 Poster: A snowHead
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Just back from Kitzbuhel.
ATMOSPHERE AND CROWD
Prety empty except the Saturday...
Saturday in resort - very crowded in lift queues, possibly the least friendly place I have ever been. Had a very unpleasant incident from a bunch of (circa age 40) Austrian blokes who started standing on the backs of our skis, pushing and shoving me and my friend. Once my friend had been shepherded out of the way, one of them actually pushed me out of the way. By putting his hand at high speed into my face. Liftie could not care less, and in fact told me to get on the chair lift on my own and go up. Probably did not help that my fleece had a Union Jack on it, and that my friend was in a neon one-piece suit but still, a very unpleasant experience. The whole day was full of little incidents that were similar. Taking the fleece off made no difference. I do, however have dark skin, and that may have had something to do with it all. Certainly not a tolerant, friendly environment - at least on the crowded Saturday. The other days, we were simply ignored - even when saying hello to lifties and other season workers.
NIGHT LIFE
Limited. One club that was full of old men and prostitutes, The Londoner pub, and a few other bars. Generally older crowd except for the Saturday night. Good prices, but not really much to do at all. That said, we did not check out restaurants as we ate in our hotel.
SKI AREA
Nicest part of the mountain was above Kitzbuhel and over, near Blacks 55 and 56. 56 is a superb run down into Aschau. Runs over to the leftat the top of the 3S gondola were (IMHO) not as nice, and the lifts are a bit old.
Lots of flat walking bits all over the place. The reds and blues were more challenging than the blacks, due to being so chopped up and bumpy.
The off-piste off to the left hand side of black 55 is lovely: steep, bumpy and challenging, but you have to have had a look from the lift first, as there are fence posts and things hidden away where you may not expect them. Off-piste off to the left of Blue 30 and red 32 is great fun through the trees, but requires care as you find yourself picking your way through the forest rather than banging down. SOme small hidden powder bowls that are very nice indeed.
CONDITIONS
Very mixed bag, depending on where you skiied. Generally bumpy and slushy by 11.30am. However, perfectly skiable spring slush, rather than super-sticky - and I had some of those funny looking surfboard shaped Salomons on on that actually dealt with all of that very well, and it was pretty fun. Hard packed in the early morning, which was fine too. Very, very warm - T-shirt weather, in fact. We actually stayed out on the slopes until 5 every day - and our favourite times were the empty late afternoons, as high up as we could stay, arund the Pengelstein ski area.
The last day, heavy snow, and deserted. I was soaked by the end of the day, but had some super, super powder skiing. Black 56, in knee deep powder was some of the nicest skiing I have ever experienced. 2 other people apart from us on the whole run.
CONCLUSION
I had great fun with my four friends. The skiing however was pretty average (on piste, anyway), and I have to say, the atmosphere was terrible (including the hotel staff, who bordered on rude: other guests we spoke to felt the same). I will not be going back. I have plenty of experience skiing in Austria, and have to say that I have never encountered the unfriendliness and rudeness anywhere else in the country.
Roll on Whistler at Easter! Hopefully a bit more relaxed.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Harry Flashman, Sorry to hear you had a bad experience doesn't sound too pleasent. At times it was a right scrum at the lifts when I was there in February-so many people scraping over your skis it wasn't worth worrying about! When it's like that I stick to the outside where possible, less of a fight and you get on quicker.
I'd return but would depending on the accomdation possibly stay over the Pass Thurn side of the 3S. Would agree that some of the chairs are older/slower but the terrain is better IMO, best off psite, and more scenic. Ideal intermediate resort on piste wise IMO and having the amount of snow we had you could ski anywhere which made is as challenging as you wanted it to be. Agree about the flat tracks which are unavoidable to get back down to Kitzbuhel, on the other hand some of the blues I remember thinking-was that really a blue? i.e. some steep pitches in parts Blue 30 rings a bell.
Which run did you tend to take back into Kitz? Red 21 use to be mobbed, we took 22 and it was one of our favorites as it was deserted and had some great views and steep sections and very easy to nip off piste and back on.
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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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Grizwald - we took 22 dor the same reason, much nicer!
The chap who met us out there has pointed out that Saturday was full of drunk Germans bussed in from Munich, and that was probably where all the trouble (and frankly dangerous skiing) came from, rather than locals. He also said it was one of the most crowded Saturdays that he had seen all season, and not typical. To be fair, the other three days weren't crowded at all.
I still thank that the on-piste skiing is a little dull there, though, and that the nightlife leaves much to be desired...
Some great, fast lifts though, and lovely off piste off the back of various lifts.
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