J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Dave Mac

Wanderer has it right. The Skiwelt is only 12 minutes away from Niederau, so I ski Ellmau every January.

Hopfgarten is always the weakest, but Ellmau, Going, Scheffau and Söll are all north facing. Unless it is a 1 in 40 year event, all should be OK.

For 9 - 12 January, you would not consider booking until quite late in the year. It is a low cost high season point, with lots of accommodation. That is not to say that you don't do your homework. Get some preferred areas, based on snow history. Prices in Austria are at their lowest that week. (talking main season).

I am always in Austria starting within that week, never less than great.

Keep falling, Colorado snow. We need you to be ready for us.....

Hi Minxter, welcome to J2ski.

This winter, will be 46 years since I first went to Niederau, when I had 4 seasons there. I go back every January, and most March times.

For most of my March visits, the snow is fine, but occasionally, at the month end it the snow is somewhat deficient. Generally, this only happens when the ground has been pretty warm for most of the winter, as last season.
A ski bus takes you up the valley to Auffach, at a higher level, and generally snow sure, and where there is a run down into Alpbachtal, also higher.

I have never been unable to ski in March, although I may have occasionally just stayed on the top draglifts, driven over to Auffach, or over to the SkiWelt, just 12 minutes away. If the valley is unskiable, the TO is obliged to bus you to another valley.

There are three bars at the top, a couple with good mountain character. Because I generally ski at a fair pace, (I held the village day run record for 10 years), I don't drink during the ski day. I prefer to have 4.30pm gluwein, and then ski down an empty mountain.

There are plenty of lively bars around the village centre, for an end of day drink. There are also several traditional Tirol bars.

I would not have a clue about a spa!

We have just bought the Epic ski pass for Vail. A couple of weeks in March. Think it was about £300.

We could have bought a season pass for $550 for the Epic Local ~ this too covers all the main five ski areas.

Going for a season to France is an expensive way to learn French!

Def not Brides-le-bain. The gondola ride alone is 25 min to the main ski area lifts. At the end of your day you have another 25 min ride down, because on most days, a run down is not possible. So if you ski every day of your 12 weeks, you will spend 84 hours on a lift, which will not add to your skiing.

In my first season, I skied for 4 months, every day on the 8.00am lift, and never missed a days skiing. I cannot imagine not skiing every day, what a waste! I still ski dawn til dusk every day.

I am not sure who you will build your social circle with, since most people will be out skiing?

Forty five years after my first season, my "social circle" from those days is still there. I still ski every day with Austrians that I worked with.

Paul, where can you easily fly to. Munich, Salzburg, Innsbruck?

Good point about the Sarenne lighting, SB. I note the ski instructors are all wearing head torches.

On the night ski routes I have skied, I have just used the piste lights provided. This does result in following your own shadow, and I can see why some folk would be discomforted.

However, I do like to ski by head torch, certainly down runs that I know well.

But then, two seasons back, I skied down the Marbachjoch in total darkness....