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 we founf 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

Woof

Austria - doing the snow-shoe shuffle

Weekend wandering
Saturday is changeover day but that does not mean, necessarily, that the slopes will be quiet.
The Austrians and day tripping groups are often out in force. We opted for the quiet life and a little bit of snow shoeing and a nice lunch. Recent snow falls and low temperatures meant we had fluffy powder to waddle through. The only noise was a healthy crunch as the snow compressed with each footfall. We cheated a bit by walking down from the middle station, seemed a pity not to use our ski passes. Only one piste to cross but we were a moving target and it was very quiet. We had to make a stop on the way at the Brandnergut (Farm) for a coffee, it would be rude no to, before heading down to the valley.

Plenty of snow in the valley so we managed to keep our snowshoes on all the way to the lift station. Time for another ride up to the Middle station. The Baerstein beckoned for lunch and a beer - excellent!

Farm for Coffee anyone

The ski room

Powder on the table

Austria - Salzburg Super Ski Card - Day Trips to Kaprun, Kitzbuhel and Saalbach

Even more resorts to choose from!

For about £60 extra it's possible to replace the Ski Amade Season Pass with the Salzburg Super Ski Card. It is very difficult to drag ourselves from the paradise that is Gastein but we managed it somehow.

With a car and a willing driver, Franz, it is possible to hit the slopes in a massive range of resorts. Some big world class names are only about an hour away. 

Kaprun with its glacier, Kitzbuhel and Saalbach were our first three targets.

High up on the Kitzsteinhorn

Zell am See down below in December

Up on the glacier

Lunchtime on the Kitzsteinhorn

Kaprun and the Kitzsteinhorn was our first venture. About an hour away on a good road it was an excellent option pre-xmas when the snowfall was very limited. They were even making snow on the glacier! Of course, it can get very busy when other resorts are struggling but it was very tolerable in December. The car parks are massive and in High Season you need a bus to get to the lift. Not us though, we parked a few metres from the lift that takes you up to the ski area. The initial ride up is not pretty, without snow cover it was like riding up a quarry. The views up the top are stunning, Zell am See seemed  a world away as we looked down.

Down to Kitzbuhel

Not all slopes register on Skiline - we worked harder than this!

Kitzbuhel, Kirchberg and Pass Thurn is a comprehensive ski area and it is only an hour and a quarter away. We have had a few holidays in Kitzbuhel and, even though we like it, the skiing is a tad overrated. It relies heavily on the appeal of the iconic Hannenkahm Downhill Race. The town is nice of course. However, with Kirchberg and Pass Thurn all connected it is well worth a look. Definitely worth a day trip.

We drove to Mittersill, parked by the lift station and took to a gondola to take us up to Pass Thurn from where we made our way over to Kirchberg. Then we took a look at the Downhill Course in Kitzbuhel itself. The actual downhill took place 2 days earlier so we were able to ski down some of the route with the blue dye still visible. We managed to avoid the town and its pricey shops and headed back to Pass Thurn and our lift to the valley. The final lift section is not skiable so we could not be late.

Saalbach

Saalbach etc on a day trip

Saalbach-Hinterglemm was next on our hit list. Just an hour away from Gastein it is a massive ski area and difficult to cover in a day. Again Parking was easy, right next to the lift at Vorderglenn. We skied over to Leogang in the mist then back to Saalbach from where we headed to Fieberbrunn. Never been there before and it looked to be a very nice ski area. The town was spread along a road but the runs were very good. It would be great to go back one day and fully explore. From Fieberbrunn we headed back to the Hinterglemm Area and then across the road and up to the Zwolferkogel to complete the ring via Schattberg. The area has grown massively since my last holiday there about 30 years ago. There are lifts and pistes everywhere. Huts are still nice though and we had a final coffee at the Simalalm before the last run back to Vorderglemm. The final run was marked Blue but was long and extremely lumpy. I reckon the snow boarders are the cause of the nasty late in the day lumps with ice on the other side. Very difficult to deal with on tired legs. A great day out but exhausting!

Austria - Start of the ski season 2015 - 2016

First Day on Snow - 2nd December 2015

Webcam views from home over the previous few days engendered real optimism that the conditions would be the best for several years and that the slopes would be opening on time.

Unhappily, Tuesday 1st December was wet and warm so, next day,our first day of skiing was on slippery and crusty snow. On the positive side the rain had disappeared and there was no wind. There were also enough runs open to keep us interested.

It was one of those glorious days when the lift took us up through the ceiling of cloud into bright warm sunshine. Sitting outside for Lunch at the Gipfel Restaurant was exceedingly pleasant and the first Weiss Beer of the trip was well earned and very refreshing. TW's first Strudel on the hill also hit the spot. Just a few dozen skiers were out and about. The Scandinavians were out and about. Their yellow topped Alpresor guides, usually followed by a horde of competent skiers, are easy to spot. Most of them stay in Bad Gastein in the nice hotels so we often share the same bus. 

Views on the South Side

Cloud in the valley

TW likes the sunny weather

First day in Dorfgastein

TW down through the cloud

And the sunshine continues

Ready to go on H2

Nice bright days for some great pre-Christmas skiing. Not much natural snow and it gets a bit polished as the day goes on.

Austria in October

Walking on the Schlossalm in October

TW in the frame

The early snow has melted and it looks a bit bare on the Schlossalm. The cows have gone, the wild flowers have ceased to bloom and the tourists are now few and far between. A nice time for a circular walk.

Austria in Summer 2015 #2

September in Austria

A cold friend on the hill

A bit of snow is not unusual in September but it came as a bit of a shock to us. We were told before we came that it had been wonderful weather all Summer. When we turned up the weather turned as well.
No matter though, the cows don't mind the cold. Even so, they have to be taken down the mountain because with 40cm of snow they cannot get at the grass.

TW gets into ski gear

A really cold and wintry scene presented itself at the top of the Cable Car. No matter, it soon warmed up.

Wintry scene in the Park

Get stuffed - Short of staff at the Alte Post?

There are some pretty elaborate Autumn displays outside Hostelries and Farms.

 Imagine that people have a lot of fun making up their Herbst displays.

Pedalling upwards at Dorfgastein on my 29er.

A favourite ride in Dorfgastein takes me up to the Grubner Alm. Ham and Eggs with a beer is a welcome reward for a hard climb. Always a good welcome the most favoured hut.

Reward for a long climb, ham & eggs at the Grubner Alm

Gretel - the resident pig at the Grubner Alm

Gretel is famous in the Valley. She is a mini pig that thinks she is a cat.  She roams the surrounding hill but comes running when the boss lady whistles.

Chocolate dipped Goats on the way up to Biberlm?

Not sure why these goats have such distinct front and rear ends. Will have to Google it one day.

The unspoiled scene near the Wiedneralm 

TW stops for a decaff at the Cafe Sonnberg above Bad Hofgastein

A walk around the Schlossalm See - snow making reservoir in Winter