Also I had heard a huge amount about this hotel and it was my prime reason for visiting this resort. I have been here 5 hours and I am impressed, very impressed. This was meant to be a reconciliation, try to get something important to me back on track, but alas life dont work that way very often. So I am paying for two and it's not cheap, but compared to some places I have been, the price for 1 is the best value I have ever had in any country for work or pleasure. Not gonna post a link based on 5 hours but this place is stunning. The accomodation is out of this world, I am typing this on an iMac provided for me in my living room!!
All the mod cons!
More about all that throughout the holiday. The skinny reads that although the snow is still sparce here 60% of lifts and slopes are open and conditions are good according the folk I have talked to. The masses of cannons are running and it's cold and snowing lightly right now.
Day 12 of 60. All of the high runs are open and all the low runs closed. Well they is usually one wee signpost indicating such, but that is being ignored by quite a few including me. They are perfectly good but I get the impression the resort is being half-arsed about it and trying to keep the volume down. Seems also that all of the 472 snow cannons are going throughout the resort. It's 11.13am and I'm having my late morning constitutional at the top of the Zwolferkogel before riding back to the village and the lift that takes me up to Schattberg West. First impressions are good and it's nice to be riding in the trees again after a summer of Chilean Andes and European Glaciers. There is something very special about Austria, although I can't put my finger on it.
So it's now 2.40pm and I forgot to stop for lunch so a mid afternoon libation is the order of the day before I head back to Saalbach from above Leogang. It's an absolute doddle to get around this place must have done 15 or more lifts, no pulls and no flats. I am hoping for a 50km+ day, it's very hard to tell but I have been going for it. Even the sun has come out to lend it's weight to the cause. Think I might SMS that ski instructor, this may be just the right time to try 2 planks.
About 400m too late, oh well....
4.42pm and I'm down, Tara is off for a makeover so I have some time to enjoy a beer before I head for a swim and sauna. Dinner is also greatly anticipated. Today was my 6th day on my new setup and the edges are completely gone and I mean right along the entire length of the sidecut. The bloke at the service centre was amazed when i told him it was factory tuned 6 ski days ago. I hope this is a consequence of the terrain early season and my natural ability to time every turn over a rock, rather than the quality of the board. Engelberg was rather tough on the old girl.
Fantastic light late on
So managed one end of the valley to the other, then on to Leogang and back halfway; to Saalbach. This Ski Circus business is great, add to that I have not had to queue once all day!!! The resort is quiet enough but that suits me down to the ground.
Not a soul about
Actually thinking about it, I have not once adjusted my boots all day, not broken for a bio-break and not stopped for food. I'll be really upset if I have not done 50km+
Well it's now nearly midnight and I have have an exquisite feed, a fatastic bottle of Austrian Merlot and my brain seems to be calming down to something that resembles an anxious teenager, believe me it's an improvement!!
Skiline reveals 52km and a few metres under 9600m of vertical (5th biggest recorded in resort this season), for the sake of 400 odd metres I would have walked back up the hill in the dark. I also don't believe the 52km, I think it's a good bit more, but that's what I will add to the stats as I have to guess others.
A Lovely Day
That all being said a great day and I have to say both hotel and resort are great, so is the fact I have a date for tomorrow!!
Day 13 of 60. Maybe the 13 is an omen, but the first half of today was awful on nothing other than a personal level. Little riding and much gut wrenching stress.
Veiws like this help the stress
The afternoon and evening were far better and I really went for it aggressively clocking 42km and 7500m of vertical. Met up with the instructor I had met on the train and spent the last part of the day trying to keep up with her, no easy task on tired legs. A few après ski sherberts and some lighthearted snowboarding vs. skiing banter ensued. Back to the hotel and refused a bottle of 12 year old Crianza as corked, this was quite a nerve racking experience as the waiter took a look at the colour, had a good whiff claiming so far so good. He then asked my permission to taste before screwing his nose up and exclaiming 'kaputt', phew!!! One of those things that has the potential to be very awkward and embarrasing.
