 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm looking for a guide for a day or two of off piste in St. Anton at the end of the month. I'd prefer an Austrian. Any recommendations would be 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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Piste to powder are very good, they do groups but could prob sort you out with a private guide too. There was also a recent thread here where people recommended another guy / operation that they had gotten on well with. And I think the guy who wrote the guidebook for off piste routes in the Arlberg also guides. Do a few searches both here and elsewhere online and you'll get sorted.
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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chraya, when are you going?
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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 can thoroughly recommend Piste to Powder. Need to book early as their groups fill up. They are very well organised and if you are frank in your skiing assessment you will find yourself in a group of link-skiing individuals. Went with them 8, 4 & 2 years ago (and last week!). We last skied with Franz and Picco who showed us the best that was on offer in a very tough guiding week with bad vis and no fresh snow fro two weeks - fill in their enquiry form and they will get back to you pronto.
http://www.pistetopowder.com/ - I think they have a couple of British guides but the majority (at least 4/5 Austrians) drive in to St Anton from Innsbruck every morning together - mad!
I don't know if the guy that wrote the Arlberg Off Piste book (Andy Thurman/Thomson summat like that) guides or not but his book is great, particularly for the Stuben and Rendl areas. We did a couple of good skins based on his routes/guide/photos. You can buy the book in the Pete ski shop on the main street opposite the Sporthotel. Usual warning/disclaimer - If you have the book then you should still take the guide.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Graham Austick, the boss of Piste to powder, is a great guide and does proper length days but the group who drive from Innsbruck want to finish at 4pm which makes for a short day. In general the local guides who are not Piste to Powder also finish early but I'm told this is not true of Pio.
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I'm usually done by 4pm at the latest and relish a beer at that point. Never skied with Graham but enjoyed the company of the Innsbruck crew
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Wouldn't worry about finishing at 4pm either. Amazing how much you can cover by lunchtime. Anytime I've had all-day off-piste I've started to lose it in the afternoon and relieved when it was all over!
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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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| patricksh wrote: |
| chraya, when are you going? |
Last week of the month. 24 March through 29 March.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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chraya, we're going to be in St Anton at the same time if you want to find a guide and share the costs? Chris
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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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@Chris and @Chraya, I'm also in Anton next week and would be interested in splitting costs.
Regardless I can also recommende Pistetopowder and may hook up with them again.
Any of you guys of for Ski Touring?
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Pio may be booked up, since he is booked for most of 2014 already but possibly for the odd day or so....
He is much cheaper than Piste to Powder, if there are 3 or more of you.
Last edited by 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  on Tue 19-03-13 11:47; edited 1 time in total
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You know it makes sense.
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I've mentioned it before ... have done several days with the instructors of the top classes in the main ski school. These classes ski off-piste all day, and the instructors (who get this cream of the work) are locals. Standard of skiing is up to instructor-level itself, but I think they usually have a second and maybe third class graded below this.
That's all based on what I used to do around 20 years ago, but St Anton has its traditions!
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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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| Comedy Goldsmith wrote: |
I've mentioned it before ... have done several days with the instructors of the top classes in the main ski school. These classes ski off-piste all day, and the instructors (who get this cream of the work) are locals. Standard of skiing is up to instructor-level itself, but I think they usually have a second and maybe third class graded below this.
That's all based on what I used to do around 20 years ago, but St Anton has its traditions! |
The ski school also runs the "powder club" which looks like a re-branding of the top group, and is aimed specifically at OP guiding/tuition. Not sure if this replaces the top group these days?
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Poster: A snowHead
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| snowball wrote: |
| Graham Austick, the boss of Piste to powder, is a great guide and does proper length days but the group who drive from Innsbruck want to finish at 4pm which makes for a short day. In general the local guides who are not Piste to Powder also finish early but I'm told this is not true of Pio. |
What time is a late finish ? the lifts don't run much longer than 4 pm and many aren't fit enough to keep going strong until 4 pm anyway.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| DB wrote: |
| ... the lifts don't run much longer than 4 pm and many aren't fit enough to keep going strong until 4 pm anyway. |
That's the first time I've seen someone mention the lack of fitness of ski lifts, but you learn something every day on snowHeads.
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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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Comedy Goldsmith, 
DB you have to allow for an off piste run after the lift, returning to the resort by 4.00. Consequently we often took a lift back up when he left us and did an off piste run on our own.
