Zell/Gerlos/Kaltenbach report

Just back from a week in Zell am Ziller. Stayed in the Hotel Brau in Zell,
which was a late deal Crystal package and well worth the money. (Good food
etc).

7 days of sunshine but no additional snow. Fortunately there was good snow
already there although by the end of the week it was gatting icey in
places.

Zell was quiet, mainly. Especially before Christmas Day. Queues at the
access gondola could be long but we generally got through within 10 mins.
Return queues OK at 3.30pm but very long at 4pm.

Best snow higher up and on "Red 11" at the back of the resort. This run
leads to Gerlos where the snow is slightly better. Didn't make it on to
the next resort - Konigsleiten - although the black run leading to the link
was busy so presumably many people were doing this.

Neighbouring Kaltenbach was busier, although the snow was probably not so
good quality. It's a better resort for beginners as it has wide blue runs
back to the centre, something Zell lacks. Again we skied to the next
resort - Hochfugen - which meant descending a long red to the base,
returning by gondola. That was quite busy and icey.

Didn't make it to Mayrhofen or Hintertux although some people we met said
the snow at Hintertux was nice and fluffy and quite different from the snow
in the Zillertal. Mayrhofen on the other hand was icier than Zell/Gerlos
presumably because it's a busier resort.

Would definitely go again if only to ski the resorts we didn't make this
year!

On 30 Dec 2007 18:39:48 GMT, Mister Niceguy wrote:

Just back from a week in Zell am Ziller. Stayed in the Hotel Brau in Zell,
which was a late deal Crystal package and well worth the money. (Good food
etc).

This I like to hear. I'm going there on Saturday (also a lateish deal
with Crystal) :-)



7 days of sunshine but no additional snow. Fortunately there was good snow
already there although by the end of the week it was gatting icey in
places.


I believe a little has fallen today. I hope there will be more either
before I arrive or while I'm there.

From the sound of things, the base is good, it just need freshening
up, so even a little will help.


Zell was quiet, mainly. Especially before Christmas Day. Queues at the
access gondola could be long but we generally got through within 10 mins.
Return queues OK at 3.30pm but very long at 4pm.


I was wondering what those queues would be like. I may try and stay as
high as possible as late as possible to see if I can avoid the worst
of them that way.


Best snow higher up and on "Red 11" at the back of the resort. This run
leads to Gerlos where the snow is slightly better. Didn't make it on to
the next resort - Konigsleiten - although the black run leading to the link
was busy so presumably many people were doing this.


I'm certainly aiming to get over there at least one day.


Neighbouring Kaltenbach was busier, although the snow was probably not so
good quality. It's a better resort for beginners as it has wide blue runs
back to the centre, something Zell lacks. Again we skied to the next
resort - Hochfugen - which meant descending a long red to the base,
returning by gondola. That was quite busy and icey.


I skied the Kaltenbach area for five days last year, when there was no
snow in the resort I was at (Neiderau).

IMO, that long red is the best run in that area, although it was all
not bad, considering the general situation. I intend going back there
for at least one day this time.


Didn't make it to Mayrhofen or Hintertux although some people we met said
the snow at Hintertux was nice and fluffy and quite different from the snow
in the Zillertal. Mayrhofen on the other hand was icier than Zell/Gerlos
presumably because it's a busier resort.

Would definitely go again if only to ski the resorts we didn't make this
year!

I'm looking forward to it :-)
--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
IBM: I've Been Misled
To reply by email, my address is alexATheneyDOTplusDOTcom

Alex Heney wrote in
:

On 30 Dec 2007 18:39:48 GMT, Mister Niceguy wrote:

Just back from a week in Zell am Ziller. Stayed in the Hotel Brau in
Zell, which was a late deal Crystal package and well worth the money.
(Good food etc).

This I like to hear. I'm going there on Saturday (also a lateish deal
with Crystal) :-)



7 days of sunshine but no additional snow. Fortunately there was good
snow already there although by the end of the week it was gatting icey
in places.


I believe a little has fallen today. I hope there will be more either
before I arrive or while I'm there.

