Ineedsnow ski holidays blog » Tirol

Cuche rules for Switzerland at the Kitzbuhel Hahnenkamm, Austria

mat — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 20:51:20 +0000

The misery continues for the Austrian men’s downhill racers as Swiss star Didier Cuche took the win at the 71st Hochkrimml men’s downhill race today. What might sooth the local’s was the weather with cold conditions, sun and plenty of fresh snow across the region. You can see the latest snow report from the slopes of the Kitzbuhel Hahnenkamm today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc9Gspc2QRw

Pitztal Glacier today – very, very good

mat — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 21:52:52 +0000

Fresh overnight snow on the Pitztal Glacier - image © www.ineedsnow.com

So overnight snow on the Pitztal Glacier combined with sunny weather and a cold wind to give superb ski and snowboard conditions. I wasn’t the only one to head to the Pitztal Glacier but there were far fewer skiers than on the weekends and the wide slopes allowed you to feel pretty. Take a look at the video snow report and some ski action from today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POII6p2EpRU

Ski touring in 50cm of powder, Innsbruck

mat — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 18:25:20 +0000

No lifts running meant that the half a metre plus of powder snow was devoured by the local tourers – not a moving lift in sight and also a national holiday in Austria meant this was a great day to be a touring skier. The car park at Axamer Lizum above Innsbruck was half full and there ski tourers were streaming up the mountain – the prize on offer was a drink and snack at the peak followed by some seriously deep powder snow. Yep they had a good day alright. Short video from the skiing today:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhX35ZVZvG4

Stubai Zoo opening kicks off another Park season on the Stubai Glacier

mat — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 21:15:52 +0000

Air higher than the mountains - image © www.ineedsnow.com

The weekend saw the opening of the Stubai Glacier Park, the Stubai Zoo. The Stubai Zoo opening featured a huge Park display and competition as well as a snowboard village with all the leading players in the ski and snowboard freestyle market. For those looking for air then the great powder snow conditions were of little consequence – but for the record the snow conditions were outstanding with several days of snow prior to the weekend. You can see a video of the Stubai Zoo opening here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6f885_tHYI

Betterpark Hintertux Glacier opens

mat — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 22:01:11 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGCxu7_kfy0

What a weekend at the Hintertux Glacier with fresh snow last week and then the Betterpark opening festival on the Hintertux Glacier under the mighty Olperer peak. Locals and many from outside the region flocked to the opening weekend jam and festival on the Hintertux Glacier. Conditions on the Hintertux Glacier were great for those on the snow but less good for those over it toward the end of last week (it was snowing) but today the skies were clear offering excellent conditions. All the big names in snowboarding were at the festival including Burton. The Hintertux Glacier offers year-round skiing and snowboarding – check it out some time.

September powder heaven on the Stubai Glacier

mat — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 20:18:05 +0000

This September just gets better and better. I waded through over half a metre of new snow to get to the Stubai Glacier viewing platform to film the latest video snow report. The amount of snow that has fallen over the last few days was huge – I estimate that there was 50-70cm of new snow on the peak. Conditions on the slopes of the Stubai Glacier were as good as any time of the year and it is still September! More snow is forecast for the coming days – I am guessing October might start with pretty special conditions as well

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3fdLiWhpgI

The Stubai Glacier opens without me

mat — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 18:29:48 +0000

Just a few km’s down the road the Stubai Glacier opened yesterday without me – I am deep into an Msc thesis that needs submitting next week and despite the opening and the ‘moderate’ snow fall that the glacier is getting right now I have to remain focused and remember that the skiing here is going on until June next year. Focus, focus, focus…it isn’t working for me

A year since the launch of the www.ineedsnow.com blog and the winter 08/09 opening party

mat — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:12:22 +0000

What a year that was, it started with the chaotic and far from salubrious winter 08/09 opening party and reported on one of the very best winters in many years. The rest of the world was generally awful but the snow came and kept those lucky enough get some of it more sane than would have been. The season opened for us with a powder day at the start of October on the Stubai Glacier and closed with some great Spring skiing on the Hintertux Glacier. Injury free skiing for me for the first time in many winters and the skigloo were a couple of the highlights. And for the coming winter I have become a family skier with the arrival of Josh, so time to learn a whole new way of doing things. Looking forward to every second of it!

To swipe or to skin?

mat — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:37:22 +0000

One man’s spam is another man’s ham maybe, but how does this pan out when one of the best off-piste ski areas in the Alps gets an improved lift? What happens when an existing ski lift is replaced with a higher capacity lift or terrain previously only accessible on touring skis receives a new lift? A couple of seasons ago my local ski hill in Innsbruck had 2 new gondolas installed. The Mutters and Gotzens ski areas had for several years existed as the preserve for ski tourers, the old lifts had been de-commissioned and the only way up was either on skins or via some routes out of Axamer Lizum. For several years I effectively skied a private ski piste, you would rarely see any other skier on a descent and just a couple making their way up on skins. The arrival of the new lifts brought mixed emotions. Snow cannons, piste markers and numerous piste users replaced the serenity of the area but whilst the negative aspects of this development were clear, the boost to the local area and the joy (yes genuine) at seeing others on the slopes to appreciate the superb terrain and views outweighed all other aspects for me. What must the locals of St Anton be currently thinking? For years the Rendl side of the St Anton ski region was underused and remained a locals’ hangout. For obvious reasons the lift company has invested heavily to increase the convenience and capacity of the lift accessing the Rendl ski region. Mixed emotions for sure with more competition for the famed Rendl powder routes. But St Anton locals, whatever they do are reliant on visitors and to make the visitor experience better can only benefit them and their standard of livings. And remember, at one point in time a lift didn’t exist, what would the previous users of the Rendl have thought when the lift pylons went up for the first time?

Iconic yellow Rendlbahn gondola in St Anton am Arlberg to be replaced

mat — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:14:50 +0000

Built in 1974 the Rendlbahn, St Anton am Arlberg has come to the end of its life and is being replaced by a new system that connects from the heart of St Anton. For 35 years the Rendlbahn has carried skiers and snowboarders to some of the best powder fields in the St Anton ski area. And whilst the iconic yellow cabins have formed a part of St Anton scenery over the decades the time has come to replace the lift.

Valley station 1312m
Top station     2030m
Vertical rise     718m
Route distance     2440m
Max capacity     1300 Persons/hour
Time        12 minutes

Vitally the capacity, speed and age have not kept up with the rest of the St Anton ski region, whilst the most impressive aspect of the new development is the location of the valley lift station of the Rendlbahn that will occupy what is currently the bus terminal in the centre of St Anton. Just as with the relocation of the St Anton train station from the centre of the resort to a location across the river, so the centre of St Anton is going to be shaken up with bus terminal being buried underground and the main lifts hubs of the Galzigbahn and Rendlbahn leaving from the centre of the resort. Work is due to start in June 2009 and should be completed for the start of the 2009/2010 winter.