Mayrhofen/ Glacier riding

justdoit

Heading to Mayrhofen on March 15th, which is a little later in the season than I would normally go. The lateness of the trip contributed to the location- Mayrhofen is within easy reach of a glacier, which means year-round skiing. Given the lack of fresh since the bumper start to this season, it looks like this might have been a good call, but just wondered if anybody has ever ridden a glacier before? Is it just like riding hard-pack? Are there groomed pistes? etc etc.

Marusia

Hi, the glacier has got few good, long pistes but it's 45-50min away by bus They groom pistes there like in any other austrian resort , sometimes even during the day. So hard-pack can be off piste but as far as I remember it wasn't the best glacier for off piste skiing
I also was in Mayrhofen on the 3rd week of March and it was little skiing on the resort so everyone went to glacier and buses were packed

justdoit

Thanks Marusia- good to know. I'll pray for a dump over the next fortnight, but if it doesn't arrive, I'll be sure to be on the earliest bus and first lift...

robinph

Was on the glacier by the Matterhorn earlier in the year and the best bit about it was the fantastic view from the top of the mountain and that you could actually get inside the glacier as well. It was very cold and very high up though which made it hard work just walking about.

The skiing on the actual glacier was nothing special other than it was a huge, wide open, long, smooth run, wasn't even that steep but I guess they start to break up if the gradient is too much. I wouldn't complain about glacier skiing if that was all that was available, but if there is anything else open your probably better off going to those runs instead for a bit of fun.

justdoit

From what I've heard, I absolutely agree, but great to have the option if all the other runs are $hitty.

That said, huge, wide open, long runs don't sound too bad!!

Mind you, it's not gonna come to that, because there's gonna be heaps of frash over the next two weeks, just ahead of my arrival:rolleyes:

jameshayes

I'm just back - didn't venture to the glacier.. seen it from a distance tho!!!

We were lucky to get back when we did, the last day was terrible for snow, well slush..

Necronomicon

Yep I was glacier boarding in Les Deux Alpes this year. It's fantastic, when the weather is clear there are some sights to behold. The snow up there was nearly 24/7, even when it was lacking in the village. It was a sea of white wherever we went.

One thing I'd recommend is a face-warmer. I'm so, so glad I had mine because there were some violent winds; combine that with snow and you have one torn up face!