J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by idkwia

Tony, I always say that skiing can be as difficult as people want to make it. People could spend their whole week on blue runs in the 3 Valleys if they wanted to and equally they could start at the top of Obergurgl off piste and go straight down without turning! With regards to Obergurgl and Hochgurgl in terms of proportion of difficult versus easy it is similar as any much larger resort. I was there for a whole season and I wasn't bored for one second yet you get certain jerks who will say they skied it all in a day and these types, whilst entitled to their own opinion, miss the whole point of skiing in my humble opinion. Obergurgl is a very nice village, with absolutely superb accommodation and because it is so high always snowsure and a long season. It is not Espace Killy, Trois Vallees or Port de Soleil but I would happily go back anytime.

Great choice. I have done a whole season in Obergurgl and Hochgurgl. Highest parish in Austria so very high and snowsure. Great snow conditions at the moment but very cold so you will need some extra layers. It is a very nice place, try and make sure you get into Obergurgl village whilst you are there. I would agree that the Niederhutte is worth a look at about 4pm, you need to get there early to get a seat. In Obergurgl the Josl Keller is usually the liveliest bar. Skiing is relatively tame but still great fun. Hope you enjoy it.

Ian Wickham, I have skied for well over 300 weeks in different resorts in France and about the same amount in different resorts in Austria and I can honestly say I pretty much enjoyed all of them but if I had to choose then there is no doubt that Austria would win quite easily for food, accomodation (it is miles better than France in this category), ambience i.e. character, and to say that the lift queues are worse in France is simply plain wrong. Of course everyone is entitled to their opinion but if you have only skied for one week in Austria then I don't think you are qualified to make a considered judgement.

Back to the question in hand: Obergurgl will be good early season but is 5 hours from Munich, shame you weren't flying to Innsbruck as it is only about 1.5 hrs from there. That early in the season I would suggest Hintertux which will give you the Zillertal valley if the snow really comes early or as others have said Obertauern is a hidden gem mainly for its height.

Jamesfewtrell, I read your piece on here and like what you say. Where can I get details of your pension please?

Dunk, St Anton, now you are talking. If you had asked Soll versus Mayrhofen versus St Anton then there is only one winner in my book and that is St Anton. However, I don't like to go to the same place every year altough I am currently lucky enough to do 15 weeks a season, so there will always be a place in my ski time for the Ski Welt and the Zillertal although when it comes to the Zillertal I don't like to ski much in Mayrhofen itself as it is a poor ski area IMHO and anywhere where you have to queue to get up the mountain and have to get a lift down is not worth the effort. However, for those of you who like to ski in Mayrhofen itself then you are best to get up the mountain at Finkenberg where there is no queue.
Other places in Austria which are certainly worth going are Ischgl, Saalbach Hinterglem, Schladming, Obergurgl, Lech, Obertauern, Bad Hofgastein and I am sure a few others that I can't think of at the moment.

I have to disagree with some of the above. I spent a whole season in Mayrhofen and you could only ski back to the village from Mayrhofen ski area for 2 days, not at all in Zell am Ziller and not in Kaltenbach. The 3 occasions I have been to Soll I have always been able to ski back to the village. Last time I went there I drove and I couldn't get my car to the hotel I was staying in because there was 3ft snow in the village. Never had that in Mayrhofen.
There may well be 650kms piste in Zillertal but let's get something straight you are not going to be able to cover it all in a week. There is absolutely no doubt that you will get more sking done in the Ski Welt area than you would get in Zillertal.
However, I think that both are great destinations but as someone who has skied in more than 60 resorts and done 5 full seasons in Europe as a ski guide or intsructor I can assure you there is a lot more on offer in Austria than the Zillertal and I would respectfully suggest that you give some others a try.

Hi Dunk

I think I can help you as I did a whole season in Mayrhofen as a ski guide and I also have been to Soll 3 times.

Totally agree with you about the resorts in the Ziller Valley as I took my group to a different area every day. I don't know about you but my least favourite place to ski was Mayrhofen itself. Anyway as you say you have had great times there so you know all about it.

With regards to Soll I have to say that it is easily on a par with Mayrhofen for apres ski and the ski area is huge, I believe the Ski Welt as it is called has something like 250kms of interconnected pistes which is the largest in Austria. The great thing about this of course is you don't have to get buses or trains as you do in Zillertal thereofre more time for skiing and pares ski. From memory the resorts in the Ski Welt are generally higher and so skiing back to the village is available more often than in Mayrhofen.

As you have already been to the Ziller Valley I would suggest that Soll is certainly worth a visit. Of course skiing hols need good snow and if you get that in Soll I promise you won't be disappointed.

Btw, I love Austria and in my humble opinion is so much better than France.

Good luck.

You may have already found this site but if not it might be useful for you http://www.liveaustria.com/

Is there any reason that you are attracted to Wagrain?

Actually I am very interested in this thread as I am thinking of buying a property in Austria. Austria is the best for skiing, ambience and is also great in the summer. However, I never seem to get round to it so I would be very interested to hear how you got on.

I know someone who lived in Bracknell who bought and apartment block of about 6 s/c apartments in Niederau and she now lives there full time.

Good luck.
Steve