Saalbach - Hinterglemm - Leogang - Fieberbrunn 2022/23 Official Unofficial Thread

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We’ll be in zell at see in a few weeks. I’ve been watching the snow depths there and it doesn’t look as good as previous years and I saw rain forecast . That said, most lifts and runs are open so I guess it’s coping well? Just wondering how it’s looking.

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Advice please from Saalbach gurus. Any reason not to book a holiday in March? Did see mention some time ago to avoid "Dutch Week" but not sure when that is. Also looking for two single rooms so any helpful suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

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@peter w, nothing wrong with March we will be there late march, Dutch week means a number of venues will be closed off for their exclusive use such as Swips, Burgis and some of the night clubs, on the slopes you might see a bit more orange the week runs from 18 to 25 March, can’t say that I’ve noticed there being too much of an increase in traffic on the slopes in the past.

Edit: the venues https://dutchweek.nl/en/dutchweek-winter/locations/saalbach-23/#DWSprogram

Disappointed to see the Maisalm and Soul House on the list

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@peter w, I really hope not Peter as we're there from 25th March! Very Happy

I think that is the week after Dutch week (or fortnight) but others can confirm and dates are somewhere earlier in this thread.

For that time of the season you have to expect spring skiing, i.e. unlikely to have snow cover down at village level and maybe a slush fest on mid to lower slopes.

Always a little bit of a risk and I'm hoping (as I'm sure everyone is) that this warm spell is followed by some cooler temps and more snow as otherwise might be a bit grassy come late March.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

Aha, I was slow in posting, you'd already covered @radar

After all it is free

Many thanks for your help. I might make some further enquires on here as it is some time since I was in Saalbach , possibly 20 years, I think there have been some changes! @radar, @Rowlski,

@peter w, we have heated seats on most of the lifts Toofy Grin

Happy to help with any questions

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@bambionskiis, Snowcamp Europe in Zell do a weather update
http://youtube.com/v/3gdRWT_FRPA

The GB ski club have a very active page for Zell https://www.facebook.com/groups/SCGBZellamsee/?ref=share

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Freeride Testival is in Ski Circus on 11 and 12 March, you can do a learn to session, ride with a pro or with a guide.

https://freeride-testival.com/saalbach.htm

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@peter w, You should find enjoyable skiing in Saalbach through to early April. If it’s of any interest my apartment’s available for the week beginning 18/03/23. Send me a P.M. if interested.

@Rowlski, “ For that time of the season you have to expect spring skiing, i.e. unlikely to have snow cover down at village level”

I’ve never known the snow to be lacking at village level throughout March. The pistes that descend to the village from all directions would normally all be open.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@radar, Brilliant and it’s a great ski report. Many thanks

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News from Saalbach:

It’s warm and sunny this week, but the pistes are holding up very well. Yesterday I skied over to Leogang and was very pleasantly surprised how quiet it was, and how good (powdery and grippy) the pistes were throughout the day. I did the Steinberg run, as well as the various options on the Asitz, and the snow was good all the way to the bottom. In fact that little black at the bottom was as good as I’ve ever seen it - positively style-flattering!

I may have been unduly harsh about the Hinterhag Alm. I’ve been there on Saturday, and also yesterday, and I had to admit that the atmosphere was pretty good. Evi was keeping a low profile, and Radim was ably assisted by his father on guitar and trumpet. The entertainment is also enhanced by guest musicians (Spacey on Saturday, and a pretty good local lad, Marcus, on both evenings). So the competition between the Hinterhag and the Soul House for best après-ski venue is not as one-sided as I thought.

