 Poster: A snowHead
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Almost everything at Ski Juwel, SkiWelt and Kitzbuel closed all day today. Just a couple of village lifts open in each of these areas.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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The weather had cleared by this morning, so we took the opportunity to go and test the new snow, but it was not the powder day I had hoped for. The snow line is very high, and I'd heard that we needed to get above 2000m for decent snow, so around here that mostly limits us to Stubai and Kühtai. The Paznauntal areas are also high, and likely had more snow, but the top lifts at Kappl were still not open this morning, so it was too far to drive to risk only having limited options. Stubai had a notice up that they were only opening a couple of lifts from midday, so we headed to Kühtai which had about 3 main lifts running first thing, and pretty much all of them by the time we arrived.
The wind may have dropped significantly from the last couple of days, but it was still incredibly windy up there, to the point that it was sometimes hard to stay upright. The chair lifts were running very slowly because the gusts were incredible, and the bubble seemed to be a bit stop-start, so we didn't risk that in case we got stuck on it. There has clearly been a lot of fresh snow, but I have never seen the wind compaction so strong. The pistes were very firm, but the snow was good. Off-piste was mostly rock-hard due to wind compaction, though it was better in the trees where it was more sheltered. The problem was that by this point the altitude was only about 2200m, so the snow was damp and heavy, like skiing wet concrete! The temperature in the car park at 2000m was 5C 
The weather forecast promised a sunny day, but by about 1pm it had clouded over with very dark clouds. Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny again, but I'll be looking out of the window before I believe that.
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@Scarlet, yes, I found that at See this morning. Great piste conditions top to bottom there to be fair, but I was away by 1.30pm and back to Ischgl.
Lots of wind blown snow off piste (in See), some nice bits between 2000m and 2450m, best around 2300m out of the wind (on the Versing lift side)
Over the other side by the Rossmoos chair that was wind scoured so not really anything to ski that didn’t feel like piste skiing. Very very windy up there.
Ischgl was very soft on the home run 1/1A, nice moguls but on the bit back to the Pardatschgratbahn that was a bit like skiing in spring, needs to get colder again really.
Lots of evidence of wind in Ischgl, snow looked like creme fondant and lots of sastrugi.
Will go up again first thing tomorrow and look then as I need to go to Alp Bella for chicken anyway.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@clarky999, glad you’re feeling better…..almost.
I’ve only had it once, which lasted a day on the test result! I did feel wiped out for a couple of days though and really tired.
Nothing since!
Amazing you’ve had it 5 times.
Yes it was very warm yesterday, +12C at 2300m in Ischgl yesterday!
Haven’t gone out today yet, just woke up.
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Is anyone near Ellmau at the moment? Heading there on Sunday and hoping that all the snow won't have melted by then!!
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@munchimo, It’s forecast to get colder again from Wednesday onwards so I wouldn’t worry
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@munchimo, there’s plenty of base down already so a few days of warmer temperatures won’t hurt.
https://going.panomax.com/astberg
Webcam in Going nearby shows there’s plenty
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Here in Kitz fantastic skiing today especially after yesterdays escapades
It was decidedly colder which helped
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@jafa, did you have a warm day yesterday with lots of moguls and soft snow? It felt like end of March didn’t it not Christmas Day!
Today was quite chilly in Ischgl actually, I was wishing I had my Polar Buff on instead of one of the thin ones.
Did the pit zips up on jacket too!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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For those that will be heading out soon and hoping to go off piste when the next snowfall comes, be careful.
Over the last few days I have seen astonishing numbers of historic full depth slides and the gaping ‘glide cracks’ which are full depth also. These cracks are on slopes which are not actually very steep at all mind.
When the next snow comes it may not completely cover these cracks (and form weak snow bridges) and also the cracks are signs of an unstable layer underneath from this week.
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@VolklAttivaS5,
Yes moguls everywhere, today was just so different
We went over on the 3S and skiied Pass Thurn wonderful snow
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You know it makes sense.
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This afternoon the snow was much firmer than it has been with quite a cool wind blowing and just crisping the top layer. A little colder tonight too so that should help piste conditions.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Thanks everyone!
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Poster: A snowHead
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@VolklAttivaS5, how wide are the glide cracks?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Mother hucker, hard to say exactly from a distance but they vary from just being visible to opening up (so maybe 30cm?) to 2m wide?
Really difficult to say from a distance but they are certainly visible when skiing around and in the gondola if that helps.
Big enough to fall in with a little bit of snow over the top anyway! That would be my concern really. Falling in as if it was a crevasse.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Haven't had time to ski this week, but a little update anyway:
We got back to Innsbruck on the 31st, and woke up to some fresh snow on Nordkette:
Since then it's mostly been pretty warm, and we've mostly been hiking (a surprisingly good workout with the little guy on my back, as he keeps getting heavier haha). Got out for a bike ride on Wednesday too - kinda weird, Nordkette has 196cm of snow at the mid-station (1900m) but the trails from ~1000m had perfect hero dirt:
Interestingly there had been a decent-sized avalanche running past the start of the train too. This slide path is known as the Arzler Alm Avalanche Path (after the Arzler Alm hut), and is one of the largest on Nordkette (it ripped HUGE in Jan 2019 in the last big snow year). The avalanche 'braking mounds' you see here were first built in 1935 and are some of - or the - first avalanche defence structures ever built. This slide path has reached the houses below in Mühlau (outskirts of Innsbruck) several times - I think last in the '60s.
