Soll: Where the magic happens :-)

fannymagee

Hi All,

Right, tis the season to book ski trips, so (with approval from mods!!) here is a thread specifically for those interested in organising a trip to Soll.

I am stating clearly from the outset that I have no commercial interest in Soll whatsoever, so any businesses listed or links posted are purely on the basis of my own personal opinion as someone who spends a lot of time in the resort and knows it well, and I will not make any profit from anything posted here (unfortunately!!) It's just information, and is posted in good faith- it would be great if others would keep the spirit of the thread in this vein, and add to the info as the thread continues.

So, here goes!

Flights:
Munich: Aer Lingus, 2 flights daily Mon-Sun, morning and evening.
Salzburg: Ryanair 2 flights weekly, Sat & Sun.

Airport Transfers:
From Salzburg: info@andis-taxi.com or office@ski-transfer-salzburg.at
From Munich: www.tirol-taxi.at or http://www.loackertours.at

Trains:
www.db.ie
www.oebb.at/en/

Take train to Kufstein (or Worgl), and then taxi to Soll. Kufstein is closest to Soll, so will be cheapest for taxi transfer.


Accommodation:
Email tourist office http://www.wilderkaiser.info/en/, give them dates, numbers & requirements and they'll respond with a list of available accommodation.


Lift Pass:
http://www.skiwelt.at/en/normal-tariff.html. Can be bought in Snow & Fun next door to Salvenstadtl (after your third beer when you arrive), or at the kasse at the gondola station the next morning ;-)


Ski school:
http://www.skischule-soell.com/skischule-ski-school-snowboard-soll-skiwelt-wilder-kaiser-tirol-austria-en/15


Equipment Hire:
http://www.snowfun.biz/en/ (Next door to Salven Stadtl Pub, gives online discount on hire, Martin Steinbacher is an excellent boot fitter if you're thinking of buying, you can also buy your lift pass and book ski-school here)


http://www.sport-edinger.at/index.php/eng/10-Minutes-to-go/Skinacht (Underneath Gondola, also excellent fully-serviced ski garage with heated boot storage)


Equipment Storage:
http://www.sport-edinger.at/index.php/eng/10-Minutes-to-go/Skinacht (As above, best storage in town, located underneath gondel station. Staffed by a flock of very pretty Essex boys, who provide random impromptu entertainment)


Apres-ski:

Salven Stadtl: Main meeting point for apres,outdoor heated beer area, , free wifi, live music, DJ Glenn (as seen on Kavos Uncovered, lol), breakfast rolls & tea from 8am, BBQ steak semmels (excellent soakage) outside from 3pm, pizza from 8pm, home of the 'Hammer Game', where groups of very drunk people swing a hammer at a nail in an upturned tree trunk for hours on end, endless varieties of shots and lots of ridiculousness :-)


Dubliner Bar: Great new Irish bar in the Red Horse, run by an Irish bro & sis from Meath. Great Guinness & Whiskey, opens at 6pm and hopping from 10pm till the early hours...


Underground Bar: You'll see Dave from the Underground out on the slopes during the day with his camera, and then he'll play the videos on the big screen in the bar later on so you can rip the p*ss out of your mates over a few beers/jagers while you watch each other fall over repeatedly. Also home of the crocodile game ;-)


Umbrella bar: For people who have progressed to the middle station, yay! The umbrella bar is opposite the entrance to the Grundlalm at the middlestation, and is usually heaving by 3pm. After you have your jagers, leave the empty bottle on the windowsills & watch them build up as your holiday progresses. If you are not a confident skier, try to remember the last gondel down leaves at 5pm. Otherwise you will have to wait for the piste-machines to clear the home run, and then ski down drunk. And scared. LOL!! ;-)


Toboggan Run:
A must. Great fun, rent your toboggan at the gondel station (different speeds & types to choose from), and then hurl yourself down the mountain on the dedicated 11km toboggan run. Wear solid footwear, waterproof trousers and close the snowskirt inside your jacket. Best avoided if you have a bad back ;-)


Night skiing & Tobogganing:
Wed - Sat from 18.30 - 21.30
http://www.skiwelt.at/en/night-skiing-at-skiwelt-wilder-kaiser-brixental.html

Alpin Igloo:
Another must-see, for anyone confident to ski reds: A bar in an Igloo http://www.skiwelt.at/en/alpeniglu-igloo-village-a-world-of-icy-attractions.html

Please feel free to endorse these links for other users, or to add others if you have additional suggestions, the more information the better! If there are any errors or omissions I apologise in advance.

Happy skiing folks, and have fun!!! :-)

fannymagee

Were you in the Salven Stadtl last season, 2012/2013? If so, have a look for yourself in DJ Glen's video.

For skiing and snowboarding footage skip to 8.45, and some great examples of last year's powder from 10.05! Aaaawww, those conditions!!! Hopefully to make a reappearance later this season ;-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kNKUUMmWc0k

Snoozerface

Any weather/snow updates from Söll??

I've seen a few pictures on FB of people there this week, no snow in the village and the nursery slope looks a bit sparse too.