Piste 168 is already closed, after only one week. Improvements have been made at the bottom, but not enough to save the final couple of hundred meters of exposed, south-facing slope from getting very scraped and bare. That’s enough to close the entire 7km run, although it’s apparently still groomed and skiable as far as the Hecherhuette. And the Hecherhuette can organise a taxi to or from the bottom, from only 5 euros per person, depending on numbers. And the Hecherhuette is still without a shadow of doubt my favourite mountain restaurant. It has to excel in order to survive. Until the new reservoir and snowmaking are installed it’s always going to be a struggle to keep that run open - not helped by the noticeably increased traffic since it became the direct route to the Zell am See Xpress.

The Wednesday evening spare ribs have made a welcome return to Bobby’s Pub. After partaking of them last night I called in to watch Spacey perform in the Ötzi Bar, and it’s fair to say he was on good form. He’s getting plenty of work this season - Sundays and Wednesdays in Ötzi Bar, Mondays at the Spitzbub, and this evening at Bergers Sport Hotel (taking the place of “Bobby” aka Elvis/Tom Jones, who is ill).

As ever, I’m in contact with the various British apartment owners, who have accommodation available to rent in Saalbach, so let me know if you’re looking.

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@tatmanstours, disappointed to hear that 168 is closed, hopefully there will be some more snow before we return Very Happy

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“ On a side note, does the fact that piste 168 really suffers due to lack of snowmaking show that the rest of the resort, particularly on the south side, heavily depends on artifical snow to make it viable?”

It’s really just that last bit, where it drops down to the valley bottom, that becomes unviable. It’s south-facing, and it’s the lowest bit of piste in the whole Ski Circus - an eight minute bus ride downhill from the Schönleitenbahn.

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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

After all it is free

@ski for fun, A great ho ho, congratulations

I lost love with Hinterhag some years ago whilst it was still in its pomp, found it so mobbed it was uncomfortable.

Our group went back to see what it was like a couple of weeks ago, not mobbed as expected so ticked that box for me, but was lacking the numbers to the other extreme and also the quality of the entertainment, it took quite sometime to get a beer from Evi and one other behind the bar. We left saying we’re not going back again during the week.

Soul House on the other hand got our custom 3 times and Burgi’s (so much smaller, in the village and not really a true comparison ) we went most nights straight off the slopes or after Soul House.

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Just got a message that the last of the Van Kleist treasure hunt prizes was spotted being worn by someone on the slopes who had Snowheads stickers on their helmet. Excellent work! I'm absolutely made up with how well that went, and as someone commented: "It made a great change to the usual 'Lift, go fast to next lift, lift, go fast to next lift, lift, rinse and repeat, lunch, lift, go fast to next lift'..."

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somewhat unusual query but I cannot seem to phone hotels in Saalbach. When I dial any number the response on my pnone is "the number you dialed is not recognised"No problem phoning any other numbers in Austria! Yes I have the correct code, 6541, any help out here? Thank you in anticipation.

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@peter w, +43 then 6541

You know it makes sense.

@radar, yes I have dialed that exactly. Rather strange. As mentioned above no problem in dialing other towns in Austria.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@peter w,
if replacing + with 00 does not work, then try a pause after the country code. Hold the * down until a comma pops up on the display.
That should add a delay between country code & area code +43,6541

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@peter w, how strange

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Have you tried an operator call, or reversing the charges?

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@Gored, No that did'nt work.@Austrian Seagull, Have you tried to get through to O2! Still trying to contact them.

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Update. Got through to O2. They tried and got the the same result as me. Number and area code correct. Could'nt suggest any options. Perhaps I am not supposed to ski in Saalbach!!!

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@peter w, you could try phoning me - I’m in Saalbach, and you have my number. (And I may be able to help with accommodation).

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My honest un-biased review of Saalbach having spent last week there (family trip, with kids in ski school) - overall I would give it a 7/10.

+ nice village center, attractive buildings and a nice feel to the place.
+ Ski school was well organized, good English speaking instructors as you would expect. Nursery slope area was fairly small but OK.
+ options for apres ski were varied, plenty of places for people wanting to go hard on the apres (though we didn't having small kids..).
+ Some really nice tree-lined skiing over at Leogang.
+ Fairly easy transfer from Salzburg airport, less than 1.5 hours depending on traffic.

