Top 10 Reasons to Ski Austria

A number of key elements determine the cost of a winter vacation: transportation (usually air plus a ground transfer), accommodation, meals, lift ticket, local taxes and tips, and, for many skiers, equipment rental and ski instruction. It takes careful unwrapping of the package to find that an American package just doesn't contain the same things a European package does.

For someone on or close to the East Coast, a trip to an Austrian ski resort could be between $100 and $300 less than a trip in a Western ski resort. With lift tickets, transfers, food, taxes and tips factored in, a skier who lives on the West Coast will find that a one-week ski vacation in Austria costs about the same as an equivalent ski trip to a resort in the Rockies.

Click here for 2003 trip prices to Austria

Temperature and Climate

Europeans listen with great curiosity to tales of sub-zero, wild-wind-chill skiing in North America, because the experience is strange and exotic to them. Daytime temperatures in the Alps average in the low to middle 20s (Fahrenheit) above zero even in January. Strong winds don’t last long; they are usually harbingers of a major snowfall. If you want proof of the mild weather, look at the sleek European ski fashions that do without all the thick insulation. For detailed information check our on-line snow report.

Vertical Drop

What matters to a skier is vertical drop, the difference in altitude between the highest lift-served point and the end of the ski run, in Austria usually the village. Big verticals mean long runs and uncrowded lifts. A few figures say it best:

Innsbruck:

Elevation of Resort: 1,897 ft./575 m

Highest Liftserved Point: 7,444 ft/2255 m Vertical Drop: 5,547 ft./1680 m

St. Anton:

Elevation of Resort: 4,303 ft./1304 m

Highest Liftserved Point: 9,273 ft./2811 m Vertical Drop: 4,970 ft/1507 m

Sölden:

Elevation of Resort: 4,544 ft./1,376 m

Highest Liftserved Point: 10,725 ft./3,250 m

Vertical Drop: 6,181 ft./1,874 m

Austrian Resorts

Austrian mountain resorts not only meet the best standards in the U.S., but often exceed them in value and service. Most of the four- or five-star hotels in Austria have their own indoor swimming pools, saunas or whirlpools. Phones and televisions are a fixture in each room, and you will usually be able to pick up CNN and/or other English language stations. As is the Austrian way, service and gratuities are always included. You can ski right into the village, and the lifts are usually within easy walking distance to your hotel. Beautiful, picturesque hotels, with fluffy down comforters and cozy rooms, await you. Along with a hot spicy 'Gluehwein' or 'Schnaps,' of course!

Austrian Ski Instruction

Besides its ski resorts, Austria is world famous for its ski-schools and instructors like the legendary Hannes Schneider. He and others have founded ski-schools at home as well as in the United States and in Canada. Ski lessons in English are available from some of Austria's most talented ski instructors. Creating runs for every level skier and making sure that visitors can navigate through the terrain they want to ski is top priority in Austria. That means extreme skiers and beginners alike will find their place on all mountains, with a variety runs to help everyone reach their peak.

Perfect Snow

Though the slopes aren't gusty and bitterly cold, the Austrian Alps are blessed with a long and lavish snow season. The snow on the ground is generally powdery and fluffy well into spring. Packed powder prevails on the groomed runs, deep powder off-piste. The Austria Snow Report gives you the latest snow conditions at the top ski resorts in Austria, seven days a week, from mid-December to late April. The reports are updated twice each week and are reliably gathered by the Austrian Automobile Association. The number can be reached by dialing (212) 944-6880 ext. 993. View the Snow Report online.

Ski Run Marking System

Austrian ski resorts are typically nestled in valleys.The surrounding mountain tops are artfully carved with long open runs that begin above the timberline and feed into the resorts below. Generally, there are mid-run markers on all Austrian ski slopes above timberline. The color of these markers, 1 foot-diameter disks on poles, lets you know whether you are on an easy (blue), medium (red) or difficult (black) run. Edge markers, large plastic globes on high poles, tell you whether you are inside (green), on the edge (green/red) or outside (red) the run. In addition you will find orientation maps at the lift stations, numbered run designation, danger signs, rope barriers, safety nets and much more.

More than just skiing...

For non-skiers, there's plenty to do and see. Tobogganing, sleigh rides, snowshoe adventures through snowy alpine trails or ice skating are all available at most resorts. There are loads of options for trend and adventure sports like snowboarding and telemarking. Spice up your winter vacation experience with some European flavor: check out the local sights, shop in uniquely Austrian boutiques, take excursions to some of the beautiful surrounding areas and meet the international crowds that love to gather in the outdoor cafes.

Austria, the ultimate difference

Austrian ski resorts are built around villages that have been there since the Middle Ages, where the architecture and traditions of the region are integral to the daily life of the community and its visitors. Welcoming friendly faces, delicious restaurants, a sense of history and tradition are at every turn. When you slip into your skis in Austria, you are stepping into another place, another time, another culture. You can't repeat the experience anywhere else. The value of your experience is thus doubled when you ski Austria.

The Real Deal

If you're planning a winter sport vacation, do it right and make it the experience of a lifetime. Go to the birthplace of downhill skiing, where skiing was conceived and is rooted in the awesome Alpine landscape and climate and is indelible from the heart of the people. Be a part of the real experience, and take it with you.