 Poster: A snowHead
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Resort: Westendorf
Country: Austria
Domain: Ski Welt and Kitzbühel
Author: Sabreboy
Date: February 2012
Our holiday: Annual trip for 8 mixed ability skiers
Website : www.westendorf.net
Basics : Part of Austria's Ski Welt, but linked into the Kitzbühel area. A resort with mostly Dutch visitors and plenty of Germans driving down from Munich for the day at the weekend. Lot's of Irish around town too, but fewer Brits.
Lift system : Mostly modern gondola but with a few slower chairs. Ki-West bus is easy, every 15-20 mins and takes a 5 minute drive. The bus service to Brixental seems to be hourly - if you get your timings right however it would be the quickest way to acess Brixental and the rest of the the Ski Welt. Taxi from Brixental to Westendorf was 2.50 Euro per person.
The terrain : Good nursery slope, good area with a range of slopes. The more intermediate skiers found the reds a little too tricky for their taste. One short black, but combined with the other areas, plenty to keep us occupied wiht day trips by ski to Kitzbühel, Soll and Ellmau. Skiing from the Hohe Salve down to Brixental was a blast, as were some of the higher blacks in Kitzbühel. Snow park was ok, but seemed a little isolated and only a few jumps in the easy section (several much larger jumps and stuff for the pro line however).
The snow : The best in 30 years, apparently. Certainally there was no shortage of snow, made a very picturesque and snow-sure trip. Every day we looked at the piste open board, and they were all open. -20 C most days on the mountain, but fortunately very little wind chill. The tree lined pistes would have been great if the weather was more inclement.
Off-piste : Took one itinery route, was very nice and linked well back into the main pistes. There is one other we didn't take as it links into a bus service to get home.
The resort : Very nice compact village, most of the hotels/pensions seem to be close to the centre. Several lively bars full of young Dutch, however, very smokey. I guess this is just an Austrian thing, but after several years of smoke free bars in the UK, it was unpleasant to return to our rooms smelling of smoke. I did lead to us not going out as much until we found Campbells Bar, beneath Hotel Jakobwirt, the first/only smoke free bar in Westendorf - I recommend it.
Lessons Used Reds of Westendorf. Some of the groups were a bit busy, 10-12 per instructor seemed the norm but with our beginner in a group of 19 on the first day. Teaching was less technical and personal that we have had in the past. This however does not mean it wasn not of a high standard, just delivered in a different way. Our private lesson was excellent, but again the teaching in a different style to having a British instructor.
Food : Ate at the Hotel Mesnerwrit every night as part of our half-board, generally very good food and friendly staff.
Transfer : Taxi Brixental - cheapest we found, had a manical driver on the way to Westendorf but a more relaxed trip back to Salzburg.
Accommodation : Hotel Pension Elisabeth. Great breakfasts, comfortable Pension, fantastic location 5 mins walk around the church to the piste. Didn't really notice the church bells in an intrusive way.
Costs: Seemed cheaper that the "super-resorts" of France we have visited lately.
Conclusion: If the smoking was banned, we'd be back in an instant. As things stand, we are likely to return to France or Italy next year.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I am with you on the smoking. I go to Austria (Saalbach) for the
first time on Friday so I am hoping to find some smoke-free bars and restaurants.
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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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| robinsrule wrote: |
I am with you on the smoking. I go to Austria (Saalbach) for the
first time on Friday so I am hoping to find some smoke-free bars and restaurants. |
Underbar (bottom end of the main street, opposite Bobby's) is smoke free. Also happens to be one of the best bars in Saalbach, the new owners are ace. Plus plenty of hot Skandis about.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Wed 15-02-12 14:58; 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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Hi did you ski Kirchberg at all?
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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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Off to Kirchberg on Saturday for a days skiing.Looks like a dump of snow and reasonable temps just in time.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We're going 3 March. Can't wait, 6 of us going bit of a mix matched group with3 long time skiers (although in my case that means nothing, still only do black runs if conned into it) 1 ex skier who has now been boarding for years and 2 1st time skiers. Love Austria (love apres even better)  Enjoy Saturday, if you get time let me know how Kirchberg was.
Thanks
Lynne
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lynne melia, No, the routes we took went around it mostly. Looks like it would link well into Kitzbühelm, not sure about the links to Ski-Welt but the bus might be ok (but perhaps hourly).
It looks like a quick link to the Steinbergkobel lifts, which had some fun blacks off them If I remember correctly.
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| lynne melia wrote: |
We're going 3 March. Can't wait, 6 of us going bit of a mix matched group with3 long time skiers (although in my case that means nothing, still only do black runs if conned into it) 1 ex skier who has now been boarding for years and 2 1st time skiers. Love Austria (love apres even better) Enjoy Saturday, if you get time let me know how Kirchberg was.
Thanks
Lynne |
Im back in Kirchberg for the week 4th to the 11th March if you want to meet up somewhere. Me my wife, daughter and b friend and another couple. As ive got a ST I try to get out there at least every other week. This W/e Im skiing with some Dutch guests
Where are you staying in Kirchberg? I can certainly show you the nightlife/restaurants to go to. Some even my wife hasnt been in!! yet.
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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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Hi, yes would love to meet up. We are booked under the name of Kev Duckworth and  staying at the Park Hotel (hoping it's ok, had some ok comments and some really bad comments, but when my son was skiing a season in Serre Chev the comments for his hotel were really bad but when we got there we couldnt understand what people were moaning about!) If you want to e mail me on lynnemelia@gmx.co.uk I will give you our telephone number so you can give us a call once we get there. You have already got my 21 year old son very jealous with an ST!!
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