- Walking through resort to connecting lifts is almost inevitable for anyone who doesn't meticulously plan exactly where to go or had to deal with drop-offs at ski school. This was a notable downside in comparison to other resorts I've been to.
- The gondolas out of Fieberbrunn are old and slow, spent more time queuing and standing on over-engineered lifts than I did skiing when I went over there.
- the supposedly blue run into resort from Bernkogelbahn is really a red - I overheard similar comments from ski instructors so that's not just my opinion. Many blue-level skiers were getting the gondola back down rather than skiing it.
- Easy blue runs into resort are limited so overall not the best resort for beginners.

In terms of weather/conditions, it was crazy warm (18 degrees was the readout at top of one of the lifts) and by end of week, more grass showing through, they desperately need more snow for the rest of the season. Afternoon was very heavy going and off-piste un-skiable all week.

Overall, a good trip - would consider returning at some point in future but not any time soon, will go on and try somewhere else.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

@Pyramus, overall a fair review. However I have three comments:

1. The best nursery area is quite big and served by a gondola and beginner-friendly chair lift. I refer of course to the plateau area at the top of the Bernkogel. There is also a further nursery slope in the village centre, to the south side of Schiliftstrasse, which seems to get overlooked or ignored. I’m looking at it now, and there are two people using it. It’s served by a rope tow and is ideal for complete beginners, before they progress onto the Turmwiese and/or the Bernkogel. It’s called the Kreuzkapelle nursery slope.

2. Perhaps it’s me, but I never understand why people walk through the village. I hardly ever do it. I have friends, who have to pick up their kids from ski school, and they never seem to find it necessary to do so. It’s simply a question of being mindful that a walk can be avoided by skiing down the Kohlmais or the Bernkogel. And, wherever you may be in the Ski Circus, it’s easy to plan your itinerary, so that you finish on the south-facing side of the main valley. If skiing on the north side (Schattberg, Zwölferkogel), don’t walk up from the Schattberg Xpress; instead take the ski bus to the Schönleitenbahn and ski down the Kohlmais. To get to the Schönleitenbahn, the ski bus (every 20 minutes) takes about 5 minutes from the Schattberg Xpress, 15 minutes from the Zwölferkogelbahn, and 20 minutes from Hochalm.
And of course the use of the ski buses can easily be avoided, by skiing back along the south-facing side of the valley from the direction of Leogang, Fieberbrunn or Hinterglemm.

3. The weather inevitably colours people’s judgment of a resort. I have seen this many times. I remember a group coming to Saalbach during half term week several years ago, when the weather was unseasonably warm, and the snow heavy and mogully. They probably won’t rush back. Conversely I have known people visit, when the conditions were perfect - sunshine, fresh powdery snow, fabulous off-piste - and they have given the resort glowing reviews. A week is inevitably a snapshot; the true picture emerges over time.

After all it is free

Regarding point 2- explain the literally hundreds of people walking through the village between the lifts during the course of the day..

No one really want to spend precious skiing time standing and waiting for a ski bus...this is my point, many other resorts don't have the need to do this.

“ Regarding point 2- explain the literally hundreds of people walking through the village between the lifts during the course of the day..

No one really want to spend precious skiing time standing and waiting for a ski bus...this is my point, many other resorts don't have the need to do this.”