Original Andy Warhole
Day 14 of 60. Snowboarding awfully this morning, tired legs and a hangover to boot. It is bitterly cold but the sun is out and the slopes quiet. I have figured out the reason I like Austria so much and it's the friendliness. Even though travelling alone I don't feel like it. The personal attention in the hotel is awesome. The staff at my newly established late morning bar are very pleasant, especially the very attractive blonde from Maria Alm. All in all I really like this resort, will definately come back here.
Empty slopes
Not gonna be a high mileage day today, I'm too tired on all counts. A cruising tour and some photography is the plan.
Austrian Peaks
1.39pm Well then, a few runs more and it's now a white-out!! That's the photography out the window. Think I'm gonna call it a day around 4pm and head back for a massage and a swim. Long way back from here mind, 6 lifts, so should keep the milage ticking. By the way, "Crime" by Irvine Welsh is one of the best books I have ever read. The last 30 pages make you frightened to continue reading. Highly recommended.
I almost forgot, I found what appears to be a rather large diamond earring earlier!! That might pay for a wee snowboarding trip sometime!!
So 6.45pm and I am just getting ready for dinner, fondue is on the menu this evening which should be good, everything else has been so far!! Then am out to explore Hinterglemms nightlife.
Ony 33km, but a short day.
Day 15 of 60. A late lie in this morning due to a late night of beer and bad music with my skiing friend, and not on the hill till 11am, however I still managed to shift 43km and over 7000m vertical. Actually snowboarding-wise it was the best day so far, nearly everything is open now or in the final stages of preperation and my ability seems to have picked up a little after yesterdays impersonation of a drunken Bambi.
Also I have acheived my first target of 15 days before Christmas day!! I have also decided to get an extra day at the end and ride on Saturday travelling back into the wee small hours on Sunday, which will take the tally to 18.
There are some great runs here, and the Red 6 at a length of 5km and 1000m of vertical is one of the most constantly challenging reds I have done. It runs down from Schattberg West to Hiterglemm and is truely a wonderful piste with lots of challanging camber and some very steep sections. Only the top half was open earlier in the week but now it's open to the village and I am seriously tempted to do it 10 times tomorrow as a training session. I still sometimes slip to switch when tired or on something steep, but now my linked turns and carving have improved so the challenge would be to run it 10 times in classic style without once slipping into old habits, unless warrented by some danger. Add to that the 50km and the magic 10,000m vertical it will gve me then I have quite some incentive.
Simply a lovely day
One thing that is worrying me is the edges on my board, 3 days after being serviced they are shot again. Will get it tuned in the morning and see how it goes for the remainder of the holiday.
Not a great deal more to say, other than than I had the most insanely large dinner last night. Tuesday is Fondue night and they go for it big time, I was eating for 90 minutes and came nowhere close to finishing the selection of beef, turkey, pork, spicey sausages, mushrooms, carrotts aubergines and cauliflower they provided for frying. The plate of french fries and massive jacket potato with 5 sauces didn't help either.
Day 16 of 60. On a mission, decided to abort plans to do Red 6 over and over and I'm currently about riding all the closed runs they are prepping for tomorrow or Saturday; the true season start. Just done Red 13 the World Championship Run which was hard cordorouy top to bottom (-17C up here today) and littered with piste bashers. Think I will have to wait for Saturday to get the Black Zwolferkogel Nordabfarht done mind still looks a little dicey. The one I really want to do before it's littered with beginners is the 7km Blue 2a & 2b from Schattberg Ost out to Vorderglemm, so heading that way now via Schattberg West andRed 6 ;-) it's meant to be a great run down with long tree lined sections. I have really taken to long Blues through the trees, I guess I will be skiing before long!!
