Innsbruck, Austria?

[smaynard]

We are here. Would appreciate any input on where to ride, what to see, where to eat, etc. This city is awesome, yet to get on the hill.

Thanks,
Scott

p.s. Saw a new SG SL board for sale at the rental shop. That's a good sign. Thanks again.

[roman]

if you wanna meet with some other alpine riders move to sölden. there are always a bunch of them. in full season (like now) i would go up to the glaciers, rettenbach is the worlcup slope :biggthump

[groovastic]

Soelden is a must, and Ischgl is very good too!

[Menno]

Ditto Soelden.

I have been there a few weeks ago, and it's THE hardbooters walhalla.
Go to RIML sportshop in the main street, and you can actually RENT Virus boards. I had a Tantalus, but they also have Lightning (easier) and Gladiator (more highend) boards. For very reasonable rental fee.

Regarding slopes in Soelden, my favorites were on the Gaislachkogl side (left side when looking up the mountain). This side of the mountain is much much quieter, lots of room on the slopes.
My favorite slopes were:
-Slope 1 (Gaislachkogl) is a bit like the EC slope in Zinal.
-Slope 10 long long wide quiet red slope between the trees, lovely when sight conditions are less than optimal
-Slope 25 (Schwarzkogl)
-Slope 38 to the extreme left (Tiefenbach glacier).

Tiefenbach glacier - piste must be 300 metres wide
http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/1384/dsc06084yl5.jpg

Schwarzkogl
http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/2862/bild069kv0.jpg

[GeoffV]

We are here. Would appreciate any input on where to ride, what to see, where to eat, etc. This city is awesome, yet to get on the hill.

Thanks,
Scott

p.s. Saw a new SG SL board for sale at the rental shop. That's a good sign. Thanks again.

You NEED to order Germknödel at the skilodge. It's a warm dumpling with plum filling and vanilla souce over it. It's to die for.
Oh and for beer go with a Stiegl Pilsner, good stuff.

[fluke]

Axamer Lizum is the ski resort right around the corner from Innsbruck. If you don't have a car at your disposal, there is a free ski bus from the city. It's not a huge resort, but worth trying for a day. Check out the Olympic Run (3.1 km) - it's nice for some carves. (The XII. Olympic Winter Games were held in Innsbruck 1976).

http://www.bergfex.com/axamer-lizum/

And yes: make sure you try those Germknödel that are served at most ski lodges. Delicious! Also try Käsespätzle/Kasspatzn (boiled small lumps of dough made from flour and eggs scalloped with cheese and onion).

Enjoy your trip!

fluke

[Menno]

Yes, Axamer Lizum is as close as you can get from Innsbruck.

But also one of those rare areas, that is CONSISTENTLY rated very low by visitors. Mostly because of extremely bad slope maintenance, antique lifts and a bad cost-quality-relationship.

For instance read this report. It's in German, but there's always translation machines that can help you.
http://www.alpinforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=29966

The visitor rating is 3 stars out of six. If you scan alpinforum for other visit reports, you will notice that a rating lower than 4 is very very rare.

And ditto the Germknoedel: don't leave Austria without trying one, especially with vanilla sauce and mohn.
http://www.marions-kochbuch.de/rezept/1361.htm

[patmoore]

We are here. Would appreciate any input on where to ride, what to see, where to eat, etc. This city is awesome, yet to get on the hill.

Thanks,
Scott

p.s. Saw a new SG SL board for sale at the rental shop. That's a good sign. Thanks again.

I can't pass on any pearls of wisdom, Scott. I just want to tell you that I'm insanely jealous!!!!

Have fun - I'll see you in Steamboat.

[smaynard]

:eplus2:Thanks for all the tips.

Just got back from our first day at Axamer Lizum. A little on the small side but well laid out for carving, blue bird day and fantastic scenery. Couldn't ask for much more. I'll look into Soelden, but i don't think the pass we got is good there. We head to St. Anton tomorrow.

Thanks again,
Scott

p.s Pat, Thanks for the warm up Friday. Moved up to 2nd in my age group with that 3 handicap. Had a blast!

[Menno]

Hey Scott,

You already got a pass that is valid for several resorts?
If so, list them here and I'll give you advice on the spot.

I've been to St Anton too, and (again) for carving there are better resorts in Tyrol. For instance Hintertux.

[smaynard]

Pass is valid at:

St Anton - done
Kitzbuhl - done
Axamer lizum - done
Glungezer
Patscherkofel
Stubaier gletscher
Schlick 2000
Muttereralm
Kuhtai - done
Rangger kopfl

St. Anton was good. Felt like I was riding cat tracks all day, but it was fun.

Thanks again for any advice.

