Super skiing in Mayrhofen

Trip Start Jun 17, 2008

Trip End Dec 17, 2008

Loading Map

Map your own trip!

Map Options

Show trip route

Hide lines

Where I stayed

Camping Mayrhofen

Flag of Austria Mayrhofen, Austrian Alps, Austria
Sunday, September 14, 2008

Arriving in Mayrhofen & the weather had turned on us with heavy rain and near zero temperatures, and didn't we know it. The plan was to head up to Hintertux the following morning to check out the skiing opportunities on the Glazier 3500 meters up, where the weather would be much colder. We were at last going to get the chance to use our skiing gear for what it was intended, instead of just for the rainy days. Travelling with us were Jo and Dan, who had never skied before, and Justin and Janet who were both seasoned pros, but neither had ski gear.

The next day we opted to split into two groups to check out the ski hire shops in Mayrhofen and up at the glazier to find out the prices of the piste passes, the hire gear and some lessons for Jo and Dan. After talking that evening about the cost and value of hiring a ski instructor for Jo and Dan Janet kindly offered to save them some money and teach them herself

. So we snuggled in for the night with a BBQ to keep us warm and had a few beers looking forward to the next day. At around 8pm Paul and Jenny turned up out of the blue, knowing that we would be there, and decided to come skiing with us the next day.

We set off at around 11am up to Hintertux to the hire shop to pick up our gear when the shop assistant informed us that the weather was very bad with low visibility, and it was not too safe so they were closing the chair lifts at 1.30pm. Between us all (& the toss of a coin) we decided we would be better returning the next day when weather conditions would be better! But Paul and Jenny were moving on the next day so he still wanted to ski (or snowboard), even with the poor conditions, so I decided to go with him (didn't take much persuation) and brave the conditions, while the others returned to the camp site.

When, after 3 gondolas we eventually reached the summit, the conditions were worse than described and visibility was down to about 3 feet - so bad in fact we had to ask a fellow brave snowboarder where the ski runs were as we could see nothing. Off we set down the run not knowing how steep it was or where it went and also not knowing how much longer the chair lifts would continue to operate to get us back up to the gondolas

1-.

. About half way down, or at least so we thought, we both stopped & turned to each other and said this is a rather dangerous, as we have no idea if we are even still on the piste! Luckily we saw another skier and followed him to the bottom - not an experience I am in any rush to repeat....

The next day, as planned we all left the campsite around 8am (minus Paul and Jenny) and headed up the tux trail to Hintertux, and weather conditions could not have been more different - a beautiful sunny day that as a skier you dream about. The feeling of skiing in what was still the summer season was great, but due to the previous days excess I had come down with a cold, and a bad one at that. I soldiered on though & we all had a great day, even Jo & Dan, who by the end of the day Dan was flying down red runs & Jo was happily plodding along at the slope near the gondola! We finished the day off with a lovely meal in Mayrhofen, with our sunburnt faces getting redder by the minute, & headed straight to bed when we got back to camp, to hopefully feel better in the morning!

The next day we left on our way to the Oktoberfest hoping to find warmer weather - oh & lots of beer.......................

Slideshow