@stanton, closing the tunnel is a pretty big thing to do, it is one of the major east west European links, with no real alternative route. The Arlberg pass is hardly suitable for anything more than cars and a few buses. I wonder if they might have to have a timed one way system? It is going to mean huge traffic jams for months on end and not pleasant for summer visitors to St Anton. The Vorarlberg folk might be happy as they will be able to claim they are cut off from the rest of Austria so might as well join Switzerland
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
They closed it before summers 2014-2017 for the 1st phase renovation, they know what they are doing...
Pre 1978 Trucks used to roll through St Anton Day & Night
So, if the ski season actually happens this year, we have 2 windows to head to the Arlberg. Either the 2 weeks after NY or a week around March 13th.
We usually visit, stying in Lech, last week in Feb/first week in March and 9 times out of 10 have had fantastic conditions. In later March the base will be good presumably, but getting warmer (my friend not a happy Spring skier unfortuantely). In early January, what are 'typical' conditions like. I know its weather so anything could happen. But I'd guess pistes decent and some off-piste? Or ...
All opinions appreciated!
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@gortonator, if you want the best chance of dry snow, even powder, then early January is your best bet. You could encounter some seriously cold days - the coldest I have encountered was -26C on Schindler, but that is very rare. -10 to -15C is fairly common. On the flip side, there might not be enough depth for decent off piste; Look out for sharks! The first 2 weeks after NYE are generally very quiet.
Your best bet for decent snow depth is certainly early March. Off piste should be good, in terms of depth. You will however likely have freeze-thaw conditions, especially on the lower half of the mountain. If Easter does not fall in the period of your stay, then it will again be getting quieter.
It is however “weather”, as you say. In my 18 years of skiing there, I think I have seen just about every variation. You might get fantastic powder drops in March, or you might sunny, warm days in January. Sorry, I cannot be more precise, but I think you know the nature of our playground.
Some years there will be lots of snow in December followed by a cold January which can make for great skiing but perhaps more likely is not so much snow with the first big falls coming in January. March is likely to be just about maximum coverage but from the middle of the month the snow can get slushy in places though that really only affects the lower south facing runs in Lech & St Anton. One point to bear in mind is that the ski routes like Madloch dont have snow making so generally dont open until January when the base has built.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Thx - we've had some pretty amazing pow in early March virtually every year, but going 2 weeks later probably reduce likelihood and def be slushier. Which is fine by me but not friend.
Good point about snowmaking/ski routes. Hotel we stay at usually is right at the end of the Madloch!
Will almost certainly be a last minute decision anyway given experiences of last 18 months. We were actually in Lech for the last weekend they were open in 2020. Was a great ski week!!
After all it is free
After all it is free
@gortonator, you can’t say 2 weeks later will def be slushy. I’ve had weeks in early April that were cooler and had more fresh snow compared to very warm and dry Marches!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
kitenski wrote:
@gortonator, you can’t say 2 weeks later will def be slushy. I’ve had weeks in early April that were cooler and had more fresh snow compared to very warm and dry Marches!
Sure. Not 'for sure'. But statistically more likely. Even though we've had great snow early March last few years, it has generally warmed up quickly each day. Seem to remember few days when below 0C at end of ski day in Lech.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@gortonator, I think you get more fresh snow days in April than March, but also warmer avg temps!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
kitenski wrote:
@gortonator, I think you get more fresh snow days in April than March, but also warmer avg temps!
@gortonator, the slopes will be much quieter in Jan., after the New Year. As has been mentioned Jan usually brings heavy snowfall, but I've had rainfall also in Jan below the mid stations. Off piste is more of an issue, snow depth/base usually not so well established, but pistes good and not so busy. Certainly the second week of Jan is quieter, obviously so are the bars.
I am usually in St. Anton Jan - March.
Folks... Expect Covid Pass access to anywhere indoors this season similar to Germany's 3G's (geimpft, genesen, getestet) rule.
vaccinated, recovered, or tested
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@stanton, more likely to be 2G, including lifts. No jab no ski!
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@munich_irish, 2G for sure. I wouldn't be too surprised to see it reduced to 1G, regardless of your genesenen status
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Whatever solution Vienna announces for the coming season ...it needs to be soon because many tourists will weigh their travel decision on what will be possible ...
Many Folks will NOT travel (especially from the UK who have to fly ) if they can only get "Half a Holiday experience " to what they are used to....
I already Know some things but I will leave it for now...
@Steilhang, you should know by now that @stanton, has many top secret sources, usually they can be found by reading newspapers or Alpinforum . I will be fascinated to see if he plans to go skiing next season given that he has said he will not get vaccinated, no jab no ski perhaps no jab, no taxi driving!
@munich_irish, valid points. But you have to understand St.Anton values him so much he will have a special dispensation to ski whenever and wherever he wishes and the locals will be honoured to be given covid by him...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@munich_irish, I think he'll be okay. he skins up, no mechanisation required!
