Austria - Gentle slopes..

Snoozerface

Hi Guys,

I'm heading off for my 4th skiing holiday in Feb to Soll, Austria. I had gotten over my ski fear in 2012 only to rupture my ACL 3 hours into the first day last year - A beginner dragged me off the chair lift in a panic and took my ACL with them. I skied back down the slope but my holiday was over after that. I have completed my knee rehab (no surgery - physio and workouts) and I have a very serious knee brace to wear. I'm excited to get back but the nerves are really kicking in, I would like to ski some really gentle (almost flat gradient) slopes for the first day or two to get my confidence back up. Any suggestions slope wise? I hear that Ellmau is a great resort for beginners, wide runs. Any suggestions/advise would be fantastic. Are there any green runs in Austria?

Thanks!

fannymagee

There is one very gentle green run in Soll from the Gondel station down to the village, but it's literally a bunny slope so you'll be bored on it very quickly. Then you can go up to Salvenmoos, which is a nice practice blue (with a bar on it!), the next slope steepness-wise is Stockl, then Rinner, and then you'll be back up to speed and able to ski over to any of the linked resorts. Avoid the blue family run down to the village until you're confident in your knee, there are a few tight hairpin turns which can be icy at the end of the day. Hope that helps, and hope your knee is ok! If all else fails the Umbrella Bar at the middle station is great craic

Snoozerface

Thanks a mill! I know the nursery slope well, it'll be my 3rd trip to Soll - LOVE IT! Just worried about that blue (Salvenmoos) It's a bit steep in places. I had heard that there's wider longer blue runs in Ellmau. Can't wait to get back - Loving your Soll thread! It's looking great, hopefully there's another big snow fall soon. Thanks again for your help! S

fannymagee

Haha cool, glad the thread is helpful! There was such negativity about the weather that I thought it'd reassure people a bit! Nice and sunny again today, and the snow over the past few days has helped.

Ah sounds like you know Soll well so, at least you know where you're headed! Yeah Ellmau is great for beginners, and Scheffau has nice blue runs too. Scheffau is closer to Soll, so if you're going in a taxi it'd be the cheaper option. I'm not sure when you were last in Soll, but they moved the Stockl lift last year so it's lower now, so less of a transition from Salvenmoos- another little reassurance! Hopefully your knee will be fine, sounds like a good brace so at least that's a reassurance- sounds like a horrible injury!

Snoozerface

fannymagee wrote: »

. I'm not sure when you were last in Soll, but they moved the Stockl lift last year so it's lower now, so less of a transition from Salvenmoos- another little reassurance! Hopefully your knee will be fine, sounds like a good brace so at least that's a reassurance- sounds like a horrible injury!

We were there this time last year - First week of Jan, When did the lift move? Is that the two man into the blue? I did my knee on the 4 man lift at the top of the red that runs down to Chicken on a spit (I've no idea of the names of the slopes, I call them by the bars near them :rolleyes:)

We head back out Feb 1st - I can't wait. LOVE Soll!

Thanks!

fannymagee

No Stockl is the 4 man red you use to get from the bowl to the middlestation, sounds like where you hurt your knee.

Here's a quick lift crash course, in case it's helpful ;-)

2 man blue = Salvenmoos (Name of the bar on the slope)
4 man red = Stockl (Name of Chicken Place)
6 man red = Hexense6er (No bar, lol, will take you to the middle station if you exit right, or back down to chicken place if you take left side. Then you've to take Stockl back to the middlestation)
4 man blue opp the three others is Rinner.
On the entirely other side of the middlestation is Keat :-)

The Stockl lift was moved at the beginning of last season, so was prob like that when you hurt your knee. It used to be higher up, so was a big transition for beginners, and a nightmare for the instructors lol. I really hope your knee is ok, it'd be a pain having to taxi to Scheffau/Ellmau!!

fannymagee

But in fairness you sound ok with that, it's prob just me being lazy ;-)

Snoozerface

Ah that's the one I think! I had poor people stuck dangling in the air for about 20 mins on that chair lift waiting for my instructor and the ski lift man to decided if they were taking my ski off (thought the leg was broke and afraid to shatter the bone snapping my ski off) before moving me. Whoops.. I found that red okay, just bits of it were a bit steep. Then again I found the blue across from it a bit steep too! Ha! But before the steep bit there's a bar on the left so I stop there get a lil beer and then head on down. I just need to try and get my nerve back I think..

Do you know Alan?? The older ski instructor, He's about 60 odd? He was my instructor when I was a beginner. I saw him a few times last year, I was wondering if he was there this season.

fannymagee

Oooh dear, English Alan, as in this guy??! That's gas! accident sounds horrible though, i can only imagine poor Alan in that situation!! LOOVE him, he's hilarious- loves Irish people! Here's a pic I couldn't resist taking of him on Saturday night, I was just about to delete it from my phone, lol! Same guy?!

fannymagee

Poor Alan asleep at the bar, he'd kill me for that!! But that aside, honestly you poor thing! Sounds horrific... He won't forget you in a hurry by the sounds of it!

Snoozerface

Oh that's him alright!! Bless him - I look forward to seeing him. He wasn't my instructor for the fall, I was with Roger last year. Alan was the instructor who taught me to ski, in fairness he was brill! We did make alot of stops tho Also, UNDERGROUND BAR!!! Yay, the crocodile game.. Best fun! Can;t wait for a round of that!

Another quick question, if you don't mind? Ski passes, I usually get the 200 euro pass for the week but I Sunday/Monday I will only be on the nursery slope just to get myself warmed up and I'm going to get private lessons. Is there an option to buy day passes? Or what would you recommend? Sorry for all the questions..

fannymagee

No problem! Yes you can just buy a points pass for those two days, best thing is prob to ask at the Kasse at the gondel station, I'm not sure how many points the nursery slopes use per button lift but they'll tell you so you get the best value. You'll also probably want access to the gondola for if you fancy a beer in the umberlla bar ;-) Here's the site, scroll down to the end for the points passes they're a lot cheaper ;-)

http://www.skiwelt.at/en/normal-tariff.html

Private lessons are a good idea too, it'll be reassuring for you to have some support and encouragement as you progress, hopefully it'll keep your confidence up!

Ah Roger! He's great too, not so likely to fall asleep at the bar though lol! And yes the crocodiles are waiting for you, as is Dave with his camera if you'll be hanging out on the nursery slopes for ay length of time- be warned!! Lol!

There's also a new Irish bar in the Red Horse, run by a brother & sister from Meath, so you'll have to drop in and say hi to them too- support Irish-poured Guinness all that, lol!!

fannymagee

Snoozer face I'm having a drink with Alan and Roger right now, and I just realised I don't know your name, lol!! Haha, we'll that added a new dimension to the conversation