Ischgl or St Anton or ? 1st week of April

Why would a less steep hold snow better?

Is this because it doesn't run down the slope, but soaks in?

(dons dunce's helmet and stands in corner)

Well it can't run off a less steep slope, can it? As much.

Dids,
I looked it up, and apparently avalanches are very unlikely on slopes less than 25 degrees, so I suppose it is true that the snow sticks better to the less steep slopes.

And, also, during March and April the levels of solar radiation are maximum for slopes nearly 50 degrees (for the latitude of Innsbruck). I only thought of this one because I've been designing a solar panel array. But it is interesting because the optimum slope angle for solar radiation varies both with latitude and time of year. So that the snow on the less steep slopes will actually be less likely to melt in March/April than the snow on the steeper slopes, assuming each slope is facing the same way.

To get back to the original question - Ischgl or St Anton - I haven't been to either but I would have thought they'd both be okay during the first week of April as long as one was prepared to move around the mountain during the day and avoid the sunny slopes after the early morning (as I think Admin said in the thread on spring snow).

At the beginning of April there's bound to be a risk of slush on the lower slopes, so it's a case of either learning how to ski on slush and getting the right skis for it, or avoiding the lower slopes and taking the lifts down the final sections to the resort. Unless of course you go to a resort which is perched up high on the mountain side, like Obergurgl or Val Thorens.

Ally

AllyG wrote:

At the beginning of April there's bound to be a risk of slush on the lower slopes, so it's a case of either learning how to ski on slush and getting the right skis for it

Ally

I find skiing in slush the easiest kind of snow to ski in. And now you're telling me we need lessons to ski slush or have a change of skis with us for lower slopes?

Tony,
Congratulations on finding it very easy to ski on slush

Ally

AllyG wrote:Tony,
Congratulations on finding it very easy to ski on slush

Ally

Everyone in our group last week said slush is easy to ski on. Do you find it hard then?

Interesting. I loathe slush and find it the hardest type of snow to ski on/in. Perhaps because I'm old school....

Tony,
I have just been doing some adding up and discovered that during my entire life I have skied a total of 11 weeks, and I've never skied on slush once!

I guess I must have just been very lucky

I was going on what everyone else says about ski-ing slush - people out in the 'real' world and on here.

Maybe you should do one of those opinion poll things on what everyone thinks of ski-ing on slush

Ally