So 11.45am and nearly at the top of Red 6 and excited as it's really a run on the edge of my skill. I mean I can get down most Black runs or difficult ski-routes but it's not always elegant. This one borders on Black in places not least the last section, but I can do it properly. Another late start today @ 10.20am but I have my excuses.
So far today:
Blue 18 @ 2km,
Red 17 (twice) @ 1.4km,
Blue 11 @ 4.5km,
Red 13 @ 3km,
Blue 11 @ 4.5km and about to do
Red 6 @ 5km.
21.8km in under 2 hours makes up for the long and much needed lie in this morning.
The piste map has distances on it, I want to see how accurate SkiLine is by keeping a record.
12.05pm and I'm down and back in the gondola. That is simply too much fun for one person to have, gonna have to do it again!! This time I'm gonna time it. If the piste map is correct at 5km I trust my Swiss watch enough to work out average speed. Outwardly I would just claim a passing interest, inwardly though I want it to be at least 30km/h.
This is a great resort, especially on the big runs, lots of gondolas, so I can write my blog till my heart is content whilst going uphill. Okay so here we go, goggles cleaned, chrono set, bindings tightened a notch..... let's see what happens.
12.25am and on the Gondola again after a well earned smoke. I can hardly contain myself: 5m45s which my GCSE maths tells me is a notch over 52km/h average!!! I have always been a quick rider using my bad habits but being able to do that without putting the board through 180 once makes me a very happy boy indeed. I neglected to have my edges done last night but I will tonight and give that another bash, maybe I can nudge 55km/h with a bit more grip. Blue 7 next down to Shattberg Ost and a well earned Gluhwein.
Okay, missed Schattberg Ost in the fog now at Silamalm having a strange mixture of Jagertee and Gluhwein?!?? Gonna try and scope if anyone is doing the long Blue 2 back to Vorderglemm.
So to keep the tally going:
Red 6 @ 5km - 5minutes 45 seconds :)
Blue 7 @ 1.5km
Blue 4 @ 1km
So, 1.24pm and on the Schattberg Express after riding the 1a which the board said is open but not a soul on it, not a single sole other than me. Wanted to do the Black 1 down to Saalbach but it I seriously roped off with many images of potential horror, so, I got on the lift at the middle station and headed for the top again. Gonna do the Blue 7's if I get lost I get lost.
Well that one ain't opening any time soon!! No markers, only cannons to guide you. My edges will need huge attention tonight. Howeve it was fun not knowing exactly where you are going. Biased back to Saalbach and an now in the Kohlmaisgipfelbahn heading fir the top and the long haul over to Leogang.
For the total;
Blue 2 @ 7km
Blue 18 @ 0.5km
So far 36.8km and it's 2.08pm. Off to just above Leogang and a beer at the Stockalm. It's all speedy reds and blues over this way, so should be fairly rapid. Need to back in Hinterglemm by 5.00pm for an I-health check up (?!?!) and a back and leg massage. Think I'll need it.
Blue 56 onto Red 59 @ 2.8km (approx)
Blue 66 onto Blue 65 @ 3.3km (approx)
Blue 62 @ 2.5km
Red 61 onto Blue 62 onto Red 62a onto Blue 64 @ 4km (approx) ooops!!
...... and again @ 4km (approx) ooops!!
Blue 62 @ 2.5km...... At last ;)
Red 81 onto Red 82 @ 1.6km
Blue 87 @ 1.5km
Blue 88 @ 2.0km
Beer!!!!!
Running at 62.5km so far 3.33pm gotta keep an eye on the time I am a long way away from home, will have to cancel my check up by the looks of it.
Right, wolfed a pint of Hefeweizen and back on the lifts, guess it's between 12km and 15km back to Saalbach, don't think I'll make Hinterglemm as the link is a vicious drag and I'm beat. Looks like I'll be touching 75km to 80km for the day and god knows how much vertical. SkiLine will tell me but I'm guessing I'll have killed the 10,000m mark easily. Cancelled the health check but not massage at 6.30pm, if I make it down in one piece I may cancel that and consolidate with some hefty après ski. Until Saalbach.