Be great to hear what it's like over there! Thanks ...

fannymagee

Conditions still doing well Snoozerface!! Pistes are still in really good nick, Soll is lucky in that it's on the north side of the Hohe Salve so is protected from the sun. The worst looking pics are of Brixen/ Westendorf side because it's south-facing, the long red there looks like a white ribbon from the distance, but the piste itself is apparently in pretty good shape so that's the main thing. I'm in Dublin for a few days, and am just off the phone from the OH, so I asked him about the nursery slopes for you. He said they're in really good shape, no worries about them and snow cannons blasting every night so plenty of cover. There is green in the lower fields alright, and under the salvenmoos lift (which is southfacing and not skiable anyway with all the footbaths), but the pistes are all being really well maintained so that's the main thing. No point wasting snow in the village, lol! I'll be back out on Thursday so I'll update the thread with a few pics then- or maybe the guys who are there at the moment might get a chance to upload some?! But don't worry, there's been some snow over the past few days and more forecast for later in the week (heard a rumour of 20cms but am afraid to even hope!!) so its all ticking over nicely. A good dump would be amazing though- the lack of off-piste is a killer!!!

When do you head out?

Fattes

Snoozerface The reality is right now EVERYWHERE IN EUROPE regardless of aspect below 1,400 is suffering, temps have startd to drop snow cannons were running today for the first time in weeks as temps dropped today and yesterday, some places got a light dusting less than 10cm or so.

fannymagee

Fattes wrote: »

snow cannons were running today for the first time in weeks

Again, where are you talking about?!

Snow cannons have been running consistently in Soll since early December! They've been in nearly every pic I've posted, even in the sunshine :-)

Snoozerface

Thanks a mill for the update fingers crossed for a big dump of snow, that would be amazing!!

We head Feb 1st, can't wait! There's a few Soll first timers in the group this year too, I know they're gonna love it! 🎿

Fattes

Well your story for Soll does not match the head of Wilder Kiser Ski schools story of the conditions when I skied with him in Flachau on earlier in the week! Have a look at the photos I posted today I was skiing with a large % of the Austrian National team and coaches today and all of them are saying the same thing.

Soll has about 15% of its ski cannons that can run above 2/3 Degrees celcius all are on the bottom runs in the resort. Which is quiet impressive as the cannons that can run above freezing are expensive and few resorts have them. The ski welt and a few others have splashed out on them as they need them.All other cannons require below freezing conditions, now be honest, when was it last below freezing at the village, mid station or the top in Soll - Or anywhere in Europe below 1,400-1,800 meters.

The problem EVERYWHERE!!! is the high temperatures it has been 6-10 degrees across ALL alpine resorts for since early Jan Soll is not exclusive in this nor is it exempt from the rules of physics. As explained earlier I was in the ski welt early this week and seen the conditions first hand, I have seen it in France, Switzerland and Austria since Jan 1st the Freeze line is so high that conditions are tough everywhere!

This week will see the 1st major weather change in the Alps in a while and cold temps and snow is on the way for Everywhere.

Soll conditions are subject to any change since 12 today when I last spoke to a local about it

fannymagee

Fattes wrote: »

Well your story for Soll does not match the head of Wilder Kiser Ski schools story of the conditions
QUOTE]

Ski School Wilder Kaiser is in Sankt Johann, not Soll?!

And re: being "exempt from the rules of physics", please see photo below of a rainbow caused by sunshine in the cannon snow, taken at approx 1200 ft on a beautiful day last week. If anyone is talking through their hat, it's you. Now ssshhhhh :-)

fannymagee

Snow cannon defying the laws of physics :-)

Fattes

fannymagee wrote: »

Fattes wrote: »

Well your story for Soll does not match the head of Wilder Kiser Ski schools story of the conditions
QUOTE]

Ski School Wilder Kaiser is in Sankt Johann, not Soll?!

And re: being "exempt from the rules of physics", please see photo below of a rainbow caused by sunshine in the cannon snow, taken at approx 1200 ft on a beautiful day last week. If anyone is talking through their hat, it's you. Now ssshhhhh :-)

1st line 2nd paragraph & sentences that follow perhaps reading posts before replying would be helpful re snow cannons that operate above zero and their existence & use in in Soll.

fannymagee

Fattes wrote: »

Soll has about 15% of its ski cannons that can run above 2/3 Degrees celcius all are on the bottom runs in the resort.

That snow cannon is not on the bottom runs of the resort, it is at approx 1200ft, as I stated clearly in my post.

Stop looking for silly arguments. Over and out :-)

Fattes

fannymagee wrote: »

That snow cannon is not on the bottom runs of the resort, it is at approx 1200ft, as I stated clearly in my post.

Stop looking for silly arguments. Over and out :-)

Snow cannons move! Amazing I know if it's to warm at the bottom for cannons to operate even the advanced ones they move them up the hill and farm the snow! It would indicate Itt was to warm to make slow lower down

It's the same on any resort that operates them.

fannymagee

Hexenwasser Soll webcam, showing piste coverage at Middlestation level (1150m): Salvenmoos, Stockl, Hexen6er & Keat.

http://www.bergfex.com/soell/webcams/c4250/

HTH! :-)

fannymagee

Yesterday in Soll: a little bit of magic :-)

http://www.her.ie/life/pictures-irish-couple-get-married-on-mountain-top-in-austria/

fannymagee

Bumping this thread for 2014/15, check out first post for info :-)

fannymagee

Temporary Soll thread till the 2014/15 one gets sorted. Is anyone going tomorrow? PM me if yes xx