Austria - Early Season Skiing in Bad Hofgastein - December 2013

A Dream Start
A Giant Leap - From the Stubnerkogel to Bad Hofgastein
H4 to Bad Hofgastein
A view to the Schlossalm and the Bad Hofgastein Ski Area
Looking North in Gasteinertal
On the Weitmoser sixer lift on December 3rd
They brought forward the lift opening by one week to November 31st  to take advantage of this years early season snow.
We had pre-booked to fly here on the 3rd December so we could only watch on the webcams as the first skiers headed off on the newly groomed pistes. Not sure I would have been fit enough anyway as a windy day tangle with a falling beech tree had left me a bit bruised. However, we were up on the Schlossalm on the 4th December to kick of our season with what they call over here a 'Traumtag' or Dream Day. We bumped into some familiar people, not literally, and it was great to be back on snow.
Taking a breather on H1 
Sunday Lunch View from the Aeroplan

Ski Guides move off - its not always sunny here!
New snow on the revamped home run in Bad Gastein
First run of the day past the Maurachalm on H2
Panorama from the Kleine Scharte
Most of the runs are open now and the mountain restaurants are waiting. Only the guests are missing. December really is the best time of year to ski, don't tell anyone!
A new place in Bad Hofgastein - The Gastein Alm
A new Pub has opened, the Gastein Alm. It used to be a Pizza Restaurant but one of the local hotel owners has spent a small fortune on it. It's now a very smart Alm serving food. The opening party was very good. Unfortunately we could not stay long enough to take advantage of the free food and drink. I expect we will be back with Euros in hand before much more snow has passed under the ski's.
Location: Bad Hofgastein, Austria

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