Not there yet, it's 4.23pm and I just had to negotiate access to the Schoenlietenbahn so I can get high enough to get back to Saalbach.
Red 87 @ 1.7km
Red 84 @ 0.9km
Blue 64 @ 3.5km
Blue 65 @ 3.3km
Blue 66 @ 3.0km
Blue 52 @ 4.5km
4.49pm - Après ski!!!
According the piste plan that's 79.4km.
Skiline records it as closer to 65km, but the 10,000m was achieved in some style, and I now don't believe SkiLine on distance, as they can not possibly know what riutes you take when there is a choice. Not gonna ammend every day accordingly but keeping my own running tally here.
Gotta run.
Day 16, Captain's Blog Supplemental, Bardate 9.35pm. Well my blog was posted in a hurry earlier as I a had an appointment with the massuese, and she is good. Yesterday I had my back and legs done and think it played a big part in my day today. The same again today, but the left side of my back and shoulders was so much more tense than my right. That must tell me something. I ride regular so left foot forward maybe that has something to do with it. Funny, in the one aborted snowboarding lesson I ever did I was taught to lead with my shoulder, I used to but almost never now.
A nice glass of red and a good book
Day 17 of 60. Would it surprise anyone to know I am playing around on Red 6 again? Not with quite as much gusto as yesterday mind, the 80km has really taken it out of me! Weather is fantastic today, not a cloud in the sky, cold and not a lot of wind to speak of. The slopes are starting to become a little treacherous and icy which combined with dull edges serves to slow me down as well.
It's crazy but I always get really down on the last day of a snowboarding week, it's not so bad for a weekend but after settling into a groove it's tough to go back to earth so to speak. Oh well Christmas is coming and I can sneak a few days in Switzerland. Was talking with an old school friend on the phone last night and it looks like we are having a reunion in Morzine in February, should be a blast. The last time he saw me ride, well he didn't actually as he was off zooming down black runs whilst I spent a week sliding down the beginner slopes of La Plagne on my backside. That was very nearly 3 years ago. France doesn't usually thrill me but Morzine is on my tick list, so happy to go with the consencious.
2.12pm and I've found the powder!! Acres of it under the Speileck Sesselbahn. Don't need razor sharp edges for that :-)
Found the powder at last
From where I came
That was great fun, however my legs are now totally shot so giving up early, taking an après ski beer before putting Tara in for another makeover. She's costing me a fortune!!
43km today!!
Day 18 of 60. Well it just goes to show that there are many things left to see. This morning I stumbled across the official opening of the Hasenauerer 8 seat lift above Hinterglemm. Not so remarkable really, but the Priest who was blessing the installation was in full regalia.... and ski boots!!! Hung around for the Mayors speech etc, and was lucky enough to be amongst the first 8 commercial skiiers/ riders to go up :-) the fact I had been using it the day before did not detract from the sense of occasion.
Priest in Ski-Boots
So no live blog today. I am in the hotel shuttle back to Zell am See for my train. 1am I arrive at home but the extra day makes it worthwhile. Train 5 minutes late so a quick Gluhwein in Zell and we are set. So today was a day of messing around, playing in the powder, getting in the Christmas spirit and having a drink or two. Was really nice to have some company this week, and if Veronique is reading; thank you for a lovely week and let's keep in touch, I might still come back for New Year!!
Train home
Only 35km done today, but Day / of the week, tired and was nice t watch the Ski Jumping from Engelberg on the TV in an alpine hut.
So I am now on the 2 hour delayed train from Worgl to Munich, lucky I caught this one as the one I was due to be on is also delayed. Trying to work out why my ticket has me travelling back through Mannheim a good 40 minutes north of Karlsruhe? Hoping to catch the lads who were in Zermatt this week for a few après ski holiday schnapps when I arrive in at 1am.
