when does the ski season start?
Now that it's getting dark at night and the electric blanket has gone on, it's time to think of the ski season. But by the time you may be just about to start thinking of it, some of the Austrian resorts are already open!
Here's a quick rundown of some of the main resorts, when they open, and what they have planned on the opening weekend or, in some cases, as a festival:
Obergurgl
Obergurgl kicks off the season as one of the first non-glacier resorts
to start up. From 13 November - 4 December 2009 they are offering special
Winter Opening Packages with concerts, tobogganing parties and, of course,
skiing.
More about Obergurgl skiing
Sölden
Sölden started off the winter racing season before Obergurgl (but that was
on a glacier so they "cheated"). Seriously, thousands of visitors have already
sampled the autumn skiing on the two glacier areas above the village, with
the winter area below (which is also linked to the glaciers) ready to spring
into action when the snow falls.
More about Sölden
skiing
St Anton
St Anton had its St Anton Ski Open scheduled for the 27-29 November this year.
However the races and some events have been put back to 12 December because
of the warm temperatures and a lack of opportunities for snowmaking - more
information is available at their
special ski-opening website...
More about St
Anton skiing
Ischgl
Ischgl, as always, outdoes everyone on the PR at the start of the season. This
time their Ischgl Season Opening goes for another name in the news with a
concert by MTV European Music Awards presenter Katy Perry, who will perform
in the evening at the Top of the Mountain concert. Entry is free with a valid
ski pass on 28 November and the lifts start a day earlier on 27 November.
One presumes that a certain
"hairy lothario" might be lurking nearby in a tight one-piece
ski suit open to the navel - and if that thought didn't put you off your
cornflakes then nothing will...
More about Ischgl
skiing
Obertauern
Moving on from Hollywood and high society we travel over to
the province of Salzburg and their own high-level resort. They're starting
with their ski opening on November 19 but enjoying the skiing first before
getting into the music on 28.11 with German band Die Toten Hosen and
then Smokie on 06.12 - to be fair, the uncensored version of "Alice" is a
big hit at snow-bars in German-speaking countries.
More about Obertauern
skiing
Zell am See
In the Zell am See area, they've also been skiing already up on the glaciers
above Kaprun, but from 19.11 there is also an Advent Market
in the town each weekend up to Xmas from Thursday to Sunday and a more
traditional Salzburger AlpenAdvent festival with concerts on December 04
and 05.
More about Zell
am See
skiing
We've only picked a few of the higher or more well-known resorts out - but many others have their own parties, concerts and festivals to set off the season. So if you fancy a few days at the beginning of the season, check out the flights into Innsbruck or Salzburg and enjoy the start of the season with the locals.
And, if you do feel tempted to go somewhere else this season, get it out of your system early - Jasper Hotels has details of pre-Xmas ski packages in the stunning scenery of the Canadian Rockies, for example. Then you've got the whole winter to pick your perfect Austrian vacation...
Ski article updated: 24.11.09