 Poster: A snowHead
|
Off to St Anton this weekend woo hoo . I am an experienced skier but being of a certain age my knees are in the words of my physio .. very angry . I 've had an ACL reconstruction years ago which is fine but the other one is protesting Last year I could hardly move the week after my trip to La Plagne .
My plan is to aim for less skiing but make each run count - no mindless cruising all afternoon (sorry skiing buddies who like me to navigate ! ) . Plus mix it up with some cross country ( got a private instructor booked to get me going )
My plan is to head out early and finish around lunch - I can cover a decent amount of ground and can get down almost anything so would like to gauge how far I could get without overdoing it .
Any tips most appreciated !
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
Get the bus! It’s a big ski area so worth using the buses so that you can start your day in different places.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
I would suggest heading over to Zürs at least one morning, the skiing under the Zürserseebahn & Seekopfbahn is usually excellent first thing and is in the morning sun. There is then Täli from the top of the Muggengrat chair which must be in the top 10 runs in the alps. If you are feeling up to it then Madloch down to Zug. Best option is to get the bus over, they go from outside the station and cost around €4 (pay by card), if you catch the 08:40 bus you will get there before the hordes heading over the Flexenbahn (even if the lifts start at 08:30). Various options for lunch in Zug or Lech and then get the bus home (either the ski bus to Zürs and catch the Flexenbahn or the postbus all the way).
If you fancy looking at Warth definitely get the bus to Lech to ensure you have plenty of time as the lift over to Warth (same slow lift on way back) is pretty slow.
In St Anton the best snow is almost always in Schindlerkar, though it is shown a a ski route it is pretty much a piste, occasionally they let big moguls build up but mostly it is bashed every couple of days. The slightly easier option is to take the lift to the top station (the "family" option at the lift station) but if you like some fairly easy moguls get off at the mid station (actually higher than the top station, you need to take the "expert" side), peer down the couloirs, then take the turn off to the right where the fence ends and follow the marker poles for the most straight foward route. The Kar itself is often very warm with the sun reflected off the sides. Alternatively head down the red piste (accessible from either exit) for a very long run either down to Alpe Rauz (lower part can get busy and moguled later on) or back to St Anton itself.
The Kandahar black run from Galzig usually has decent snow, is not particularly difficult though afternoons can see some impressive moguls on the final pitch.
Rendl probably worth a visit though it can be hard and icy first thing in spring conditions, nice red back to the village.
The runs down to the drag lift at Kapall are often good first thing though not particularly long (dont be tempted to take the off piste route from the lift back to the village it is a death trap). If you enjoy moguls then the Mattun ski route (turn left at the top of the Kapall chair) will give you plenty of options for practicing your technique.
Stuben has a couple of long reds both of which end up back at Alpe Rauz, also a chair with short but nice pistes underneath on the "backside". However Stuben is really known for its off piste runs.
Unless you are stopping off at the Krazy Kangaruh or Mooserwirt I would avoid the main home run back to St Anton, it gets very crowded with snowplough turners struggling with the badly cut up slop as very exposed to the sun (not ideal for angry knees). Much better to go to Gampen and head down towards Nasserein then cut across to the Galzig lift (if you are heading that way)
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
@munich_irish, Golden information, thank you very much indeed.
I've got some shiny new skis, so I'm looking for hard, icy (but groomed!) pistes to try them out on. You mentioned Rendl. Is there anywhere else worth seeking out? That might seem an odd question, but last time I went to St Anton there wasn't much going on in the way of grooming (maybe because the world cup was on?) and it was also very crowded (I didn't do my research before booking and accidentally went in Orthodox Christmas Week  ), so I spent the week on a wide all mountain ski after trying to use a stiff, narrow, long turn piste ski on day one and thinking 'dangly bits to this'.
Basically, having lugged an extra 7kg of ski and binding to Austria and back last year in order to use it for a few hours and not even enjoy the experience, I'm reticent to do it again. However, like any boy with a new toy, I'm absolutely desperate to try my news skis out and that Homer Simpson-esque feeling of childlike excitement is overriding the small part of my brain that's concerned with logic and reason that's telling me to leave them at home  . So if there's anywhere that's likely to be hard/icy and uncrowded you (or anyone else) can recommend, then please do. Cheers!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
@greengriff, The pistes and some of the ski routes are groomed every day but when it is busy the corduroy doesnt last very long! Given the weather forecast hard pistes might be in short supply but you could try being one of the first up Schindler and then ski all the way down to Rauz. The pistes in Zürs I mentioned above are also good especially if you get there before the crowds appear from both St Anton & Lech (usually after 10:00). The fact that there are only two chairs accessing the area leads to longer lift queues but fewer folk actually on the pistes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
@munich_irish, Thank you. Weather forecast up to Saturday (on the Ski Arlberg website) says clear skies, no new snow and cold temperatures in the morning. Is new snow expected next week?
As always, your freely-shared knowledge is very much appreciated!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