Mayrhofen v Soll

EmmaEvs wrote:Isn't Kaprun part of Mayrhofen? I was told that there are some really nice blues on the Ahorn for beginners or those looking to gain confidence. Not sure if that's nearby though.

No,Kaprun is not in the area at all, as Ian says its the glacier close to Zell. There are literally two blues on the Ahorn which are fantastic for beginners and timid intermediates to build confidence, and its a small area high up the mountain the opposite side of the valley, accessed by a massive 160 man cable car from the town of Mayrhofen.

Thanks to all particularly Tony H staying half board so just got to organise hire & tuition.

Thanks again

Pavb2

Tony_H wrote:

EmmaEvs wrote:Isn't Kaprun part of Mayrhofen? I was told that there are some really nice blues on the Ahorn for beginners or those looking to gain confidence. Not sure if that's nearby though.

No,Kaprun is not in the area at all, as Ian says its the glacier close to Zell. There are literally two blues on the Ahorn which are fantastic for beginners and timid intermediates to build confidence, and its a small area high up the mountain the opposite side of the valley, accessed by a massive 160 man cable car from the town of Mayrhofen.

Yup that sounds like the one I was told about!

Ive skied in Soll 3 times and have been to Mayhrhofen twice My recomendation is Mayrhofen top skiing You must try Kaltenbach and Zell an Ziller a great day out most holiday companies have ski away days JUST DOOOOOOOO ITTTTT

Thanks lads we are there for a week (Inghams) will probably have 1x2 hour tuition & 2x4hrs what itinerary would you recommend would we try both Kaltenbach & Zell or just stay on Penken.

Another suggestion was to ski to Finkenberg is this an option we are all early intermediate?

Finally any recommendations on ski hire & tuition

Thanks again

pavb2 wrote:Thanks lads we are there for a week (Inghams) will probably have 1x2 hour tuition & 2x4hrs what itinerary would you recommend would we try both Kaltenbach & Zell or just stay on Penken.

Another suggestion was to ski to Finkenberg is this an option we are all early intermediate?

Finally any recommendations on ski hire & tuition

Thanks again

Pav, have a look at www.mayrhofen.at it has loads of useful info including details on ski schools. I have seen good reviews on them all to be honest.

Ok, as for the ski area.....

As early intermediates I'd suggest you spend the morning on the Ahorn just up the big cable car out of town. Up there are a couple of easy blues to find your legs, and a really lovely red which you can ski down to halfway and take a 2 man chair back up, rather than tackling the Abfahrt run back to the valley floor, as this is NOT easy and may be too difficult for early intermediates in places. But please do go back up later in the week if you fancy it, as its a cracking run and the only one back to the village.

Penken area is varied and quite challenging in parts. You'll certainly come on well after a week in Mayrhofen - I spent 3 weeks there as an early intermediate and it pushed me to become a much better skier - steep and technically harder slopes than in many other resorts I have skied.
The front runs (reds 1,11 and 6) are pleasant and all link back into the main lift area at the top of the gondola, and are great for early morning burns to get warmed up, but they get very chopped up and busy later in the day. Any timid skiers amongst you might find these a little unpleasant at certain times of the day.
Over the back, you are into the Horberg area; take the Schneekaar lift up to the top and ski the shorter red (27?) and the fantastic red 7 back down again. Theres a cracking cafe halfway down, past the lift that takes you back up again.
Theres also a nice blue at the bottom that you're more timid skiers might find themselves going up and down for hours on.
Theres also a black, 17, under the Schneekaar lift. Its a straight run, steep in places and with an odd camber, but its not difficult and any intermediate will be able to handle it. I suggest you tackle that early on during your first venture down that side, as it will build confidence doing a black, massively.
Theres 3 or 4 ways down to the bottom of the bowl from Penken, all good and challenging runs. Theres also the famous Hari Kari, the steepest black in Austria. Have a go if you dare, but I suggest taking the lift up over the top of it first to have a look!

If you take the big 150er Tux cable car up, ski down the back of Rastkogel - lovely wide cruisy runs. I would bet your group love it here, and aim to spend much of the ski time on this area, especially late morning/early afternoon if its sunny. You can do a loop by taking the chairs back up and skiing back down that side. To head back down to the gondola off Penken, either take red 17 (The Ridge) which is very busy and often cuts up badly as well. It is not for the feint hearted, and some of your group may struggle on it, so if in doubt, take the 150er Tux cable car back down and a chair back up the other side.

Further down from Rastkogel are the Finkenburg slopes. Theres a couple of cracking runs through the trees, but a slow 2 man chair back up, and I recommend skiing the red ski route down to the bottom under the gondola, and skiing the fantastic and empty slopes over at Eggalm. Theres several brilliant fast reds and blues off here, and you can either take the bus back into Mayrhofen, or the gondola back up to Rastkogel and then ski back over to Penken.

As for Zell, I suggest taking a full day there, go by train/bus. Ski over to Gerlos if the link is open. Ski the front of Zell mid morning once the sun comes through, there are again some cracking runs there.

I have not skied Kaltenbach, but am tempted to give it a go as I hear the offpiste is superb.

Theres over 600km of pistes in the area, so you will find theres plenty to go at. I spent my first few weeks there only skiing Penken and Ahorn, and only ventured over to Eggalm in more recent trips, but thats missing out on some of the best in the area.

Providing you can all handle yourselves on a red, and like to get around a wide area, you'll find Mayrhofen a fantastic place to ski.

Plenty of eating places about, and the larger self service restaurants are very good with quality food at god prices. If you're used to France, you'll think its cheap here.

I'm going back in late Feb for the first time in 3 seasons, and I am really excited thinking about it.

Hope you enjoy it, and let me know if I can help any more.

i've been to mayrhofen and soll, i would recomend soll hands down every time,

hounddog wrote:i've been to mayrhofen and soll, i would recomend soll hands down every time,

Nice to have an alternative viewpoint. Care to give some kind of justification?