From the sound of things, the base is good, it just need freshening
up, so even a little will help.


Zell was quiet, mainly. Especially before Christmas Day. Queues at
the access gondola could be long but we generally got through within
10 mins. Return queues OK at 3.30pm but very long at 4pm.


I was wondering what those queues would be like. I may try and stay as
high as possible as late as possible to see if I can avoid the worst
of them that way.


Best snow higher up and on "Red 11" at the back of the resort. This
run leads to Gerlos where the snow is slightly better. Didn't make it
on to the next resort - Konigsleiten - although the black run leading
to the link was busy so presumably many people were doing this.


I'm certainly aiming to get over there at least one day.


Neighbouring Kaltenbach was busier, although the snow was probably not
so good quality. It's a better resort for beginners as it has wide
blue runs back to the centre, something Zell lacks. Again we skied to
the next resort - Hochfugen - which meant descending a long red to the
base, returning by gondola. That was quite busy and icey.


I skied the Kaltenbach area for five days last year, when there was no
snow in the resort I was at (Neiderau).

IMO, that long red is the best run in that area, although it was all
not bad, considering the general situation. I intend going back there
for at least one day this time.


Didn't make it to Mayrhofen or Hintertux although some people we met
said the snow at Hintertux was nice and fluffy and quite different
from the snow in the Zillertal. Mayrhofen on the other hand was icier
than Zell/Gerlos presumably because it's a busier resort.

Would definitely go again if only to ski the resorts we didn't make
this year!

I'm looking forward to it :-)

By the time you read this you'll have returned, so I hope you had a good
time there. Please post your experiences. Cheers.

On 06 Jan 2008 19:33:11 GMT, Mister Niceguy wrote:

Alex Heney wrote in
:

On 30 Dec 2007 18:39:48 GMT, Mister Niceguy wrote:

Just back from a week in Zell am Ziller. Stayed in the Hotel Brau in
Zell, which was a late deal Crystal package and well worth the money.
(Good food etc).

This I like to hear. I'm going there on Saturday (also a lateish deal
with Crystal) :-)

snip


Didn't make it to Mayrhofen or Hintertux although some people we met
said the snow at Hintertux was nice and fluffy and quite different
from the snow in the Zillertal. Mayrhofen on the other hand was icier
than Zell/Gerlos presumably because it's a busier resort.

Would definitely go again if only to ski the resorts we didn't make
this year!

I'm looking forward to it :-)

By the time you read this you'll have returned, so I hope you had a good
time there. Please post your experiences. Cheers.

I mostly had a good time.

It was slightly spoiled by the fact I had a big tumbling fall on about
my fifth run of the week (in Mayrhofen with the Crystal guides) that
resulted in a torn calf muscle :-(

Although I skied the rest of that day, with only discomfort from it, I
found when I took my boots off it became rather more painful, and too
much so to even try skiing on the Monday.

But by Tuesday, I managed to get the boots on again, and skied in the
Kaltenbach area (with the Crystal guides), going over the top and down
to Hochfugen, which was a pretty good day - we had been skiing in
pretty poor visibility on the Sunday due to low cloud and falling
snow, but it meant that by Tuesday we had superb conditions on the
pistes. Coming down run 4 on the Kaltenbach side really made me
realise just how much better the conditions were than last year :-)

Wednesday, I just had a quiet day, skiing the local Zell slopes, again
in near perfect condition above the gondola, with sunshine all day,
but the slope down to the gondola mid station was closed.

Thursday I joined up again with the Crystal guided party, and we skied
from Zell over to Konigsleiten and back, which was a pretty hard day
considering the state of my leg, and it really flared up again that
evening :-( I'm not sure whether this was due to the amount of skiing
I did that day, or whether I had "tweaked" it again with really
noticing at the time.

Again, the snow on piste was as near perfect as could be, with even
the black down from Gerlos to the base of Konigsleiten having lovely
soft snow.

