Austria - A skiing day trip to Rauris

Visiting the Neighbours in Rauris

No crowds here

Nice Hut for Lunch

Elevenses - nice coffee and cake

Just over the mountain is the Rauris Valley. A ski link to Gasteinertal was proposed some time ago but they did not want it so its not happened. We have to go by car. Rauris is not on the Ski Amade pass so this is the first year we have visited. It only takes about half an hour, we just turned South at Taxenbach and wound our way up the valley for about 10km. It was a brilliant sunny day so visibility was perfect and the snow conditions could not have been better. The majority of the runs are blue and Franz was prompted to comment that it is a resort for women and pensioners - not us of course. The most difficult thing was the dreaded drag lifts. One taking us to the top almost pulled my arm off. I reckon we had done the resort after about 2 hours. Time for coffee and cake! We laughed about the supposed black run down to the resort but this was transformed into a killer at the end of the day, Serves us right. In the morning it had been easy, but not far below the middle station, we rounded a corner too fast to find frozen irregular bumps littered with prostrate teenagers. Then we had to negotiate a switch-back gun barrel with heavy snow on the corners. A great day but in a relaxed, quiet and easy resort.

Blues skies in Raurisertal

Not all lifts registered but good enough for 22nd on Skiline

Austria - Spring in Gastein

Snow worth waiting for!

We came back to Gastein to find snow - and lots of it.

Race Lady - Haitzingalm

No more slipping and sliding on icy slopes. It was more like skiing through lumpy custard for the first few days. Once it was all bashed down the conditions were perfect. One of my cycle routes is definitely closed until the thaw comes!

No cycling today

Whatever the weather there is always the option to pop into one of the many Huts and Restaurants for a tasty meal and a nice glass of something.

Salad Days - Bauern Salad in the Waldgasthof

Dog sledge racing is an entertaining spectacle. Trouble is they race on snow so the dogs are the only animals staying warm. They seem to really enjoy it and are desperate to get started.

Paws Power