no. 37 to the Ehrenbacher Graben and use the lift there (Ehrenbachhöhe, C2), to get you to the Ehrenbachhöhe. However, if she is in a class, it might be on the Kitzbüheler Horn.
2) That really depends where you want to go. The centre of Kitzbühel is quite compact and if you stay in that you wouldn't need a bus. But if you wanted to get over from the Hahnenkamm to the Horn, e.g., a bus might be helpful.
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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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sabreboy, Not difficult to get from Westendorf to Kitz by bus. Catch the bus from the stop outside the dairy in Westendorf and the bus station in Kitzbuhel is just the other side of the rail line from the main gondola.
Skiing from Westendorf to Kitz and vice versa does involve a short bus ride as you cross the valley floor between lift stations. You may need the Kitzbuhel All Star lift pass if you're going to spend time in this area. (as opposed to the ski-welt card). I'm sure local snowheads will be able to clarify this. We had a couple or three apres ski sessions in Kitzbuhel then hopped on the bus back to Westendorf. Also plenty of taxis around and cheap enough if there are 6-7 of you to fill a VW and split the fare. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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You do need the (more expensive) Kitzbühel Alps AllStarCard if you want to ski both the Kitzbühel and Westendorf/SkiWelt areas.
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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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Not too sure about the development at Westendorf beyond beginners slopes - outstanding - but the next stage are some quite tricky blues which can be scraped and busy.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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countryman, not in the Westerndorf I know!
Yes there are some hard slopes for nervous beginners but if the beginners are led by an instructor on to the next progression, where is the problem? And the selection a short bus ride away on the Ski Welt Brixen side is even better. I think Westendorf is a wonderful village and it is never as busy as Kitz especially if you are skiing outside the main Fasching holiday period. I've skied there in just about every month of the season, including New Year as it is just down the road from where I live, never had to walk far to the lifts from the car parks, unlike other places in the Ski Welt and Kitzbuehl areas.
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Thanks all for your comment.
It sounds from Samerberg Sue, like Westendorf will be fine for our beginner. For the rest of us traveling to Kitzbuhel sounds easy GeorgeVII, - roughly how long does the bus take?
espri, Does that mean that if we are staying in the centre, then we will be able to walk to the Hahnenkamm lifts in a few minutes? Or is it really a short bus ride out of town?
My thoughts are turning more towards Westendorf if we can find the right accomodation as it seems easier to get around and better for our beginner, thanks once again.
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If you stay in the centre of Kitz, it isn't too far to the Hahnenkamm lift (a few hundred metres), though walking with skis and boots is always a pain. I suspect that it may be possible to leave your gear at the lift overnight (but I'm not 100% sure).
The bus from Westendorf to Kitzbühel village takes about half an hour (plus or minus) (going by the summer timetable). From Westendorf you can also ski over to the Ki-West lift and from there take a shuttle bus to the Pengelstein I lift (or indeed to the Maierl lift in Kirchberg). Both are in the Kitzbühel ski area, though a good way outside the village of Kitzbühel.
Westendorf is more compact than Kitzbühel.
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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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| espri wrote: |
| If you stay in the centre of Kitz, it isn't too far to the Hahnenkamm lift (a few hundred metres), though walking with skis and boots is always a pain. I suspect that it may be possible to leave your gear at the lift overnight (but I'm not 100% sure).. |
You can, in the Intersport rental shop, its pretty much part of the Hahnenkamm Gondola ground station.
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BTW, if you're bussing from Westendorf to Kitzbühel, you don't have to go right round to Kitz (Hahnenkamm). It would be better to get off at the Fleckalmbahn (just after Kirchberg) and take the lift up into the Kitz ski area from there. Makes the journey shorter too.
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