Skiing for a single beginner on a budget

Dave, surly they take the advanced biginners to Niederau or Aufach if thy master oberau dont they? Its ony 3km fom both. As a first timer suze will be lucky to get off the nursery slopes anyway. I first went to Ski School in Kirchdorf and the second timers went up to Fieberbrunn after a couple of sessions for more advanced leasons. We did not go up till the last couple of days. It was like going into the mens downhill after being on the nursery area all week.

Point is I dont think it really matters where you go as a first timer as long as there is snow and a decent ski school.
I went for Oberau this time as it was the cheapest option for one, I could not get a similar deal in Niederau. I plan to dust off the rust in Obreau on the first day, go back to the Reds at Niederau from day 2 and then on to try Aufach for the first time.

Are the reds as challenging at Aufach as they are at Niederau Dave?, they look longer on the piste maps.

Mark

jonesmski wrote:As a first timer suze will be lucky to get off the nursery slopes anyway.

When I learnt in Niederau we only spent the first 2 days on the nursery slopes, then our instructor had us on the reds, but I think you are right, the Oberau ski school seemed to have quite a few people in Niederau when we were there!!!

We went over to Auffach with our instructor on the last day, and we found the reds there easier than Niederau as they were a bit wider and IMO less steep (although by this point we had probably just got used to it!!).

I can't wait to be back there though, roll on 3rd Jan!!!!!

You should be on the reds by the end of the first week.

Hi,

I learned in Wengen earlier this year. Was on my first blue after an hour and a half and on reds after 2 days. So don't think you'll be on the nursery slopes for the whole week.

G

its because you drive an e30 :lol:

You are correct Mark, in that the Oberau schools will generally move to Niederau or Auffach, at a certain time in the week. The point I made is that in Niederau, there is more of a natural progression, whereas in Oberau, there are blues and a black. Hence, in Niederau you do not have to move resorts.

I have an aversion to ski buses, except where it is unavoidable. In my mind they take up valuable ski time. It is OK saying it is a 10/15 min ride, but add on 5 min to get to the bus stop, and 10 min queueing, (in the morning, probably more at the end of the day) and you take 6 hours out of the week.

I re-iterate my previous point that for someone that is just starting, keeping things simple, like not having to deal with skis onto ski bus, is a more pleasant way of doing things. By your third year, it all feels very easy, by your 40th year, it feels like God put that little slot in your shoulders just for skis to slide into.

gdbn wrote:

I learned in Wengen earlier this year. Was on my first blue after an hour and a half and on reds after 2 days. So don't think you'll be on the nursery slopes for the whole week.

I potentially agree with the second part of your post. It is entirely dependent on how the individual progresses. Some people stay on the beginner slopes for the whole first week, progress slowly in subsequent ski weeks, but turn out to be well trained solid skiers. Others progress more quickly.

I have an issue with the first part of your post, not so much with you, more with the dependance on and belief in, what I believe to be a wholly innadequate, and sometimes dangerous system of piste coding. But that is for another thread, sometime.

Suzi should expect to at least progress to the more steeper blues at the mountain top. This is very rewarding, for the views, and for the nice eating holes.

Should Suzi make very good progress, she might get to come down the mountain later in the week. The reds in Niederau are a bit testing, but the instructors are clever in the use of terrain, and they make the run easier.

There are a number of different ski schools in the Wildschoenau. The red ski school in Niederau consistently wins Austrian and Tirol awards for the standards of its ski education.

It is generally true that the runs at Auffach are easier than those in Niederau.
Why I say generally, is that there are certain sections of some runs that become difficult in some weather condtions, such as northern cold cross winds. This affects Niederau less than Auffach or Oberau, due to the main runs being through the trees.

The Auffach run is a bit longer, but there is quite a bit of walking and stair climbing to be done at the bottom, whereas in Niederau you ski into the bottom of the Gondola. So you actually achieve more skiing in Niederau, per day.

It matters a lot where you go as a beginner. Just look through the brochures, you will see 3*s and 5*s for different areas. Not that I believe the info, but it does signify differences.

Please don't get me wrong Mark, I have a deep affection for Oberau. One of my old Lancashire friends lives there. I always make a visit for a meal/drink to the Kellerwirt, a 1000 years old. I think you may develop a problem. Almost everyone that goes to Oberau early in their ski life, returns year after year. Oh, and if I may, have a peek at my Oberau painting on the "testing" thread, showing the entrance to Oberau.

Ian Wickham wrote:You should be on the reds by the end of the first week.

With the greatest respect, I dont think anyone is right in making this kind of statement.
As Dave has rightly pointed out, people progress at different levels. Some people take to it immediately, and get moved up in ski school groups, and may find themselves skiing on blues and reds by the end of th week. Others dont make it off the nursery slopes in that time. Me - I was struggling on the nursery slopes with snowploughing for 3 days and on the verge of quitting when we went up onto a blue and started to parallel. I was probably so useless at snowplough turns that I shouldnt have been sent up, but I suddenly found I could ski! The rest, as they say, is history, and only lots of invaluable experiences since then have helped me improve to a confident level now.
But to suggest that someone should be on reds by the end of the first week is like suggesting that the financial crisis will be over by December.

jonesmski wrote:roll on 3rd Jan!!!!!

indeed