Incredible snow in Innsbruck

3 days of heavy snow - image © www.skiingaustria.co.uk

Before long there are going to be calls to ‘change the record’. But whilst this autumn continues to amaze with its snow fall the message will be the same - October 2010 is the best I can ever remember. The snow just keeps falling and today in Axamer Lizum above Innsbruck the conditions were sensational - there was well over 50cm of powder on the slopes. No lifts were running but the mountain was packed with ski tourers, with the car park half full. For those up there it was possibly the day of the season away from the glaciers. See the video snow report to judge the snow there, Axamer Lizum really could be open by now:

Dumping with snow right now in St Anton, Gerlos and everywhere in-between

First an email yesterday evening from a friend in St Anton saying it was dumping with snow, then another from Gerlos today with 40cm of snow in the resort this morning and a trip down to Innsbruck to see snow all over the city - this latest weather system is going make many ski holiday resorts ready to go. The snow has been falling all day somewhere between moderate and heavy and certainly without let-up. The smaller ski areas are likely to be looking to bring forward their opening dates, the larger areas are less flexible. For those able to visit a ski area this week then aim for Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday on any of the glacier over here - conditions could be spectacular. And if you are a touring skier then head to the Arlberg, see only other tourers and get some incredible powder skiing. 6 days left of October 2010, how much more can it deliver?

Epic conditions in Axamer Lizum, Innsbruck and its still only 21st October

Epic snow in Axamer Lizum, 21st October 2010 - image © www.skiingaustria.co.uk

The lifts weren’t running but they have to start very soon, the conditions in Axamer Lizum, Innsbruck, Austria today were sensational and it is still only the 21st October. The glacier skiing so far this autumn has been the best for very many years but now the traditional non-glacier resorts are in on the act and today at the base-station at Axamer Lizum there were many ski tourers unloading their gear and making their way up to a sun drenched cold and powdery peak. Several days of snow have given way to clear skies and but for the stationary ski lifts the resort was not dissimilar to early December. Luckily Axamer Lizum is one of the resorts over here with a more flexible season start and I really can see the resort opening at the start of November, whilst feasibly it could open right now. The ski tourers up there today will be hoping it stays shut for many more weeks - they had a powder bonanza all to themselves.

Fearless has a new meaning

Just stopped off in Natters, Innsbruck to see the local ski jumping training hill in action. For the last few weeks I have seen skis on car roofs (that were longer than the vehicle) heading to Natters each Wednesday. Today I saw why - tiny kids leaping through the air in ski jump training camp. I always asked locals here how ski jumpers evolved - how they got to sit at the top of very steep in-runs of no return. The answer was always - ‘get them young’. That seemed to be borne out today with kids of maybe 5 years old flying though the air, oblivious it appeared to the dangers. It was absolutely incredible to see them chatting away at the top of their jumps and maybe more so in the stopping area that consisted of an incline of shredded bark:) Great stuff and absolute legends, everyone one of them!

Never been so excited as now

It gets me every single autumn, that feeling of the cold air coming in and the anticipation of the rock strewn peaks getting buried under snow for the winter. Over here in Innsbruck we have a cold front approaching with snow forecast down to 1000m and set to continue into next week. This should be the start of winter for real although half a metre of powder at the end of August could have been the start of winter or the continuation of not the greatest summer to ever hit Austria. The dark clouds were rolling in early evening - evidence that the weather forecasters had got it right. So far nothing has fallen but there is an electricity in the air for sure - whether it is in the air or the mind of the beholder who cares - we are on the cusp of another winter and for that I am truly excited.

The Arlberg opening 26th November 2010 - why so late?

Most have heard of the Arlberg, fewer my local hill Axamer Lizum. And whilst Axamer Lizum has a loyal following amongst Innsbruck locals who know its off-piste secrets it can’t really claim to have the international appeal of St Anton, St Christoph, Stuben or Lech - Zurs. One thing Axamer Lizum outdoes the Arlberg for is season opening date. Axamer Lizum often opens at the beginning of November and no matter what the early November snow is doing the Arlberg stays firmly shut. I recall being in St Anton 2 winters ago and seeing the best part of a metre of fresh snow (on a pretty solid base) the second week in November and their wasn’t a moving chair in sight. In fact the only things to be moving were the ski touring locals who cut through incredible depths of snow with beaming smiles. Apart from the lucky and no doubt protective locals there were a great deal of people missing out on a lot of pristine snow. So small is sometimes better? Mobilising the local lift crew at Axamer Lizum (no insult intended) means trawling a few of the local watering holes and distributing a jacket, pants and a start time. Rather different for the Arlberg for sure, with hundreds of staff required to get the lifts rolling and a major marketing campaign in place many months before to get people into the Arlberg resorts. And for most of the French resort a November opening is unheard of in any case. So where would I rather be skiing mid-November - Axamer Lizum for sure! The end of November is a different story though

Countdown to snow

The first snows of the season arrived over the last week in Innsbruck but milder weather and sunny days soon saw off the dusting. The Pleisen as Axamer Lizum is pictured as seen from the valley. The glaciers of the Tirol are awaiting the first sizeable snowfall before opening. The weather is set to be sunny and around average temperatures for the time of year, with no snow on the forecast.

