I'm off to Zauchensee in the Salzburg Amade region tomorrow. Unfortunately the weather forecast for the second half of next week is looking dreadful, with a surge in temperature and heavy rain, with the rain only turning to snow at the very highest part of the resort. My best bet is to head for a high ski area, where it will be more snow than rain, e.g. Obertauern or Kaprun. Neither of these is actually in the Amade area, though, so I'd have to get a rather more expensive pass to cover them. Is there anywhere in the Amade area as such where I will be able to stay high up and avoid the rain?
Lovely spring weather, sun, lots of snow on the ground
Sportgastein is the highest in Ski Amade but it is over one hour in the car one way! Pointless, you will have a great time in Zauchensee.
If you have a car you can go to Obertauern, ski pass probably around 30E more for a week.
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Fri 1-03-13 10:53; edited 2 times in total
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?
Hmm, quite different from the one from snow-forecast.com, which is saying "Heavy rain (total 30.0mm), heaviest during Fri morning. ". I hope the Bergfex one is right!
Spring sunshine in Zauchensee - Heaven. A quick drop over to ski the sunny side at Flachauwinkel/Kleinarl first thing before it gets slushy - So Jealous.
Pointless, you will have a great time in Zauchensee.
I'm sure I will early in the week. But in pouring rain on Thursday and Friday, if the forecast is right, I'm not so sure. Freezing level is set to be something like 2100m, so if I can stay above that I should be OK. Of course, the weather forecast might turn out to be wrong (it often is), but I just want to get the right pass at the beginning of the holiday. If there is nowhere high locally on the Amade pass, I'll go for the more expensive one. Actually the Dachstein glacier seems a decent bet, not sure how long it will take to get there from Altenmarkt (where we're staying) but it shouldn't be too long.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I can't see any sign of heavy precipitation for next weekend in that region on the latest charts. Not sure where snow forecast.com have got their information from? It might be a tad warm at valley level but it will be cooler up the mountain and not likely to affect the snow that much.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Forecast looks amazing for next week. Sun all week. What's not to like?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Really, I'm not making a bad weather forecast up for some bizarre reason. Why would I? I use the long range weather forecast from www.skiclub.co.uk, which is provided by snow-forecast.com. If you're logged in as a SCGB member you can see the forecast for 7-9 days, and it says "Heavy rain (total 30.0mm), heaviest during Fri morning. Mild temperatures (max 5°C on Thu morning, min 2°C on Thu night). " Honestly! If you're a Ski Club of Great Britain member you can check it out yourself. As I say, the forecast could well be wrong as it often is (it forecast big dumps of powder for my last two skiing holidays which didn't materialise). But assuming it's right, where should I go?
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Another Austrian weather site is predicting rain für Zauchensee towards the end of next week
J2R, relax, the forecast precipitation is a long way off, forecast will change. Looks set for sun for next 4 or 5 days. I've just finished skiing today at Schladming and conditions are great. Was finding plenty of untracked powder on north facing slopes and shaded areas. It's nice and warm but nothing to get too worried about. Even if it rains the snow will be pretty resilient on piste as it's well compacted. It's pretty unusual to get rain to 2000m in March, not so in valleys, so I'm sure it will turn out okay. BTW the highest point in ski amade is Dachstein glacier, a bit higher than sport gastein but very limited piste skiing so sport gastein would be a better option if indeed the freezing level goes high. Hoping to do some touring on Dachstein in next few days, should be plenty of decent powder up there still. Bring the suncream.
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.
OK, so I can aim for the Dachstein glacier or Sportgastein if the weather forecast does turn out to be accurate - no need to buy the pass which covers Obertauern. I was actually hoping to be doing more off-piste than on this holiday. What's the Dachstein glacier have to offer in that respect?
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
J2R wrote:
I was actually hoping to be doing more off-piste than on this holiday. What's the Dachstein glacier have to offer in that respect?
There's lots of touring options, though a guide really is required as it glacier terrain higher up. The Edelgreiss is the most common freeride line, requires a climb up a ladder, crawl through a tunnel, traverse a strictly no falling zone and then opens out into a nice steep decent of 1300m. http://youtube.com/v/itEpNHlH-n0 Not done it myself too bloody worried about the ladder, I say every season I'll do it. A friend did ski tour into the Edelgriess a few weeks back so I may try that, thus avoiding the ladder. or I just man up a bit.
if it's raining / snowing you'd not want to be off piste on the Dachstein as you'd have limited vis.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Quote:
if it's raining / snowing you'd not want to be off piste on the Dachstein as you'd have limited vis.
Yes, that's a good point. Thanks for the tips anyway!
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Just watched the video. I can categorically say now that I will never do that run, if you have to go up that ladder to do it...
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Well, whaddayaknow, the forecast has already changed, and no rain is now forecast!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
J2R, from despair to ecstasy in the click of a mouse
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?
Haven't done it either yet but here's another clip on the Edelgrieß
Looks like the ladder has been upgraded from a few b&q aluminium ladders to steel steps. I was told by someone recently that when the tunnel was first opened no ladder was required, the glacier has shrunk by about 20m depth! Seems to be confirmed here http://www.ennstalwiki.at/wiki/index.php/Rosmariestollen
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Quote:
J2R, from despair to ecstasy in the click of a mouse
And back to despair. The rain forecast is back! To be fair, the issue is not that I'm worrying about the rain, just trying to decide what pass to go for. Who knows what will happen? I'll stick with the Amade pass, though.
DB, haha you don´t miss a trick I checked 3 reports and decided it was possibly a rash statement !!
A slightly better way to get to SportGastein is drive to Großarl and ski over, less time in the car more kms under your skis
FWIW, I would be very surprised if it rained in Zauchensee!
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
kooky, You will still need to bus it from Dorfgastein. The car is the best bet as the buses up the toll road to Sportgastein are not too frequent. The drive is relatively quick even if it is a bit of a drive from Altenmarkt.
After all it is free
After all it is free
kooky wrote:
DB, haha you don´t miss a trick I checked 3 reports and decided it was possibly a rash statement !!
Don't worry I won't tell anyone that you offered to run through the streets naked if it did rain in Zauchensee this weekend
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.
waynos wrote:
Looks like the ladder has been upgraded from a few b&q aluminium ladders to steel steps. I was told by someone recently that when the tunnel was first opened no ladder was required, the glacier has shrunk by about 20m depth! Seems to be confirmed here http://www.ennstalwiki.at/wiki/index.php/Rosmariestollen
In the clip I posted there doesn't appear to be a Seil / metal cable, wouldn't fancy doing it without a Seil do you know if this has been recently taken away or added? In your clip dated 2012 the Seil is there and it looks brand new (not yet rusted) .
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
