Austria - Gastein - End of Ski Season 2017/2018

Season draws to a close in Sportgastein

The Ups And Downs

Going to Bad Hofgastein in December is all about renewal. Renewing friendships, revisiting familiar places and putting the legs and, particularly, the knees back to work. After last seasons abrupt end to proceedings it was wonderful to be back on ski's. Have to say, I was a tad more circumspect about skiing in poor visibility. I was not particularly worried about falling over but I was keen not to repeat last years misdemeanor. Hitting an unseen step in the piste and flying 30 feet with two twisted knees is painful. 
This was a great season for snow and it was superb in December. It really is the best time to be on Snow. The pistes are not all open but it so quiet and we had a lot of deep snow. Often, in the early season, the snow is artificial which can be hard and slippery.

Lunchtime at the Aeroplanstadl
The team had a few health problems this year and at one point we knew 3 people in the the local Hospital and only one was a ski injury. Can't help thinking there will be a few empty seats on the lifts next year.
Anyway, our early season lunchtime haunt is the Aeroplanstadl and this year, as usual, it did not disappoint. Manuela was still on the till and running the show. It gets busy in High Season so we usually take a left turn to the Baerstein Alm where Johanna always has a warm welcome for us and lovely food.
Our favourite coffee stop, the HaitzingAlm was frequented almost daily. Waltraud and Tom had stocked up on the sublime chocolate supplied with our coffee and their supply lasted the whole season despite our best efforts.
The blue team selfie
Plenty of snow on the Terrace
Brrrh - Bit of a cold one at Fulseck
 Dorfgastein was a bit interesting today. Very cold, unfortunately it was Ruhetag (restday) at the top so no opportunity for a warm up.
Reckon they might be closed!
Lunchtime at Aeroplanstadl




Winter wonderland - morning glorius!
Fresh snow to play in on this easy gradient

I think we celebrated too long at the GasteinAlm

Landing in the fog at Klagenfurt - not Easy landing
EasyJet flew to Klagenfurt for the first time this Winter so that meant we avoided the dastardly bendy trolley bus from our normal destination Airport of Salzburg to the Hauptbahnhof. It is a longer ride on the train from Klagenfurt to Bad Hofgastein but very scenic,when its not dark anyway!
We did have one piece of excitement, an aborted landing into Klagenfurt due to fog at ground level. It was eerie because could see the tops of electricity pylons but the runway was masked by ground mist. Fortunately we went around again and dived in safely.

TW above the mist
A stroll to the Annen Cafe, another favourite haunt, for a beer and a strudel. With the village in mist we broke through into clear views and a warm welcome.
Heading from the Haitzingalm after coffee
The new run down from the Haitzingalm was open and sweeps down steeply towards the middle station.
The Stubnerkogel from the Kaserebenbahn

TW has found a friend at the Baerstein

The view from the Baerstein on a sunny March day.

In the swing
 At the end of the season there was still a huge amount of snow on the Graukogel. This swing is almost buried. I had some wonderful runs through the deep snow here. A bit slow on the lift but a chance to take in the scenery and rest the legs.🎿
A chairlift to heaven

End of the line for the old rattler
 After 20 million passengers its time for the the old railway to be pensioned off. Apparently its been bought by a restaurant in Linz. Bit of a sad day but I will not miss the stairs. Getting down them at the end of the day was always a bit treacherous. I was showing its age this year, I think one of the trains had a square wheel. Next season we should have a sparkling new gondola to take us to the top.
Looking towards the Hofgastein slopes from the Jungeralm
 At the end of the season, the Jungeralm is a hostelry of choice. The coffee here is outstanding and the view isn't bad either.
Roll on December 2018!


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