@Pyramus, obviously I can’t speculate on why. Maybe they don’t realise that you don’t need to. Maybe they’ve made the mistake of booking accommodation at the lower end of the village. All I’m saying is that in the course of a whole season, in which I aim to ski around 300,000 vertical meters, I walk through the village in ski boots no more than a handful of times. And parents I know seem to have no problem planning their itineraries so that they end up skiing down to the ski school meeting area.
It’s a big area, with the highest number of gondola cable cars of any ski resort in the world (hence the general lack of queues and congestion), so some thought does need to be given to where you want to end up at 3.30 in the afternoon.
As I tried to make clear, you don’t need to rely on ski buses, which are there as a quick way of getting from A to B if need arises. It’s actually easy to ski from any point in the Ski Circus back to the Turmwiese nursery area if you get the timing right, but the ski buses can be utilised if you find yourself at the other end of the valley with insufficient time to ski back.
It’s actually better than being in say Courchevel and needing to get back to Les Menuires in a hurry, or being in Montalbert and needing to get back to Arcs 1950. The Glemm valley lends itself to travelling its full length in a hurry, and in comfort, if necessary - and I repeat, if necessary. Normally people allow sufficient time to get back on skis.
Incidentally it takes about 20 minutes to ski from the summit of the Wildenkarkogel to the Turmwiese, and getting to the Wildenkarkogel is easily done, from Leogang, Hinterglemm, Hochalm and Zell am See. From Fieberbrunn, you would simply descend the Bernkogel, which is also of course the obvious way back from the north side of Hinterglemm and Hochalm. It’s only when crossing over to the south side of the valley that you have to think about skiing back via piste 2/2a, and how much time to allow (and whether to short circuit the skiing time by catching a ski bus).
Hope that clarifies what I was trying to say above.

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@Pyramus, that's fair comment - whenever I visit, I avoid walking from Kohlmais to Schattberg Xpress for exactly that reason. But I do walk from Kohlmais to Bernkogel (maybe 5 minutes), and from the bottom of the Bernkogel link ramp to Schattberg (2 minutes), and occasionally I walk from Reiterkogel to the U-bahn in Hinterglemm. It's not great, but that's the price of being in a village with a thousand years of history rather than a purpose-built French resort where the lifts and runs were mapped out and then apartment blocks put in the space left over.

On the run gradings, that's a contentious discussion in every resort I've ever been to. As there's no hard rulebook on what constitutes a blue run and when it has to be classed as a red, and in any case a lot depends on conditions and the line the skier takes, it's all very subjective and something which is a gentle blue one day might be thought a difficult red when the piste is reduced to half the width, is covered in moguls, and in low contrast. There are certainly some blues in the Glemmtal which have sections which should probably be red, and reds which should be black (and indeed were previously), but it's all a big game where the rules are sometimes bent to encourage skiers to use a slope which they'd otherwise avoid, or where the whole slope is classified as blue because 95% of it is, and the bit which clearly isn't has an unmarked or poorly indicated cut around which most people miss unless they've been shown it by an instructor or someone more knowledgeable.

It also pays to remember that no ski resort is set up to be ideal for beginners, as beginners learn and move on, and return custom is important, so the slopes are never 95% easy blue runs and they have to have enough to keep the majority of visitors happy, and that means a good mix of options which mainly address the 80% of skiers in the "intermediate" banding. Plus not all blue runs are equal, clearly. And on some days, the red option may be easier than the blue if they go to the same place, because of lower traffic and hence no moguls and more space.

Our kids learned in Hinterglemm over the course of about 6 years. It was very good for them, as the progression options were there, and they had no complaints about the lack of blue runs or how difficult some of them were. They never walked through town, anywhere except occasionally from Kohlmais to Bernkogel, as there was no need. Conversely, I learned in Andorra over 20 years ago, and the Austrian slopes were a real eye-opener for me in terms of both their variety, and their difficulty.

As @tatmanstours has said, if you had been there in January when I was, with perfect conditions including fresh snow on several days, your view would likely have been different. But last week was marginal across all of the Alps, in what is turning into one of the warmest and driest seasons for a very long time. We were in the Skiwelt, and while the piste management was excellent, it also suffered and by the end of the week most of the offpiste areas were brown.

Help!!

Saalbach - Hinterglemm - Leogang - Fieberbrunn 2022/23 Official Unofficial Thread

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