 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi
After MUCH deliberation, we have decided to fly into Munich on the 9th March and then get a transfer by train to Austria.
My first choice ski area for us is somewhere in the Ski Welt. My only concern is that the second week in March might be getting on in the season a bit and the snow could have thawed! I'd hate to get there to see green/brown fields!
So therefore my choice is either to book accommodation now and hope the snow is good, or wait until closer to the time and then book accommodation according to the conditions at that time, perhaps in a different, higher resort somewhere else.
I'd appreciate any opinions on the likely snow conditions from those who have been skiing in that area in mid March before?
Many thanks all!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Skiing will be fine. You'll likely see some green in the valley, but equally it may well dump massive quantities. Always best to decide last minute, if you can though.
Btw, Westendorf has better skiing than Soll and Ellmau.
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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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Historically there is always another dump of snow in March. Generally the middle. You mightt find some green patches skiing back down into Brixen, but should be okay on the Northern side. I skiid there this year in April and it was still okay.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Went to Soll the corresponding week this year and there was loads of snow but it did get a bit slushy down low. The area is large enough to seek ot good snow though which is what we did. I wouldn't worry about it whatsoever.
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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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Many thanks for the replies. I'm going to book the flights and then look into accommodation later...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Around the same time in March this year the temperatures were very warm (well above average) across the Alps, which is why many people found the snow to be slushy lower down. So I wouldn't take this year as a good example of an average year. Also I don't recall any big dumps in March of this year so i wouldn't pin your hopes on phrases like "Historically there is always another dump of snow in March".
If you can wait closer to the time then do so. I think the week of the 9th is starting to get into low season so you should be able to find accomodation somewhere at the last minute.
Lastly, why do so many people fly into Munich and then transfer across to Austria? I understand the flights may be cheaper but surely the extra transfer cost to Austria negates the extra cost of flying into Innsbruck or Salzburg? Or am I missing the obvious reason?
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jimmybog, the cheapies fly into Munich many times per day, every day of the week. It means part weeks are possible as well as cheaper non-business type flights are also cheaper. Lufthansa has free ski carriage as well. For DIY-ers that is a big bonus and the shared transfer rates are not too bad either. In terms of getting to Ski Welt from Salzburg, the timings are more or less similar because of the routes taken - all motorway approx the same distance but mostly 2 lane so a wee bit slower in heavy traffic. Via Lofer (often used in shared transfers) more ordinary roads and can be prone to hold ups as a result.
There is usually a late dump in March, last year it came a wee bit later towards the end of the month and then it did not stop snowing until late April. I've been skiing out here for the past 25+ years and have never had a problem in non-glacial resorts in March or early April. Yes it can be slushy in the afternoons if it is "normal" temperatures, but we do get frequent top ups and fewer people on the pistes as they all bugger off to the higher places in France and Switzerland thinking Austria is too low! Long may that last as we get uncrowded pistes and cheaper prices! 
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Thanks for the reply Sue. I never really considered Munich as I always found it too far for the Dolomites (used Innsbruck instead), Seefeld & Mayrhofen (both are closer to Innsbruck). This year we are going to the SKi amade region which is much closer to Salzburg than Munich. I suppose Munich is a more viable option if going to the Ski Welt or Kitzbuehl area for the reasons you mention.
And I definately agree with your sentence below. I'm hoping the pistes in Wagrain/Flachau/Alpendorf in mid March are going to be nearly empty!! 
""Long may that last as we get uncrowded pistes and cheaper prices!""
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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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jimmybog, let me know when you are over and I'll show you around - that is my backyard and I've been playing there for over 20 years now! 
Where are you staying?
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I just booked BA flights including hold baggage at very nice times for £220 return for two from Heathrow to Munich. We plan to transfer by train by buying a Bayern Ticket for £40 return for two to Kufstein in Austria and then pay for a bus to Ellmau / Soll. Transfer will be 3 hours or so but we're happy enough with that.
Just the accommodation to sort out now! Is self catering accommodation likely to get reduced if we leave it til a few weeks before the holiday? My preference is to just book something suitable now rather than risk nothing being available at our rather limited budget.
By the way, last year we fly out of Innsbruck in January but the flight got cancelled and redirected to Munich anyway due to too much snow! (Admittedly, we had the BEST day I have ever had on ski's that Friday with so much snow in Fulpmes)
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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rightbak, can you keep me posted on the costings of the holiday. My wife and I are also going that week possibly back to Ellmau (If she can successfully ski it in January)
But I have always been put off by a DIY snow holiday (we DIY our sun holiday if it works out cheaper)
The main reason we don't DIY our winter ones is the 1st time we went (crystal holiday to les arcs flying out of chambrey) the plane waited for an hour for a delayed coach.
In the end it took off without them (30-40 people)
My Mrs would have killed me if that happened to us.
As for the snow conditions, in Niederau last year around the 9th March we were sunbathing in T shirts and salopettes.
After 2pm the conditions got tooo slushy, but if you start early then you can still get the miles in
PS, does anyone know what would have happened to the stranded skier's, I've always wondered
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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 would have happened to the stranded skier's, I've always wondered
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if they were on a Crystal holiday, Crystal would have sorted something out for them. But if you had been on a DIY holiday, picking up a hired car in Chambery, you'd have been away from the airport long before the coach.  DIY isn't for everyone - you do need to be ready to sort out your own problems, but lots of people prefer that to being herded round like less than averagely intelligent sheep.
To my mind one of the key arguments in favour of going DIY is being able to access a much wider range of resorts than the handful serviced by the British TOs and a much wider range of self-catering accommodation.
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kiteman69, Sure no problem. I can give you our rough estimate of costings for our holiday now - I think it'll be pretty accurate.
Flights to Munich £220
Return transfer to Ellmau or Soll (By public transport trains/bus) £60
Self catering apartment ~ £400. Must be in a good position, nicely appointed, close to town and ski bus stop.
Lift Passes x 2 £340
Ski and Boot Hire x 2 £100
Insurance / Parking at Heathrow / Petrol / Other bits and pieces £100
That makes £1220. We'll get fresh bread each morning and make breakfast / packed lunches and cook for ourselves most evenings with a couple of meals and drinks out. We both love stopping for coffee on the slopes so there will be lots of that! If I budget about £300 for all that, then that comes to about £1500 for everything for two.
Obviously I understand this won't be everyone's cup of tea but it suits us perfectly and I think is pretty good value in what will be a brilliant ski area that will suit our tastes very well.
My gf knows what she likes (!) and wouldn't, for example, want to stay in a catered chalet for a week with strangers. Nor would she fly Sunday to Sunday. So it takes alot of thought to get our holiday just right for her - but absolutely worth every penny when she told me she had the best holiday ever last year in Neustift! (We did the same kind of thing as above for about £1300)
We are skiing twice this year, first to Bansko in January, with a similar setup as above, for about £1100 all in.
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You know it makes sense.
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rightbak, Thanks for the info.
But to be honest I would rather pay the few quid extra, safe in the knowledge that if anything went wrong, then that useless gap year student who we all laughingly call a tour rep, might actually sober up longer enough to point me in the right direction
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