Snow Wonder

Publication: Irish Independent
Date: 2006-12-09
Author: Catherine Murphy

Set in the shadow of Austria’s highest peak, the romantic ski village of Zell Am See is a dream resort for keen intermediates, as Catherine Murphy discovers.

One of the pleasures of any ski holiday is stopping for a moment – perhaps on your favourite slope or on the last long run of the day – to savour the beauty of the area. In Zell Am See, the moment arrives as you’re skiing a blue run and suddenly have a clear view of the frozen lake in the valley below.

There is something romantic in the scene; images of children skating or couples walking arm in arm across the icy expanse. These days, holidaymakers are more likely to be trying their hand at cross-country skiing or ice kitting but for the romantics among us, traditional images persist.

The frozen lake is what sets Zell Am See apart from other intermediate family resorts, giving it a distinctive appeal. Adding to the scene of romance is the Grand Hotel, which sits – rather grandly as one might expect – on the lakeshore, a likely magnet for honeymooners or couples who want to tie the knot on the slopes.

The town itself is large, with a population of 10,000 people, but the centre has been cleverly pedestrianised, giving it a pleasant, civilised atmosphere that fits its medieval history.

Zell was first established by a monastic order in the eighth century, and had a considerable commercial importance in medieval times. Today, it has lakeside villas of wealthy Salzburgers. It’s also a gateway town to Austria’s highest peak the Grossglockner. Zell Am See’s other great appeal it that it is jus an hour from Salzburg, with regular trains whisking you off to café culture, Mozart concerts and boutique shopping on days that you feel like a break from the slopes.

The short distance from Salzburg is also attractive for parents who don’t want young children cooped up on coaches during long airport transfers.

Zell Am See is ideal for intermediates, who will enjoy its 75km of wooded terrain. But advanced skiers won’t be too challenged by the runs down from the Schmittenhohe or around the lovely Sonnenalm. Off-piste options are limited and the resort’s black runs would be graded moderate reds in some resorts. While the Zell has had a good snow record over the few years, it also gets a lot of sun, the downside of which is slushy conditions on many slopes in mid-March. The resort is set at just under 800metres, with the highest point on the mountain at 2,000 metres. To avoid slushy spring conditions or the busy mid-term break, go either in late January/early February or in late February/early March.Irish families report that ski tuition standards are good and there are a number of schools to choose from, so while improving intermediates hone their skills on wide open blue slopes, there are options for more experienced skiers and boarders in the family.

The obvious choice is to take the bus to the Kitzteinhorn Glacier, above Kaprun, which is covered on the same Europa Sport Region lift pass. Bus queues for the main lift up to ‘Kitz’ can be lengthy if snow conditions is surrounding resorts are not good.

At 3,000 metres, Kitzteinhorn is substantially higher than Schmittenhohe. When snow is poor elsewhere, it’s better here. The glacier is a playground for strong intermediates looking to venture into off-piste sections close to the safety of pisted runs.

Fans of steeper slopes and moguls will also find a few ski routes to keep them amused.

If you detest T-bars lifts, it might not be so much fun though. Because conditions are windier on the glacier and T-bars can be kept running in high winds, there are lots of them. You may have to miss out on certain runs if you want to stick to chair lifts.

Facilities in the Kitzteinhorn are excellent, with tasty, reasonably priced lunches served at the Big Apple restaurant and plenty of après-ski fun at the Hauslalm. Another bonus is that if you rent skis from an Intersport shop in Zell Am See, you’re allowed to return them to any Intersport branch in the area.

This works out well if you finish your week off on the Kitzteinhorn and want to get rid of your hire gear quickly before final evening of après-ski.

Another factor that saves Zell Am See from being an average intermediate destination is its proximity to other resorts. Both Kitzbühel and Saalbach are about an hour away by bus, and while neither ski area is included on the Europa Sport Region lift pass, both are well worth a visit. A day’s lift pass in Saalbach will cost you around €36 in high season.

Kitzbühel is worth a trip for non-skiers, just to see its picture postcard village centre and taste its delicious pastries. If you hire a car, you can also visit Bad Gastein, Schladming and Obertauern.

In keeping with ell Am See’s medieval town centre, the nightlife is lively but not rowdy. On the mountain, the best afternoon après-ski can be found at Schnapps Hans ice bar outside the Berghotel on Schmittenhohe. At resort level, the most popular bar is the Crazy Daisy, with three floors of music, often live. Even in low season this place gets packed. Other hotspots include Resi Bar Karambar, the Green bar and B17 an old WW2 hangar situated near the lake. Finish it all off at either Viva or Sunrise nightclub or for more civilised evening out, drop into the local wine bar or sip a cocktail in the comfortable bar of the Grand Hotel.

Another option worth considering is the all-inclusive package at the four star Waldhof hotel. At first glance, the Waldhof has one major disadvantage – an uphill walk from the resort centre and the main lift station. When snow conditions are good, you can ski from and back to the hotel (cutting out the uphill walk) but when stayed there in March this was a tricky procedure, with an off-putting icy section at the beginning and end. On the plus side, the Waldhof’s all-inclusive package offers free wine and beer until midnight and the standard of four-course meals is good, in a package holiday sort of way. The hotel also has an outdoor swimming pool, and if the 15 minute uphill walk from the station is too much for you after a day’s skiing, buses pass by regularly or you can gladly fork out €5 for the short taxi ride.

Because Zell Am See is a relatively large town, there are plenty of things for non-skiers to do. A museum in the centre of town charts the history of the area and there are dozens of shops and cafes. There’s also a large leisure complex with an indoor swimming pool. Or you could simply take the gondola up the mountain in search of those lovely lake views.

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