Where to Ski And Snowboard -

Extended stay in the Montafon

12th January 2012, by Dave Watts

Powderhound Nicky Holford enjoys Tuesday in Gargellen

I had been in Schruns in Austria’s Montafon valley since Thursday night (5 Jan)
and my travelling companion Nicky and I had planned to leave and ski St Anton
with a guide on Monday morning. No chance. With all the snow that had fallen in
western Austria in the previous two weeks, both the road to St Anton and the ski
area were closed because of avalanche danger; and the railway was closed
because of a fallen tree. So we decided to stay an extra night.

By midday on Monday, the piste patrol had managed to open the upper part of
the local Hochjoch mountain and we were able to ski there for the first time on
our stay. It was all pretty bleak and cold above the treeline and off-piste was
ruled out because of the avalanche danger and lack of visibility, so we cruised the
easy blues and enjoyed a very late lunch and schnapps in the atmospheric old
wood-panelled Gasthaus Kropfen at the cable car mid-station.

Tuesday dawned cloudy once again but the news was that the road to the tiny
Gargellen ski area had at last opened after days of being closed. So we headed
there for a morning’s skiing before driving to Zurich airport to fly home. Great
move. The slopes were deserted because new week-long guests had been unable
to get in and the old guests had at last been able to leave. But the gentle blue
pistes at the top were delightful cruises when visibility allowed – the low cloud
kept moving in and out.  And the one ski route that was open offered wonderful
knee deep powder as well as a narrow strip of groomed trail – Franz Rhomberg,
the owner of the highly-rated Madrisa hotel, was our guide for the morning and
showed us the best pitches to try the powder on.

Then it was a clear drive to the airport and home. We had skied for five days
without seeing blue sky. But, as predicted by the forecast, the skies cleared after
we left and the web cams have shown brilliant sunshine for the last two days. 
Snow showers are predicted for tomorrow (Friday) and then sunshine again.
Those arriving in the Vorarlberg and Tirol at the weekend should have a
fabulous week as the avalanche risk diminishes.

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