Tag Archive for 'innsbruck'

Austria needs a dose of Klammer 1976 re-runs to heel the pain - at least few saw the calamity live

Without a single medal from the 2010 Vancouver Olympics the Austrian men’s alpine team would do well to avoid the spot-light for several years after they became the first Austrian men’s alpine team to miss out on a single medal at a modern winter Olympics. Equivalents are hard to come by but not having a [...]

Family skiing in Lizum

Whilst my 9 month old son Josh still isn’t walking there is justification for not introducing him just yet to skiing. May 3rd will be his first birthday and that should also be the time when Josh leaves mere infanthood and enters a whole new world. Today we were up at Axamer Lizum in Innsbruck [...]

Spring skiing in Innsbruck - for now at least

In a world of weather upheavals it has been unusually late (over recent years) for the arrival of warmer spring weather in Innsbruck. This winter might not have matched the bumper snowfall of last year, so far at least and based on anecdotal evidence but it has been consistently cold over here for many months [...]

Lots of people but lots of snow as well

After a few days of moderate to heavy snow the skies cleared yesterday and today whilst the valleys around Innsbruck had hazy sunshine the skiing above Innsbruck was superb with fresh powder and blue skies. Full car parks and many people on the slopes and for those on them the conditions are superb - the [...]

I can’t snowboard but if I could it would have to be on a Burton

Just back from the Burton European HQ in Innsbruck where I picked up a snowboard for a project we are heavily working on right now. I called into their store on the weekend and by the today had a complementary snowboard after they had heard our ideas. From the shop staff to the Europe product [...]

Stunning Stubai - Neustift and Fulpmes-Schlick

Today was one right out of the blue - the forecasts were not good and high winds were expected but as the morning wore on it was clear there were some great conditions in the mountains. None more so than in the Stubai Valley - famed for the Stubai Glacier but also offering some other [...]

Sunny, cold and powder snow in Kuhtai

After the recent days of low clouds and snow here in the Tirol the skies cleared today to give a top ski day. There was powder skiing in Kuhtai, south of Innsbruck and the frigid temperatures at 2000m+ were sufficient to keep the snow in great condition. Plenty of families were on the slopes today [...]

Cold with a cold in Austria

The last week has been a tough one with cold as well a virus whish is running wild in Innsbruck knocking me flat for a few days. So much so that my only adventures on the snow have been on a rodel (toboggan) in the last week. Plenty on new snow over the last few [...]

Sunny, cold and windy in Igls and snow clouds rolling in

I had a family ski day in Igls today with our eight month old Josh and friends and their child who was born at the same time. Igls really drew in the crowds today, the car park was packed as were the lower slopes. The newly redeveloped base-station has certainly focused local’s minds, there were [...]

More snow but not tanning weather

Fresh snow over the last couple of days has fallen around Innsbruck with snow remaining down in Innsbruck itself. Conditions on the local mountains are misty and cold whilst the new snow has offered a little powder skiing in the mountains south of Innsbruck but not the depths of December. The cold weather is set [...]

Finally the forecast delivers

After days of waiting for new snow in Innsbruck it arrived overnight. For the last week the weather forecasts have predicted snow in the Innsbruck ski region. Whilst there has been snow in every valley both north and south of Innsbruck, my local hill, Axamer Lizum has relied on the great snow that arrived before [...]

Bar extensions and new snow - a great end to 2009

The year ending ski today brought heavy snowfall and the revelation that the Birgitzköpflhaus, the watering hole at the top of my favourite ski piste back to my house has had an extension. The awning / après ski conservatory / extension is a great addition to the existing Birgitzköpflhaus and something that took me by [...]

Rail Wars - first head to head rail battle in Neustift

On Monday evening the first head to head rail battle in Neustift took place. Neustift  looked really great - all the snow, rails and of course bars in the middle of Neustifts centre. It was very atmospheric. 20 snowboarders and 20 skiers had to proove their ability in three runs and 6 of each group [...]

Schnapps, fireworks and the waltz - New Year in Austria

The skiing across Austria should be generally good over New Year, this year despite the usual crowds. There is a strong Fohn blowing that is set to break over the next 24 hours and as always this will mean a downpour in the Austrian Tirol, with snow down to Innsbruck over the coming days. For [...]

Bitter cold set to make way for cold and snow

The frigid conditions across Austria are set to moderate over the coming days and usher in more snow. The temperatures of last week that approached -30c in many ski areas are set to moderate and be accompanied by further snow falls. Today I was on skis for the first time in a while and the [...]