So to the synopsis. Saalbach-Hinterglemm is an awesome resort with an ultra modern infrastructure. You can get miles without really trying. Even though it's low altitude at 1000m to 2100m the sheer amount of snow-cannons and piste-bashers mean it can be well maintained with little snow. I guess what you have to watch here is the temperature rather than the snow forecast. If it's cold there will be a substantial amount to ski.
I suppose now would be a good time to name and review the hotel. The Gartenhotel Theresia is simply one of the best places I have stayed anywhere in the world from Singapore to San Fransisco. This was due to be a very special trip for two and as such I had booked a suite. It turned into a vacation for one and there was no single supplement on this grade of room so I decided to go with it and to hell with the cash, I needed a total break from it all. That didn't quite work out either but that was no fault of the hotel. Simply put I am hard pushed to fault the hotel in any aspect.
The accommodation first: simply magnificent, very chic yet practical. A huge bathroom with wet-room type shower, double-ended bath for two, underfoot heating and more towels, bathrobes, slippers and toiletries than one could shake a stick at. The appartment was on two floors with the living room complete with MacBook , DVD player and Loewe LCD TV situated upstairs with the compact but comfortable balcony. Downstairs was the bedroom, furnished with an orthopeadic double bed (no Austrian twin here) with remote controlled positioning of head and foot angle, egyption cotton bedding and such little touches as cotton floor mats should your feet be a little sensitive in the morning. Here the lighting was able to be set to anyones requirements and another Loewe LCD TV linked to the DVD upstairs. Simply put the accomodation was first class.
Great accommodation....
....and a great way to unwind
This however was overshadowed by the food. I was so well fed at night and with the breakfast buffet being so encompassing I never once ate lunch this week!! Apart from interfering with snow based silliness, I was just never hungry. With the choice of four fully interchangeable menus, one could pick any combination in any quantity they desire. One menu was fully Bio, one traditional Austrian cooking and the other two a wealth of influence from all over the world. Last night I had a curry dish which was probably one of the nicest things I have eaten. I could spend hours about the food, but won't, they put the menu up daily on thier website if anyone is interested.
So what does that leave us? The wine selection was comprehensive and varied enough to suit all but the very tightest of budgets. I was recommended a particulary good Austrian Red (Merlot) one night after the sommelier had realized my fondness of heavy strong reds. Previously I had a lovely Cabernet Sauvingan from the region of Chile I was in in July, a cracking Zinfandel as well as a good Chianti Classico further to the Rioja that got a special mention on day 14 :)
So that's us about 50% of the way there with the hotel review. Sorry to those who tune in for the snow based stuff but this hotel made my week. Should the pistes have been closed I would have suffered my dissapointment in quite some style. The Sauna/Swimming Pool/Steam Rooms/Gardens/Massage Facilities - The Spa; I hate to use an Americanism, but awesome is about the only word that will do it. Indoor and outdoor heated pools were superb, the "quiet pyrmid" with loungers and Denon CD Players and personal headphones so you could listen to waves crashing or a piano concerto depending on your mood was just right. The best however was the sauna area, I only used it twice but the hotel is worth visiting if only for this!!!
A special mention goes to the measseuse without whom I am sure I would never have managed 80km in one day without once tiring. On that note I will bring this to a close with a special mention for the staff. Extra attentive, friendly, accomodating are a few words I would use. The use of my name all the time rather than Sir, is something you really appreciate if you travel a lot. The reluctance of the bar tender to leave you alone as he attends to something and the sheer politeness made the cement which held together the gold plated bricks of this place. All I can say more is 10 out of 10. I hope I am fortunate to stay here again sometime. I will post this on Trip Advisor in order to do my little bit for an outstanding hotel.
A fantastic resort and a wonderful hotel. Simply Perfect.
Until Grindelwald....
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