J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Dave Mac

Well, because I have a big cost winter, (the big costs are France and Colorado), my January Austria trip is low cost. Free flight, with airmiles, but would have cost around £80. Train/taxi or car hire, €94/£61 or £110. My room cost €190/£64. Total £205. Add evening meals about £10/night, Total £275.

Plus coffees/drinks.

I think I have about 12 pairs of skis, six pairs in Austria, and another six pairs in the loft. And then about 10 years ago, I put 6 pairs in the local recycle skip, although I later heard that the recyclers relocated them into a shed, and they disappeared. (Good luck with that one, recyclers. If I chucked them away, they were done.)

I just don't get wrapped up in ski technology, I never have. I have all sorts of techy skis in my wee collections. I just ski them differently. In Austria, I guess I ski 60% of the time on longish Vokle straights. I paid £49 for them, new, in Scotland.

In Scotland, depending on conditions, I mostly ski an oldish pair of Heads, given to me by my deceased ski buddy,Mel, a great Niederau skier.

My ski lengths vary from 160 to 200. And from straights to carvers.

Boots, I bought 2 pairs from Frankfurt on the internet. They both fit well. But ~ you do have to know what you are doing. I would not advocate this approach for all.

Agree with Gareth, La Thuile/Planibel is a good suggestion. We stayed at the Planibel when the boys were young. Good location, and the local shop made the lads ask for things in Italian!

Well done, Dobby, good shout. Glad you have a good deal. Let us know how you went on.

Skis ~ last time I skied in Colorado, I left my old skis there, (I think they are in the museum), and bought a pair of K2s at a fraction of the price in Europe.

Also, bought a pair of skis in Wörgl, (nearest town to Niederau). They were already season discounted. I asked for a Schileurer discount (OK, it was many years after I had worked for the local ski school, but hey)

When I got to the check out, my local friend slid me his Wildschönau tennis club card, earning an additional 10%.
I didn't pay very much over €120 for a new pair of Atomics, including bindings,

The OP addresses two resorts, both of which I have skied and commented on. Much as Niederau is in my heart. it has no blue runs down the mountain. I confess that when advising people, I prefer to be both accurate and precise. Advising people to go to resorts that are beyond their capabilities is a tad irresponsible.

There are certainly other resorts that might better meet the OP's specification.

One of the recent posters suggestions would not meet the OP's requirements. Indeed, some of them would be seriously disadvantageous/dangerous for skiers restricted to blue runs. Being voted " best resort for 3 years running", means nothing for a group that seeks a resort with top to bottom blue ski runs.

Hi Dobby.
Not a great deal of difference, run-distance-wise between the two.

St Johann is quite a bit lower than Niederau, but being more easterly, has a slightly better snow record. Both villages have good February snow records. I have skied in Niederau for well over 100 years, but in St Johann only in 4 of the past 5 years. If you have a car, and you go for the Kitz Allstar pass, then you can access a lot of ski areas.

Considering blues and reds, this would favour St Johann. Niederau does not have a way down the mountain on blues. Two of the three main runs are classified as FIS Downhill runs, and generally, Niederau is a fair bit steeper than St Johann. St Johann does have on blue run down from the Harshbichl.

Niederau is an old village, full of character, and having worked for the ski school for four winters, it obviously means a lot to me. Not much in the way of shops.
St Johann is more of a small town, with a fair number of shops, also a pleasant large village, and has it's fair share of history.

I think that covers your points, but feel free to ask away.

BoarderPete wrote:New to the Forum, and will be new to Niedrau in December! travelling there for a week over new year and we are trying to plan our New Years eve night, has anyone recomendations?

Hi Pete, welcome to the Forum.

I have spent many NYE nights in Niederau. When I worked for the ski school, We would go up the mountain, and ski down in four lines, each carrying carrying two fire torches.
We formed the numbers of the old year,, and then the church rank the bells, and we would reform into the New Year.
This is now done at low level on one of the bottom slopes.

However, New Year is still magical, the whole of the horizon is lit up with fireworks.

Normally, on New Years Day night, there is a ski instructor show in Oberau, also with fireworks.