When were there in January, the one day our guide miscalculated time to return from a walk up and run in Zurs we caught the long lift back from Rauz at right on 4.30. At the top he said sorry but he had to rush to catch his friends in the car and left us to ski down on our own. That was our best day. In most resorts lifts stay open a bit later, later in the season as days lengthen.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| snowball wrote: |
DB you have to allow for an off piste run after the lift, returning to the resort by 4.00. Consequently we often took a lift back up when he left us and did an off piste run on our own.
When were there in January, the one day our guide miscalculated time to return from a walk up and run in Zurs we caught the long lift back from Rauz at right on 4.30. At the top he said sorry but he had to rush to catch his friends in the car and left us to ski down on our own. That was our best day. In most resorts lifts stay open a bit later, later in the season as days lengthen. |
I've chased the last lift at Rauz many a time with Graham. The only time he left us early was because he was called on to help in a Mountain rescue but he checked that was OK with us first. To be honest skiing down happy valley at the end of the day and trying to keep the group together is a pain. I'd rather just meet at the Underground on the piste.
Here are the lift times - most finish before 16:30
http://www.abbag.com/de/winter/skigebiet/offnungszeiten/
As with most guides, the guides at P2P might be ski Gods but they are people too. Many are now young fathers / fathers of young children - they need a P2P Creche/Kindergarten 
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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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| Quote: |
To be honest skiing down happy valley at the end of the day and trying to keep the group together is a pain. I'd rather just meet at the Underground on the piste.
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Sure is. I don't general agree with people who want to make a mountain "tamer" by installing new pistes or re-working the landscape in a major way, but happy valley is a hell hole; it's way too busy at the end of the day and any timid skier is likely terrified by it (or rather the crowds). I think it needs something doing to slow down the crazies (the young ski bums who think they're hot shots because they can straight-line a blue run... they need to get a life, if they're so good they should have traversed off to Kandahar and avoided frightening the tourists on the blue run), and I also think some other route down needs to be figured out. However, this is not the thread for that discussion.
I've only skied with P2P for a few days, with Franz, and I don't recall thinking we could have squeezed in another run at the end of the day. In January I'd be pretty wary about doing any big descent from the last lift, it will likely be dark before you get down. In March, go for it, but if I'm heading down at 4pm I'm more than happy. I don't determine the quality of a day (or a week) by the number of runs I do, and likewise I don't judge the quality of a guide by how late I get back down. If you've genuinely got the legs to ski to the last lift then good for you, but it's not something that I worry about.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Tue 19-03-13 14:09; edited 1 time in total
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| DB wrote: |
| Many are now young fathers / fathers of young children |
And mothers too
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| *Chris* wrote: |
| chraya, we're going to be in St Anton at the same time if you want to find a guide and share the costs? Chris |
I'm still trying to sort out my plans. The complication is my wife, who is an intermediate skier. She will do lessons for 4 hours in the mornings but then expects to ski with me after lunch. I may not be able to do more than a day or two of guided skiing.
To make matters worse, she caught me eyeing photos of the Valluga to Zurs route on-line and panicked. I feel like a teenager busted by his parents for surfing porn.
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| greatdane72 wrote: |
@Chris and @Chraya, I'm also in Anton next week and would be interested in splitting costs.
Regardless I can also recommende Pistetopowder and may hook up with them again.
Any of you guys of for Ski Touring? |
By ski touring do you mean having actual touring bindings and walking uphill or the Valluga to Zurs route (which, as I understand it, does not require touring bindings)?
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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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chraya, You were, that is porn!
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chraya, touring bindings not required to do Valluga Nord down to Zurs, but it's not for the feint hearted, and big kahoonas are mandatory!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| sah wrote: |
| Quote: |
To be honest skiing down happy valley at the end of the day and trying to keep the group together is a pain. I'd rather just meet at the Underground on the piste.
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Sure is. I don't general agree with people who want to make a mountain "tamer" by installing new pistes or re-working the landscape in a major way, but happy valley is a hell hole; it's way too busy at the end of the day and any timid skier is likely terrified by it (or rather the crowds). I think it needs something doing to slow down the crazies (the young ski bums who think they're hot shots because they can straight-line a blue run... they need to get a life, if they're so good they should have traversed off to Kandahar and avoided frightening the tourists on the blue run), and I also think some other route down needs to be figured out. However, this is not the thread for that discussion.