Right over the foot path - this is why you respect the hiking path closures on Nordkette, even low down, when the avalanche commission call them!
You can see how the so-called braking mounds deflect and slow the flow:
Here you can see the Bergisel Ski Jump - the famous Four Hills Tournament was taking place there when I took the photo:
But don't worry: despite the warmth and a couple of overnight rainfalls in the city, the skiing should have been pretty decent lately too. A friend said yesterday was pretty deep powder at Stubbier Glacier, for example.
Right now the weather is changing again too, and snow is on the way over the weekend. Not mad amounts, but we could get ~30cms locally and maybe up to 50cms in eg the Arlberg and Hochfügen.
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I was up at Stubai on Monday – the snow was really nice on piste, and about 10-15cm fresh off to the sides. It wasn't particularly busy either – still plenty left to go at by the end of the day. However, if you're not a confident skier, avoid the home run at the moment. It could do with a fair bit more snow to fill the holes in at the middle section, and there was someone being collected about 2/3 of the way down. The rest of it was fine.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I was at Skiwelt yesterday and not good below 1200m, piles of artificial snow amongst green fields with a few bits of grass/mud sticking through. Above that pistes were OK, bashed powder on a hard base but the off piste was gone, besides kids doing jumps at the side of the piste did not see a single person even trying. Needs a lot more snow. The lower slopes of the nearby areas Kirchberg, St Johann etc were clearly thin to (mostly) green fields.
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I'll be in Obergurgl/Hochgurgl from Sunday for a week. If anyone is around and up for some off-piste let me know. Happy to share the cost of a guide, ski some easy
off-piste or do short tours.
Alternatively, any tips on easily accessible sub 30 degree off-piste gratefully received!
Thanks. Chris
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It's been snowing steadily all day and still going, so should be pretty good tomorrow, although probably not great vis. I've been at home doing chores (apart from a short spin down the motorway until we remembered it was a Feiertag and all the shops were shut  ) so no first-hand experience to report. Is anyone skiing in the area tomorrow (Sunday) who doesn't mind meeting up?
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@Scarlet, I skied an hour or so of first lift at Gerlosstein this morning, and it was so much fun. I reckon in the region of 20cm+ on piste, bit deeper in steeper sections. With a bit of speed it splashing up to knee/thigh level. 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Scarlet, sorry only just saw that, but I only had two hours free anyway!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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@clarky999, No worries. Mr I'm-not-feeling-very-well drank a can of MTFU on Sunday morning when he saw how much it had snowed, so we went up to Axamer Lizum anyway, and then I bumped into another buddy in the lift station on arrival so it all worked out  Vis was pretty bad all day though, but got worse after (late) lunch so we called it a day then before someone hurt themselves.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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One for those with the local knowledge.
Any of the slopes localish to Innsbruck with night skiing on a Wednesday night? From what I can see from Google it appears not to be the case?
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Scarlet, thank you. Any thoughts on what's better of the two? Much of a muchness time wise from the Zillertal to get to. Slightly further to Kühtai but not a lot, or a small toll to get to Steinach.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@swskier, personal choice, I think. Kühtai does have some “proper après” bars, or at least it used to, if you fancy some terrible music with your Radler. Not sure if that also applies to Bergeralm.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Scarlet, Thanks again. The fact Kühtai starts at 7 helps me getting home from work and then driving over. No après required as I'll be on my own, but good to know for future reference!
Will report back!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@swskier, PS. you can avoid the toll by coming off at Innsbruck Süd and taking the village road (straight on at the roundabout), but the first half is quite winding and will take longer than the motorway. Or on the other side of the valley you can go through Patsch, though this road is single lane in parts and visits every farm on the way through!
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Back now from Kühtai.
Nice couple of hours skiing, but I'm not sure I'd bother again. It's nearly 1.5hrs from the Zillertal, and to be honest only the top half of the slope as far as the Kaiser-Maximilian-Hütte was in decent condition. Below that was lots of chunks of ice, and patches of powdery fake snow and then patches of scrapped hardpack base.
If I lived closer I'd probably go again, but it's not really worth the trip from here.
Also, turns out night skiing isn't included with the Tirol Snowcard so I had to pay as well, €22.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Bummer, I didn’t know that either. It is included with the Freizeit ticket, but that’s not much use in Zillertal 
I have been once before, and the snow was in nice condition all the way down, but I guess it varies. I can’t really be bothered though tbh, it’s still 40min drive even if it’s free.
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I got paid for night skiing today and a free Schnitzel and beer I found out yesterday I had to take part in the new valley ski show with all of the ski schools represented.
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@Chris_n, is there night skiing for the punters round your way?
@Scarlet, it's a shame Patscherkofel or Glungezer don't have night skiing (except touring) as i'd be more inclined to go there as they're much closer, assuming they're included in the Snowcard
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@swskier, Patscherkofel does I think. It's listed on the link above anyway. I can see the lights on from my house!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Scarlet, good point, and it also shows on their pass prices, but there's no mention though of what time on their website which is odd. I've often seen the lights on there though will driving to Innsbruck.
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@swskier, Hmm. It says “Night skiing – Heiligwasser Lift” which is the bunny lift at the bottom. Maybe they don't run the main lift? It does say “Evening skiing every Tue and Thu until 8.30 pm.” I would call them and ask.
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FAQ
)can keep this thread going 
