 Poster: A snowHead
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I am going to book a package to Austria heading out on 16 March. Due to package constraints of flying from Ireland/Northern Ireland I have decided its either Kitzbuhel or Schladming (never been to either resort before). I know conditions are pretty good this season and I fully appreciate that there are better bets in Austria for that time of year in terms of higher resorts-but beggars can't be choosers (well more limited choosers anyway)! However- anyone have thoughts/experiences on considerations to choose between those two resorts? As always your help is much appreciated.
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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 went to Kitzbuhel for Easter school holidays last year and had a great time. Plenty of snow still (it was a pretty good season though), it got quite chopped/hard going later in the day but to be expected at that time of the year. Nice town too.
This year at the same time we're not staying in Schladming, but only just down the road and will have a car so will ski the area while we're there.
If you were asking the same question for next year I'd be able to give a comparison. Hopefully some of the locals will be along.
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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 don't know Schladming town but from what I can see of the ski area, it's massive and quite varied from the empty pistes and old world lifts of Fageralm to the high speed lifts and modern convenience of Planai. You can ski a different mountain each day and you also have the whole of Ski Amadé on your lift pass if you want to go further afield.
I love the town of Kitzbuhel. Just walking around I have the Ski Sunday music in my head and childhood visions of Franz Klammer winning the Hahnenkamm. It's a pretty and vibrant town with lots going on. As a result, the two ski areas are a long way apart and you would probably be better to be based nearer to the Hahnenkamm gondola. It's a big ski area but you will find you'll have to do the same route every day to get to where you want to go, especially if you want to go up to Pengelstein and across the 3S Bahn to the Resterhohe areas (some of the best skiing in the area in my opinion). There's another ski area at the Kitzbuhler Horn (bus ride) but I've only been up there once. It doesn't hold its snow as well and is a bit more beginner/low-intermediate terrain. You also have the option to extend your lift pass to include SkiWelt which is accessible by a short bus ride from Aschau.
I'd happily spend a week or even a season based in either. Both rate around the top of my list of favourite areas.
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queen bodecia, makes a good point about Kitzbuhel and following the same route to get over to Resterhohe. However, there is a decent bus service so one day rather than rushing back before the lifts shut we stayed in the Resterhohe area, skied down and got the free bus back to Kitzbuhel - about 25 mins iirc.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Kitz is fine - lots of skiing but quite low. If you want more skiing get the extended pass to cover Skiwelt and Westendorf - accessible from Aschau or Ski Rast at bottom of the Maierlbahn - short bus ride and then up the Ki West gondola. However, getting back is harder - make sure you are in the Brixen valley and then there is an hourly bus service back to Kitzbuhel - NOT from Soll Scheffau Going Ellmau and that side of Skiwelt. 6 days skiing and you will barely scratch the surface!
Resterhohe is definitely the better end I think - the 3S lift has huge capacity and the new 8 seat Zweitausender has removed a big bottleneck - getting back is a bit slower and the skibus option mentioned is probably a good idea. However do not ignore Pengelstein, Ski Rast and Aschau end for some long relatively easy runs and people rave over the (never open when I have been there) black down to Aschau. Cannot comment on Schladming but Kitzbuhel has some nice mountain eateries and drinkeries at reasonable prices.
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Apart from the actual vertical height of Kitzbuhel itself at 800m, why is it always commented on as "being low" the vast majority od the skiing is the top of the mountain range off the Flek going into an area thats always got snow, and the same coming off Pengelstein going North. The only time Kitzbuhel has issues is sometimes if you really want to ski off the mountain late in the day in March April, which is the same everywhere. Pass Turn area is one of the earliest opening resorts every year, and will run again this year till the middle of April. well past the closing dates of most other resorts.
Its just so easy to call it low because of the altitude of the town itself, ie not being up the mountain ski in ski out type of location.
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Having been to both places a couple of times it's a toughie to recommend one over the other. However if you've never been to Kitz I'd go there first.
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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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Thanks to all of you for your comments and advice - very useful. Still have not decided but am that bit wiser now.
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billybob, Been skiing to Kitz many times, its a great place and fantastic skiing. Great tree runs and high stuff up on Pass Thurn also if you need to get up high in warm weather. Never been to Schladming but nothing much wrong with it on TV in last 2 weeks, that Planai run looks awesome.
If you go to Kitz, ski the Streif/ Hahnenkamm and then think how you'd do it 3x faster on big race day - the Herminator and Didier Cuche etc have my upmost respect!
Dont think you'll be going far wrong with either but I'd go Kitz, likeHutToHut, says try it first. 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Markymark29, 3 x? More like 10 x for me  . But I'll put half of that down to the human sized moguls.
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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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billybob,
I have skiied both approx a dozen times each and as with most of austria find them great! I tend to go to schladming a few times a season and the last week of march I try to book schladming as the slopes are predominantly north facing so I have always had great conditions and often fresh snowfall. As it is the 16th march I would probably try for schladming, 4 great mountains which will be pretty quite that week i would imagine. However i would be happy to go to either depending on price availability etc.
Have a great trip!
Sean
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Skied Schadming 6 years on the trot up until 3 years ago. Fantastic skiing, more of a working town than other resorts IMO. Its only 1 hr 15 from Salzburg and can be reached directly by train from Salzburg.
Have skied Kitz but that was more years ago than I dare to admit, but it was good also. 
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You know it makes sense.
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Snow conditions in Schladming normally are much better than in Kitzbuhel.
Both have glaciers nearby and included in the skipass. Apart from that:
-Average height is about the same
-Schladming area www.4berge.at is predominantly north facing
-And has the largest and strongest network of snow cannons in AU
Apart from these "factual" arguments, I like Schladming better too.
More authentic, less busy; and if you book in Rohrmoos you even get the benefit of ski-in-ski-out.
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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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Both have glaciers nearby and included in the skipass
Can I just calrify that point. Kitzbuhel has no glacier and therefore isnt included in any ski pass. We are about 1 hour from Kaprun but you would need to upgrade to the "All start Card" to include the Kitzsteinerhorn
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Poster: A snowHead
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I really enjoyed Schladming. Large ski area, long runs and varied terrain with very good lift access. The black into town (which has been on TV a lot lately!) is a wonderful run. I also enjoyed the "music piste", that was a new experience. Oh and I seem to remember great food in Onkel Willy's Hutte!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Been to both a couple of times and personally prefer Schladming - for me better runs, mtn huts, lifts especially after WM and better choice of apres although the apres outside the hohenhaus was pleasant rather than lively.
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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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| jafa wrote: |
Both have glaciers nearby and included in the skipass
Can I just calrify that point. Kitzbuhel has no glacier and therefore isnt included in any ski pass. We are about 1 hour from Kaprun but you would need to upgrade to the "All start Card" to include the Kitzsteinerhorn |
Oops, confused Kitz with Zell....
Doesn't have any consequences to my verdict though...
Schladming still better snow quality, more authentic and better value.
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