After all it is free
After all it is free
As already being discussd elsewhere
Apres Ski is being reclassified to the NightLife Sektor
3G rule will apply to Apres Ski .. The Austrian Health Minister wanted it to be strictly 1 G (Vaxed Only) but they have settled with 3G
If the Situation (infections etc) deteriorate during the season ... Apres Ski & NightClubs will move to 1G or even be closed down.
Attention Lift riders !! Some more fotos of the environmental carnage you are party to.
and this is what you will financially contribute towards the destruction of the Alpine landscape..
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@stanton, none of this is exactly news, it is the current situation. If over the next few months things get worse then it is clear that 2G or even 1G will apply. As to the environmental issues skiing causes, dont disagree, but all of us who contribute to this forum (you included) are part of that. Anyone who works in St Anton or other resorts (taxi drivers included) is contributing to the financial ecosystem that facilitates the building of new lifts, constructing pistes etc.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
We had settled snow last Monday night (27th) down to the Moose but was gone in the morning in the bright sun..
Next week comes the first major Dump of the Season..
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
You know when autumn has arrived as there is a strange compulsion to look at the webcams to see how much white stuff has come down......
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Yep, fresh covering today in St. A.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
On other important matters ... will saunas be open?
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
I am hearing that bookings are slow. Perhaps many people are planning to travel, but will book closer to the date, ie a "wait & see" attitude.
There are so many hospitality jobs going at the moment. My FB feed gets maybe 4 or 5 ads each day from businesses looking for staff, ranging from cleaners to chefs. One local suggested to me that Brexit is to blame, ie fewer Brits able to get the permits, but have also heard that the Austrian government has cut back on permits. Both sound plausible.
I do wonder how many TO chalets will operate this winter. A double whammy - people reticent to share spaces with strangers and, as above, getting staff to run them.
All in all, it will be a different winter. I hope to be part of it, with the announcement that Australia's international borders will open around 1 Nov.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
gortonator wrote:
On other important matters ... will saunas be open?
Only if you wear a mask!
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
@ulmerhutte, finding staff for all types of employment is currently difficult everywhere, the "hospitality" sector has more problems than most. Somewhere like St Anton which only has a small resident population is going to find things even more difficult. Almost certainly wages will have to go up to attract workers and that will feed through into increased prices in hotels & restaurants.
The "chalet" concept was struggling anyway, especially in Austria, the employment regulations have been tightened in recent years. The days of giving someone "free" accommodation, food, a season ski pass and a bit of pocket money in return for 50+ hours a week's work were gone even before Brexit.
Hopefully you can escape the world's largest prison camp though do make sure you note the issues around getting a vaccination pass, there are various hoops to jump through if your certificate has not been issued in the EU.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
We're def in the wait and see category. Complexities with travel might mean we target places where flights are direct from US, so no changing planes in different countries. Will depend on many many factors which will start to consider in, er, December I guess. Default of staying local not bad. There's no pandemic in Idaho and Montana
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Because of the massive increase in unemployment last year in the Ski Provence. . Tiriol,Salzburgerland etc .. The Austrian government wants these jobs filled by locals before Visas are issued..
They are limiting visas and as previously mentioned those coming will need to commit to Summer also....
You may well ask how they stop them leaving..? They Tax them at a very HIGH rate (50%+) and then get a rebate at the end ....
The sesson is far from certain in terms of providing a few months of steady employment and salary/tips so the usual Eastern Europeans will probably not relocate...They also have memory's of March 2019 treatment...
As for Brits.. They really only make up a small minority (tiny %) of workers ..
They are only prevalent in Englush speaking Ski Areas like St Anton..
They can be replaced easily by Irish & other EU citizens.
Ski schools .. employ lots of Dutch as they we can communicate in English,German& Dutch plus we get by in French and Spanish ..
They may even start bringing in cheap labour from Nepal and the Far east ....
Germans Tourist by Far make up the majority into Austria .50%+ followed by the Dutch .... The UK is quite a ways down in Tourist numbers..
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@stanton, what's this got to do with the Arlberg? Lots of other threads for you to use up your one post a day though you are hardly giving out new information. At least the pictures of the new lifts from Alpinforum have some interest.
This Case is still ongoing from Last Season ...(unauthorised construction of the course) the case for the authorities is not yet closed, five of the ten proceedings are still open, Crimnal proceedings may still follow ..
The operators of the "Flexenarena" in Lech-Zürs have to pay administrative penalties of a total of around 60,000 euros after allegations of violations of the law in the construction of the World Cup and training course.
Awesome pilot skills, especially during the placement of the upper sections, with men on the tower. Loved the music.
EUR60K fine? Probably considered the cost of doing business.
Do I think this is a good spend? Nope, but I am not directly paying, nor does it affect my enjoyment of Zürs, so summa summarum I don’t care either way.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
A PCR question:
I am required to undergo a PCR test in St. Anton before flying back, all I can find on the web is the official St. Anton am Arlberg website linking €120 tests in local doctors' office.
Any other (cheaper) option?
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
but I will leave it for now...