[Menno]

Pass is valid at:

St Anton - done
Kitzbuhl
Axamer lizum - done
Glungezer
Patscherkofel
Stubaier gletscher
Schlick 2000
Muttereralm
Kuhtai
Rangger kopfl

St. Anton was good. Felt like I was riding cat tracks all day, but it was fun.

Thanks again for any advice.

When I was at St Anton I was extremely disappointed.
The area has an enormous reputation; my experiences were different.
Low frequency and quality of slope maintenance.

from the areas on your pass, I would recommend to do the following:
1) Stubai
2) Kuhtai

And still, you cannot afford to miss Solden.
Even if you have to buy an extra day pass.

[Bence]

Did you try the Rendl side of St. Anton? There are some sweet wide runs there.

[Menno]

Did you try the Rendl side of St. Anton? There are some sweet wide runs there.

Hi Bence,

When I was there, I did not know this forum yet.
I went to all parts of the Arlberg area, except... Rendl.

Speaking of which: news is that the Arlberg area is going to be connected to Kappl (Paznauntal) via Rendl (somewhere between 2010 and 2013).
http://ski.inmontanis.info/d/88531-1/ge_kappl-anton.jpg

[0815-fahrer]

Scott, untill when are you there?

I will be in Sölden from 12th till 15th......

We could meet up there and I show you the best slopes there and how to tactically avoid the crowds:biggthump

[boardbabe98]

Stubai is great but pretty far from Innsbruck (for European understandings). Hintertux is a great option, I train there with my team and have seen the Austian National Team a lot over there. Great diversity of slopes. It's not the most amazing village but all the resorts in the neighbourbood make up for that.

[smaynard]

Hi all,

We rode Kitzbuhl yesterday and Kuhtai today. Kitzbuhl was awesome. It had the size of St. Anton with more vert. We had blue bird skies and awesome riding conditions. Kuhtai was a bit smaller, and the flat light kept us a bit tentative, but the mountain was well groomed and very well laid out.

We have one more day of riding tomorrow and are thinking of riding Solden based on the advice here. Hintertux sounds very interesting though. I would love to get a few gates in with the Austrian National team...

Thanks again all of you for all your help. We have felt very welcomed while we have been here, and our trip has been much fun.

[Menno]

When you choose between Solden and Hintertux, choose Solden.
And make sure you don't stay on Giggi side (like the majority) but also do the Gasilach side. Especially slopes nrs 1, 4 and 10.

[0815-fahrer]

@Menno, maybe we should hook up somedays??

I will be there next WE (Sölden)

[Menno]

Hey Eric,

Yes would like to do that but winterseason is over already for me...
Only once per season. But it was a good one ;)

I have other sports that eat a lot of money too - most importantly speedsurfing

[Transistor Rhythm]

I'll be going to Axamer Lizum in a few weeks for a weekend with my colleages. There are a few olympic runs (slalom women's / men's, GS, etcetera), which ones are the best? I'm still an intermediate carver and I need wider slopes so I can prepare for the next turn instead of being forced into the next turn immediately or breaking because of the trees :eek:

People that go to Soelden should be aware that during the season the glaciers are sometimes not open because of extreme weather, but maybe Gaislachkogl is even better for carving. Nice wide open blue runs on the Tiefenbach though. If you can't carve those, you're better off selling your equipment and try some langlaufing :biggthump

Menno -> Are you the same Dutch guy that gave me the advice as on EC board? You are right about the Gaislach side, but you forgot to mention the beautiful red 5 and black 7 slopes too, especially the 7 was like the first time sex: too short and you want to do it immediately again :o

0815-fahrer -> Are you dutch too? I know your name from reading the FB board and I was always wondering.

[Menno]

Menno -> Are you the same Dutch guy that gave me the advice as on EC board? You are right about the Gaislach side, but you forgot to mention the beautiful red 5 and black 7 slopes too, especially the 7 was like the first time sex: too short and you want to do it immediately again :o


Could be yes, I also visit the EC forum. and I'm dutch.

Slopes 7 and 9, did the red one every day, and the black one a few times too.
We stayed in a B&B in "See" which is a small hamlet just above Soelden, in between the valley descends to Giggi and Gaislach.
In the afternoon, when taking the 7, and then going left at "'s Pfandl" restaurant, I could descend all the way to the B&B (50 metres walking).

I liked slope 10 better; but that's personal taste.
IMO the best slope in all Soelden is slope 1, especially the part from where slope 4 joins. Wide, perfect constant pitch, good firm snow, quiet.

[Transistor Rhythm]

I don't like the first part of 1, and it was very cold up there most of the time. But indeed the wide red ones after that part :1luvu:

[Menno]

I don't like the first part of 1, and it was very cold up there most of the time. But indeed the wide red ones after that part :1luvu:


Yes. The narrow path on the first 200 metres sucks.
But after that it's orgastic:lol: