Austria - Skiing Dec 2018 - Back on the white stuff

Bad Hofgastein just got better

The bear has a new home.

Who's looking for Honey?

We are back for a December ski trip but it was definitely not a case of  'same old'.

Lunch fit for a sKING at the Baerstein

A brilliant new gondola lift has been installed to get us to the top of the mountain - but that is not all. 

There is a wonderful re-invention of the Baerstein. Same old welcome -  but a new beautiful building.

A refurb at the Kleine Scharte lift station restaurant got the thumbs up from us.

There was a new restaurant in town, the Aurum, very nicely fitted out by Sendlhofer, a bit too pricey for us but very nice as a special treat.

Oh, and a new Weitmoserin bar in the valley lift station, very convenient for a pre-ski coffee and a well earned post ski beer.

 We do miss the old HaitzingAlm chair though. TW loved her ride up through the trees for a bit of virtual skiing and a coffee.

Snow scene from the 'other side' in Bad Hofgastein

Heading to the top in our bright new lift

Under the sun in the Haitzing Alm

Haitzing Alm for coffee with the snow piled high

The Kleine Scharte Restaurant gets a refurb.

Gastein Valley in December

Keeping it sweet at the Stubneralm, one of the best strudels

The Grabneralm - The best reason to go to Dorfgastein

Of course it wasn't all coffee and strudel. We did break off for a bit of skiing as well.  Ski conditions were ok. We had one dump at the top of about a metre but a lot of the snow was artificial so, by lunchtime, the busier slopes were getting polished to blue ice. A good excuse for an early lunch and a dust buster or two.

Aurum - the new Restaurant

Hirschenhutte an old favourite

Cheers

TW on foot due to a broken wrist!