Thanks to these Snowheads I discovered Serfaus

A snowHead

Recently back from an epic-for-me trip to the Arlberg, Dolomites and Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis. SFL was suggested to me by @valkyrie, @steilhang and @munich_irish and I took a chance and spent six days there in late March. Many thanks for that suggestion, it is as good as any ski area I've been to and better than most. I had never heard of it and my innkeeper said I was the first American to ever stay in their hotel, and his dad confirmed it! Sometimes the condescension and snark on SH is tiresome but we Yanks don't know much about skiing in the Alps and I have benefitted from some good advice here, and so it was this time. Thanks again.

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@Scooter in Seattle, Glad you had a great time and if you ignore the cynics there is good advice to be had. Very Happy

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@Scooter in Seattle, well done lad. Delighted you enjoyed it.

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@Scooter in Seattle, very pleased that you liked it! Which village/hotel did you stay in?

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

In Serfaus, at Hotel Montana. Right across the street from the Kirche subway (!) station. Can't think of a reason not to stay there next year.

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Glad you had a good time Smile

. Not sure why the Brits seem to ignore the place as it would seem to fit perfectly what so many appear to want. Varied skiing in a fair sized ski area, pretty much car free location, well regarded ski school, fairly high, family friendly. Seems to me like almost a French style resort in the middle of the Austrian alps.

The only place I can remember hearing American accents on the lifts is the Arlberg. I guess folk from the US must go elsewhere, especially Kitzbühel, but they seem to be few in number.

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@Scooter in Seattle, glad to be of service! It's strange SFL doesn't appear on many Brit and American radars. It's such a great place. I'm not complaining mind, means I can have the place to myself.

After all it is free

Had a week there, based in Fiss. Would gladly return.

I think its accurate to say most Yanks feel like there's adequate skiing in North America, and don't value the various differences that make the Alps fun enough to make the trip, which is considerable....a day each way and then jet lag once you're there. This is not unreasonable, just maybe short-sighted. I suppose those that live in the Alps probably feel the same way about coming over here. I find the those that do head east go to France, especially Chamonix. Indeed, I went first to Val d'sere and 3V, fearing the low altitude of Austria. Then, here, I learned that in Austria you're skiing on snow over basically turf, so not as much snow is required. I also learned, here, that the extent of snowmaking in the Alps is vast, which covers one's downside risk....this year in the Dolomites I was on white ribbons (and smelled manure at Kronplatz, another unsung gem). We don't do snowmaking nearly as much over here, though its on the rise for obvious reasons.

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@Scooter in Seattle, for me the major downside of skiing in America is the cost. The lift prices in Colorado at least are simply eye watering!

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Absolutely true. For me its an incentive to head for the Alps. And its not just CO., but really all the big-name resorts, most of which are corporate-owned. Even with various discounts, Ikon Passes etc, its punishing. To be fair, today's higher level of service, grooming and fast lifts must come at a cost. But somehow in the Alps this does not affect lift pricing nearly as much; no one here believes me when I say I can get a Dolomiti Superski ticket for 55 EU and it covers a mere 450 lifts. I just checked the window cost of a day ticket at three excellent BC interior resorts (Silver Star, Big White and Sun Peaks) and they range from 105-125 CDN, call it $90-100 US. That's about as low as it gets for a resort worth visiting (and they have true ski-in, ski-out accommodations). They are worth my time as its a 6-7 hour drive. But for you, and others similarly situated? Nah...I'd tell you to stay on the continent unless you have a major desire for variety. Our sport is becoming a rich person's activity, unfortunately.

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SnowHeads is the best ski forum on the Web.

Plenty of knowledgable and helpful posters.

The biggest upside to European skiing is the quantity (mileage) and quality (steeps).

The biggest downside to European skiing is the bad snow quality. Close to the sea, onpiste gets icy, and offpiste is gloopy. US West snow is much drier, softer and deeper.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@Whitegold other elements of a ski holiday that Europe does better include food, mountain restaurants, general ambience and no jet lag. I have to admit I have only skied in the US once so I don’t have lots of experiences to compare. We met a guy who goes every year -it was then his 11th - who reckoned once you’ve been to Vail, you’ll never go anywhere else...

A snowHead

He's got you all again. You're now talking about him and not Serfaus/Fiss/Ladis Laughing

A snowHead

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

SFL is certainly a great area, we had a fab week there earlier this year. Glad you enjoyed it.

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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

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Extremely grateful for the info. Never thought of going there till now. Seemed small, unchallenging and unattractive.It seems I was wrong and foolish
I usually enjoy rambling from piste to piste, valley to valley for a whole week. Trying to refrain from doing the same pistes over and over.
Hence Serre Che, EK, Paradiski and 3V.
But I enjoyed Solden plus Obergurgl/Hochgurgl and St. Anton for everything Austria has to offer. Maybe less mileage but good grooming, interesting trails with enough reds and blacks and the possibility to progress to off piste.
So my question: is the week of 22.12 a good idea?

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@drporat, the crystal ball is currently under repair....... Christmas is always a lottery some years there is good snow in December some years there is hardly a snowflake in sight. Who knows what next season will bring. If I were booking a skiing holiday I would not be looking to go Christmas week but understand that sometimes folk have little option. That said Serfaus is likely to have better conditions than lower places such as Kitzbühel.

After all it is free

Serfaus & Fiss have enormous dedicated areas for little kids; this seems to be a primary area of focus for them. I was there during a non-holiday timeframe so I can't be sure of this, but I'm betting this makes for better skiing everywhere else in the area during crowded holiday times.....the kids go to their good place, leaving our good places less congested with kids and their distracted parents.

@Whitegold’s post is a perfect example of “the internet”!

Much of what he wrote are true in some context, and false in the larger picture. That’s probably due to the limits in his personal experience. It’s up to the reader to use that as a starting point, and compare to other people’s opinions, to get to the accurate information.

So, to use his own words “Plenty of knowledgable and helpful posters”. Just be mindful of the limitations of each poster’s knowledge, you’ll get the best out of this (or many other) forum.

Last but not least “SnowHeads is the best ski forum on the Web”!

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Thanks to these Snowheads I discovered Serfaus

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