Poster: A snowHead
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Looking at spending a week Glacier skiing at the end of October/beginning of November.
Was looking at Solden as an option, as it seems to have a varied ski area and is certainly High enough.
it is the 1st round of the FIS the weekend before, so i am concerend about it staying Busy.
Does anyone have experience of the weeks preceeding/following these events?
does it make much of a diffenence.
I am guessing it does the week after most, as the hotel i am looking at has good deals 14/10-28/10 but not again until 04/11.
The reason it needs to be a specific date is it' to be my honeymoon as part of a 2 week Europe tour.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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mr_big_ad Sorry, can't advise on the business of Soelden around the FIS event but the glacier/town would definitely fit the bill. We've skied there a couple of times in early November, never found it busy and always had decent snow - one year we were there (first week of Nov) Obergurgl was open too (upper slopes), so that was a bonus.
It's quite novel to ski the 2 linked glaciers at Soelden. Nice scenery too.
Also, if you have a car and are at that end of Austria, Pitztal glacier is worth a look. And if you wanted to make a bit of a road trip of it, Kaunertal glacier is also in striking distance - it's not far from Landeck.
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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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I think hitting a few different ones might be a plan, there is never a massive saving buying multi day passes anyway.
We will have a car
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mr_big_ad, All that is open is the two glaciers. Not many people skiing usually but the resort is buzzing with fans and racers. A lot of the Rettenbach glacier is closed off for the race piste and also warm up area for the racers and their entourage. The steepest pitch on the Rettenbach is reduced in widths by about two-thirds leaving a narrow black bumps run along side the race piste. I go each year to. One or both of the races and have found it better to use the free buses up to the Rettenbach on race weekend.
The glacier road is open to the Tiefenbach glacier and it is worthwhile having winter tyres on. I went up once with my normal summer tyres and I had problems on the descent which left me a wee bit shaky by the bottom. The road up to the glaciers is a toll road and the price is quite steep when you add it to the lift pass which is another reason for using the buses.
It is very difficult to get accommodation there around the actual race weekend, I've tried and the choice was very limited. So if you can scratch the week of the race unless you actually want to see it and experience the atmosphere (it is very addictive in an odd sort of way).
You could stay down in Langenfeld and then buzz around all the local glaciers to your heart's content - they have all been mentioned here. I think you will get a better deal for money as well.
See you around if you are there on race weekend
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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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I think that the week you are going is a half term holiday in lots of Europe (Toussaints in FR), hence the lack of deals?
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I've only been to/through Soelden in summer (not skiing), but it's not a particularly attractive place... Wouldn't be my choice for a honeymoon anyway. In Austria I'd look at the Stubai Glacier, and can strongly recommend the Sport Hotel in Neustift for a bit of luxury and romance!
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This ^^^ and also look at Spa Hotel Jagdhof in Neustift.
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The weeks either side of race week are not particularly busy.
For me Hintertux is by far the best glacier to ski. Some excellent runs and pretty much always in good condition. Usually lots of accommodation available on tux.at for all budgets and the Tenne bar at the bottom is good for Apres-Ski at all times.
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Neustift looks like a good bet, seems more central to the glacier region.
Igls looks even more central (assuming we are going to move around the glaciers each day.
Judging by the size of the ski areas 2 days on each should be ideal.
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mr_big_ad, If you're thinking Igls you may as well pick a nice central Innsbruck hotel. The Penz is v good.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I have not looked at Innsbruck yet, may be a good idea as my wife to be is veggie, so it would be good to have some choice for eating out.
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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.
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Bode Swiller wrote: |
mr_big_ad, If you're thinking Igls you may as well pick a nice central Innsbruck hotel. |
Assuming you were thinking Igls for easier access to both Hintertux and Stubai glaciers, I'd agree Innsbruck would probably be better, though you would then have a reasonable journey to the slopes each day. Plenty of great restaurants about, whether you want traditional Austrian or more exotic meals. Fun nightlife, and beautiful city too. Unfortunately a bit early for the Christmas markets.
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mr_big_ad: May just be me, but for a romantic holiday I'd go for Neustift/Stubai glacier over Innsbruck. IMO Neustift is the ultimate chocolate box Austrian resort - some very posh hotels too.
Is your head hurting yet with all these suggestions ?
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You know it makes sense.
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I am leaning towards Neustift, might spend a night in Innsbruck or at least have a day off from skiing to visit the old town.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Quote: |
might spend a night in Innsbruck or at least have a day off from skiing to visit the old town |
It's really nice - Innsbruck has a very dramatic location with the Karwendel mountain range towering behind the city.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Except for week before WC opener (27.-28.10. this year), Soelden is pretty empty. Even if teams are staying in Soelden, most of training is done in Ice box (very east part of Rettenbach glacier), which is only place on glacier, which is watered and therefore ice hard. WC course gets soft with day or two after races, while Tiefenbach is never used for trainings (except some free skiing) so it's pretty empty. Even during WC week, there's not much of problem for skiing, even though pretty much all Rettenbach is closed (Ice box is closed anyway, top part of Rettenbach is full of all sorts of teams from kids to WC racers, and bottom part of Rettenbach is closed for course preparation).
But thing is, with current snow conditions (and nothing being open yet), there might be more or less 2 single runs open.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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We are going to Solden early December as a change to Stubai.
I was not sure the glaciers would be open early season ?
Hopefully it is good as we really rate Stubai and as has been said, Neustift is a great village !
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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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Whole resort should be opened by early December. Same with neighbour - Obergurgl, definitely worth a day trip if your are there for a week.
They are both known for early skiing so should open fully if conditions are ok.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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immer schuss
Quote: |
I was not sure the glaciers would be open early season ? |
They're open more or less all year - we've always had good conditions at Austrian glaciers in November and also had decent conditions in September and October at Hintertux, Soelden and Stubai.
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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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mountainaddict, the only glacier in Austria that is open all year round now is Hintertux. Sölden (2 glaciers), Stubai (6 glaciers) and the Kitzsteinhorn now close between July and the end of September. And Hintertux shuts the drag lifts on the glacier at 13.30 in July, August and part of September (depending on snow and temperature).
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Go to Hintertux.
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Thanks for the update Samerberg Sue.
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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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Samerberg Sue wrote: |
mountainaddict, the only glacier in Austria that is open all year round now is Hintertux. |
There's also Molltal which is normally open through the year. Ok this year was extremely bad and it was for the first time after 10 or 15 years, that in August, it was closed. But if everything is fine, Molltal is open through the year.
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primoz, so it was closed! Hintertux was not!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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.
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Does anyone know what the conditions are like in the resort now? looks good on the webcams but temperatures have been too high for my liking!
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