Austria- When to ski?

*Just stumbled upon this useful table showing the Europea school holiday times: http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=76752

Hi freshfreshpowder,

for what it's worth, I have been on a cheap trip which should have been not so good snow conditions, but turned out to be one of the best trips of my life, and at the same time, I have had practically unskiable conditions at a time which should have been about the best of the season. I guess you pays your money and takes your chances.

Unless you can leave it to the last minute before booking, you just have to take what the ski gods throw at you.

I am going to Kitzbuhel for the first time this year, in fact it is my first visit to Austria full stop, and we are going over the first week in Feb. This is primarily due to the fact it is convenient for all 14 people going. However, we will have a good time whatever the conditions :twisted:

I learnt to stop worrying about the conditions quite a while ago. Just enjoy what you get and make the best of it.

Thanks Far Queue

So basically all thngs considered, are mid-January and early March roughly equivalent times to ski in terms of quality would most people say? Any any small differences are vastly out weighed by the variance / the luck of the draw that year?

Pays your money and takes your choice really unless you go HIGH and be a little more sure.

Have skied in slush with green fields in Saalbach in mid january - 2 weeks later it was superb conditions. Likewise have skied the next door resort of Zell in March one year with fantastic conditions and more snow falling daily - a year later same resort, same week and the home runs were green with spring flowers on them and had been closed for weeks.

Unfortunately (for me) I like some cahratcter to go with my sking sometimes so i don't always go for the high snowsure ski station resort.

Oh ok... so are you implying there is a correlation between low altitude and charm of the resort??

In like Austria, but you do need to be choosy where you go. I've been to Mayrhofen a few times, mainly January when its been excellent, never a problem with snow. A mate has been to Saalbach lots of times and has struggled to ski a whole week in January on several visits, so there is no hard and fast rule.
I've also been to Mayrhofen early March and we were ok, but the next week would have been no good.
I've skied St Anton early Jan and it was superb, but they had more snow March that year, so we are going back 3rd march 2012!
I suggest you try both. Jan is usually colder so you'd be ok most places, but march does often get more snow fall, but you want higher altitude skiing.
I suggest you consider:
St Anton/Lech
Solden
Ischgl
mayrhofen
Schladming

Theres a lot of other places people will suggest too, but these places will give you good skiing to go at, and plenty of off slope attractions as well!

Hello everybody. I am new to this forum.

Does anybody know if there's any chance for intermediate skiers to find good slopes at the end of october anywhere in Austria/Switzerland ?

Thanks,
Ioana

Welcome to J2ski :D Hintertux may be your best bet for the end of October in Austria.

For Switzerland, Zermatt and Saas-fee are the obvious choices.