How much snow cover is enough?

I have been lurking around there pages for several months, and finally decided to join in the discussions.

We are a group of fairly confident beginners, with about 4 weeks of skiing/snowboarding under the belt.
I'm considering a few resorts situated below 1000m for a 2 week trip early January, but the prospect of poor snow cover concerns me.

Skiwelt, for example, averages between 1cm and 35cm of snow cover on the lower slopes during that period. Snow cannons obviously help a lot, but how much natural snow cover do I need to be looking for to be sure one can ski all the way down to the village?
Is it possible to venture off the edges of the pistes (my idea of off-piste) on the lower slopes of an area like Skiwelt, or would the snow cover simply be too thin?

The prospect of having to take a lift down to the village at the end of a day's skiing doesn't appeal to me at all.

Welcome to the Forum :D

If you absolutely don't want to risk taking a lift down at the end of a ski day, then you need to choose a high altitude resort, Tignes for example. Even then, the home runs may be busy and rock hard, so taking a lift down will seem like the sane choice.
For low lying resorts, which are often pasture, I reckon you can get away with 15cm on easy home runs, if you head high, then much more snow base is needed as the terrain is much more rocky.

As for heading off the sides of pisted runs, there is no such thing as a little bit off piste, so make sure you have adequate insurance, and accept that no-one will have spent the summer making your route safe.

Scope out where you want to go 1st, it's unsafe to follow other folks tracks, as they may go over a cliff!
Pistes are prepared in the places it's generally safe to go, if you head elsewhere be properly equipped and know how to use your kit.

Echo Bandits comments welcome to the forum.

I think it was 2007/08 season when alot of low lying resorts were suffering from unseasonally high temperatures. That season we were in the skiwelt, somehow Scheffau managed to get several runs open to the bottom station, which was great, the only downside was that every skier in the Tirol & souther Germany turned up to ski.
Having said that I have had some of the best skiing days ever in the skiwelt in January, (2006/07 was a vintage year.) Slopes are usually quieter & the pistes tend to hold up better, generally there are good deals to be had.
I tend to go off piste with a ski instructor, local knowledge is the key to getting the best out of these mountains.

Good luck
Finn

The bad season was 2006/7, Finn, definitely NOT vintage.

http://www.igluski.com/austria/soll-snow-history_23493
Click on each year to see the comparison.

Definately had more good years than bad ones.

Finn

How much snow cover is enough?

Depends on whether you are renting, or using your own skis :wink:

I would agree with bandit minimum of 15cm on the lower pasture piste, 2007/8 LGb was mainly green and 30cm of snow fall opened the whole resort, but that was the worst year for the bases of our skis it took a fair amount of Ptex to repair them.

Deep grass, heavy frost....surely that would be enough?