I've only skied with P2P for a few days, with Franz, and I don't recall thinking we could have squeezed in another run at the end of the day. In January I'd be pretty wary about doing any big descent from the last lift, it will likely be dark before you get down. In March, go for it, but if I'm heading down at 4pm I'm more than happy. I don't determine the quality of a day (or a week) by the number of runs I do, and likewise I don't judge the quality of a guide by how late I get back down. If you've genuinely got the legs to ski to the last lift then good for you, but it's not something that I worry about. |
I was there last week and I'm pretty sure the happy valley (which I presume is the really thin blue that leads down to the town) had been closed due to avalanches and was marked instead as a red ski route? This of course meant all the gringos were forced down the black (which i presume is Kandahar).
I agree that either way its a problem, but it strikes me that all the pistes in that area of St Anton are pretty poor, all the runs are short? The only run I like on that side is the one down from Valluga / Schindler that goes all the way to Alpe Rauz, but its not really possible to repeat it easily. Zurs pistes FTW, Rendl as a partial alternative. St Anton's actual pistes are poor, and the flats are really annoying
I also skied with P2P and pretty sure they finished at 16.00 as I remember doing another run myself afterwards. They were very good and very professional, but €100 a head (then), and €110 now, when there are up to eight in a class, is too much.
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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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| Quote: |
I was there last week and I'm pretty sure the happy valley (which I presume is the really thin blue that leads down to the town) had been closed due to avalanches and was marked instead as a red ski route? This of course meant all the gringos were forced down the black (which i presume is Kandahar).
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Yep, it's the blue - the proper name is steissbachtal.
It was closed completely the first part of last week, it opened as a ski route later in the week with the piste built up on the right (as you descend), with huge amounts of avy debris on the left.
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sah,.............and sneaky Larches tree roots ready to get you at the bottom! 
Thanks for sorting map and guide book, much appreciated, hopefully will arrive today. Be a laugh if you and your mate could make it out on wwekend of 18-21st April, temps keeping low so far and still snowing!
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You know it makes sense.
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| Markymark29 wrote: |
| temps keeping low so far and still snowing! |
Yes I keep expecting a warm spell to hit and perhaps signs of that from the GFS going into April now.....
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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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| Markymark29 wrote: |
sah,.............and sneaky Larches tree roots ready to get you at the bottom!
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Quite!
Actually, that reminds me... I skied larches and headed skiers right at the bottom to join the valley run just before it meets Mattun; I ended up cliffing out above the piste:-o The way they've put the groomer in means there was about a 4-5ft vertical drop to get off the slope on to the piste. And the landing was flat ice. Ouch. If you ski larches all the way down I'd cut back left at the bottom, or head right higher up towards Kandahar and avoid the valley itself.
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Poster: A snowHead
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sah, Ha, got me too there in flat light, same big slap onto the piste.............. same at top of Fang, came down through the av barriers off Kapall in waist deep powder in February, I went round them (my mate skied over the one just above the track and landed it)......... again in bad light, I dropped at least 4m vertical onto the track just as dropped into the piste. Much hilarity from others in our party who predictably fell about enjoying at my misfortune as I collected all my bits!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I still think 3.00 or 3.15 is too early for a last lift, and this is what we are talking about if the guide wants to be back by 4.00. We tried to avoid long lunches but twice we only had time to return from somewhere in the afternoon with perhaps one off-piste descent included. Graham Austick, by contrast, always skied as long as was possible if you wanted that. We once started the last descent to Langen (after a half hour walk up) as the sun was setting.
Yes, I too dislike Happy Valley at the end of the day, so we normally continued to ski off piste after the guide had left. Of course you have to be confident skiing off piste to do that as most of the routes go far from the pistes - usually off the back of Galzig.
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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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| Quote: |
I was there last week and I'm pretty sure the happy valley (which I presume is the really thin blue that leads down to the town) had been closed due to avalanches and was marked instead as a red ski route? This of course meant all the gringos were forced down the black (which i presume is Kandahar).
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I was there when it was closed and it was a nightmare - you got marked onto a super super flat cat track marked as a dotted red on the map, then down the black. Which isn't too black, except for the hoard of people expecting to be on a blue who found themselves on a black stationary and scared!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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greatdane72 and Chris, have you tried off piste yet this week? Conditions don't look great.
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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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Surely there should still be some good stuff around, chraya? I bet if you went with a guide....
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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chraya, must be looking in the wrong places, have you seen horizons pics???
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FAQ