First snow of the season at Axamer Lizum - image © www.skiingaustria.co.uk

Snow down to around 1100m in Innsbruck

Most of the lifts may have now stopped here in Innsbruck but the glaciers are in superb shape and powder skiing is on offer to anyone up on a local glacier over the next few days. Ski tourers can still be found on the local peaks but the Stubai Glacier, Pitztal Glacier, Hintertux Glacier or Solden will be offering the best conditions and an operational lift system. The weather is set to remain cool and wet over the next couple of days. All is pretty irrelevant for me, my wife is a week overdue with our first child so I will be as close to skiing the glaciers here as many blog readers 

Easter ski holidays in Innsbruck and the Tirol

My view this morning, Mutters / Gotzens ski area in the background and far right Axamer Lizum – image © skiingaustria.co.uk

For those looking to escape to the snow over the Easter period, conditions should be sensationally good. I was in the Vorarlberg ski holiday resort of Stuben am Arlberg yesterday and the trip back to Innsbruck through St Christoph was pretty sketchy with lots of snow coming down. This morning saw a good snow accumulation in Gotzens, one of the ski holiday resort resorts in the Innsbruck ski region. Milder and sunny weather is forecast for the coming days, whilst the skiing is about as good as you could imagine for the very end of March.

Axamer Lizum – Schlick 2000 ski link a step closer

From www.ineedsnow.com/blog

Axamer Lizum – Schlick 2000 ski link a step closer

March 24th, 2009 by mat

Following a council meeting in the Stubai village of Telfes yesterday evening, a majority of the votes are now in favour of proceeding with ski lift connection between Axamer Lizum and Schlick 2000. The combined area would eventually bring together Mutters, Gotzens, Axamer Lizum and Schlick 2000 and complete the biggest ski region in the Innsbruck region. According to locals the project to link the Axamer Lizum and Schlick 2000 ski areas has been under discussion 20 years and deep divisions have existed between the towns of the Stubai valley as to whether to link into the Axamer Lizum ski region. The vote paves the way toward the start of the consultation and financing of the project.

via Ineedsnow ski holidays blog.

Avalanche level 4 in Tirol with fresh spring snow

The latest snow fall to hit Tirol and the Innsbruck region over the last few days has given way to warmer and clearer spring conditions but with it the avalanche risk for the region is generalised as a 4, meaning extreme risk of avalanches across the Innsbruck region. Much of the off-piste today in Axamer Lizum, Innsbruck was tracked out but that did not stop some taking some very risky lines near to recently formed avalanches. The coming days are set to see further mild spring weather and intermittent snow showers and a continued high avalanche risk. For those skiing on the piste then conditions are really outstanding at the moment with a huge snow base across the Tirol region.

UK Chancellor Alistair Darling at Fasching in Innsbruck?

Whilst waiting for a ski bus today I came across the visiting UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, minding his business and enjoying the festivities that Fasching in Innsbruck offers with a close friend. The facial hair was a dead give-away. He skipped the day skiing to partake in the local festival – a poor choice since the recent days of snow meant conditions were excellent.

Alistair Darling over to test the € - image © skiingaustria.co.uk

Huge powder weekend in Innsbruck

Great powder skiing both north and south of Innsbruck - image © skiingaustria.co.uk

With intermittent snow during the whole of last week, conditions cleared over the weekend and there was outstanding powder skiing in the Innsbruck ski region. I did not ski Nordpark but my friend weatherman Flo did and he reported late Friday afternoon that there were banks of snow chest deep beneath the Seegrube. One downside was the high avalanche danger that meant the top section around the Hafelekar was closed. This section offers the best steep skiing in the region and on powder days it is a crazy fight to get on the cable car – not so over the weekend though as the best that was available were views from afar. The smart skiers and boarders were over at Axamer Lizum though and whilst the northern mountains certainly got the best of the recent snow falls, Axamer Lizum still boasted over 30cm of new snow and offered superb powder skiing all weekend. There was also the small matter of the opening of the Skigloo retreat that we have built deep in the woods of Axamer Lizum. The Skigloo is an igloo built by hand and is a wonderful retreat for skiers and boarders to enjoy the superb surroundings after a day on the mountains. Festivities lasted into well after dark and there are several sore heads in the Innsbruck valley today.

The Skigloo retreat high above Innsbruck – image © skiingaustria.co.uk

Fasching in Austria – schnaps, cross dressing and doughnuts

Well the famous Fasching carnival is upon us here in Austria – a time of great excess and celebration before lent begins. In the run up to Fasching there is a weekly build up to the Fasching carnival in the ski holiday resort of Gotzens located above Innsbruck, with groups of themed revellers wandering between the bars in the promise of free drink from the bar owners. The costume themes can pretty much include anything whilst the groups are accompanied by musicians. Dancing is obligatory when the Fasching group calls you up. Very, very bizarre but great fun.

Snow returns to Innsbruck – ideal timing for half term, but avalanche conditions are high

After a light covering of snow over the weekend, the Innsbruck area and Tirol will see persistent snow right through till next weekend. Not great for the sun tan but ideal for the half term break that is approaching. Temperatures are set to fall as the week progresses with snow forecast all the way down to Innsbruck. It has also been a weekend of avalanches in Tirol and my local hill Axamer Lizum saw a back-country avalanche that caught several ski tourers. Fortunately those that were buried were visible and were rescued. Avalanche levels are currently 3 across the Innsbruck region, with critical conditions locally across the region.