By Friday, I could only really manage another easy day, due to the
state of my leg, but it was a fourth day in a row with excellent snow
and sunshine pretty well all day. I did find the snow a bit heavy down
at the bottom of the drag on the right of the area, but that was at
about the lowest point of the available skiing, on a pretty warm day,
so not too surprising.

And then it was snowing up top (raining in the valley) on Saturday as
we left.

And I have to say I agree with you about the hotel Brau. The food was
excellent, the service was also excellent, without being obtrusive,
and the spa area was very good.

I would be very happy to go back to the same hotel again if I can get
a decent deal there again ;-)
--
Alex Heney, Global Villager
RENTAL CAR: The only *TRUE* all-terrain vehicle.
To reply by email, my address is alexATheneyDOTplusDOTcom

Alex Heney wrote in
:

On 06 Jan 2008 19:33:11 GMT, Mister Niceguy wrote:

Alex Heney wrote in
m:

On 30 Dec 2007 18:39:48 GMT, Mister Niceguy wrote:

Just back from a week in Zell am Ziller. Stayed in the Hotel Brau
in
Zell, which was a late deal Crystal package and well worth the
money.
(Good food etc).

This I like to hear. I'm going there on Saturday (also a lateish
deal
with Crystal) :-)

snip


Didn't make it to Mayrhofen or Hintertux although some people we met
said the snow at Hintertux was nice and fluffy and quite different
from the snow in the Zillertal. Mayrhofen on the other hand was
icier
than Zell/Gerlos presumably because it's a busier resort.

Would definitely go again if only to ski the resorts we didn't make
this year!

I'm looking forward to it :-)

By the time you read this you'll have returned, so I hope you had a
good
time there. Please post your experiences. Cheers.

I mostly had a good time.

It was slightly spoiled by the fact I had a big tumbling fall on about
my fifth run of the week (in Mayrhofen with the Crystal guides) that
resulted in a torn calf muscle :-(

Although I skied the rest of that day, with only discomfort from it, I
found when I took my boots off it became rather more painful, and too
much so to even try skiing on the Monday.

But by Tuesday, I managed to get the boots on again, and skied in the
Kaltenbach area (with the Crystal guides), going over the top and down
to Hochfugen, which was a pretty good day - we had been skiing in
pretty poor visibility on the Sunday due to low cloud and falling
snow, but it meant that by Tuesday we had superb conditions on the
pistes. Coming down run 4 on the Kaltenbach side really made me
realise just how much better the conditions were than last year :-)

Wednesday, I just had a quiet day, skiing the local Zell slopes, again
in near perfect condition above the gondola, with sunshine all day,
but the slope down to the gondola mid station was closed.

Thursday I joined up again with the Crystal guided party, and we skied
from Zell over to Konigsleiten and back, which was a pretty hard day
considering the state of my leg, and it really flared up again that
evening :-( I'm not sure whether this was due to the amount of skiing
I did that day, or whether I had "tweaked" it again with really
noticing at the time.

Again, the snow on piste was as near perfect as could be, with even
the black down from Gerlos to the base of Konigsleiten having lovely
soft snow.

By Friday, I could only really manage another easy day, due to the
state of my leg, but it was a fourth day in a row with excellent snow
and sunshine pretty well all day. I did find the snow a bit heavy down
at the bottom of the drag on the right of the area, but that was at
about the lowest point of the available skiing, on a pretty warm day,
so not too surprising.

And then it was snowing up top (raining in the valley) on Saturday as
we left.

And I have to say I agree with you about the hotel Brau. The food was
excellent, the service was also excellent, without being obtrusive,
and the spa area was very good.

I would be very happy to go back to the same hotel again if I can get
a decent deal there again ;-)

Thanks for the excellent report. Sounds like you made good use of the
Crystal guides. Also sounds like you had better snow than I did, as it
was already a week old when I got there and no more fell. The black run
in Gerlos was OK but quite tiring on the hard snow.

We'd happily do the Brau again alhough I suspect it will be more
expensive from now on. It's a new hotel for Crystal and it seems they
were offering lots of good deals (like yours and ours!).

I live in Scotland so am looking forward to some decent skiing here too.