The Snowplaza Ski Safari team went ski touring on the Kitzsteinhorn in Kaprun in Austria last week. They report back on great snow conditions on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier. This glacier offers not only wonderful wide slopes, but is also a haven for ski touring and off-piste enthusiasts. For ski touring groups there are some special extras, like a freeride area, special touring routes and information points. The team took a morning guided tour with Heli and enjoyed some outstanding ski touring.
The Snowplaza Ski Safari team met their guide Heli (Helmut) Schneider from the Alpin Skischule in Kaprun at their hotel - the Barbarahof. Although down in the valley it was grey and cloudy, after checking the webcams and seeing that it is clear above, the team set off. There are two marked trails for ski touring fans that you can do without a guide. The advantage of hiring a guide is that you can also access safely other areas and your guide will know exactly where the best snow is. For € 200 you have 3 hours of guided ski touring and groups can be up to 6 people! (I’ll let you do the maths).
Even though in tip top condition, the Ski Safari team suffered a bit and claimed they could barely put one foot in front of the other on the last stretch before reaching the top of the Kitzsteinhorn. Once at the top Heli gave them a 'high five' to congratulate them! The team took a moment to enjoy the stunning views and prepare themselves for the descent. It took some time to get used to skiing again after all that climbing, it's such a different movement but well worth the effort!
While climbing, Heli was apparently paying close attention to the snow conditions and quickly figured out where the best powder could be found. Thanks to his expert knowledge the team managed to leave their tracks in fine powder only a few meters away pack ice. Tired but very satisfied the team reached the Alpine Center and said farewell to Heli thanking him for a wonderful morning. He made them promise to return to the Kitzsteinhorn in Kaprun because there is still so much to do and explore. Of course the team said that would be no problem at all - they would love to go back!
Watch this space for the next stop on the Snowplaza Ski Safari - we hope you're enjoying the trip so far...
The Snowplaza Ski Safari team went ski touring on the Kitzsteinhorn in Kaprun in Austria last week. They report back on great snow conditions on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier. This glacier offers not only wonderful wide slopes, but is also a haven for ski touring and off-piste enthusiasts. For ski touring groups there are some special extras, like a freeride area, special touring routes and information points. The team took a morning guided tour with Heli and enjoyed some outstanding ski touring.
The Snowplaza Ski Safari team met their guide Heli (Helmut) Schneider from the Alpin Skischule in Kaprun at their hotel - the Barbarahof. Although down in the valley it was grey and cloudy, after checking the webcams and seeing that it is clear above, the team set off. There are two marked trails for ski touring fans that you can do without a guide. The advantage of hiring a guide is that you can also access safely other areas and your guide will know exactly where the best snow is. For € 200 you have 3 hours of guided ski touring and groups can be up to 6 people! (I’ll let you do the maths).
Even though in tip top condition, the Ski Safari team suffered a bit and claimed they could barely put one foot in front of the other on the last stretch before reaching the top of the Kitzsteinhorn. Once at the top Heli gave them a 'high five' to congratulate them! The team took a moment to enjoy the stunning views and prepare themselves for the descent. It took some time to get used to skiing again after all that climbing, it's such a different movement but well worth the effort!
While climbing, Heli was apparently paying close attention to the snow conditions and quickly figured out where the best powder could be found. Thanks to his expert knowledge the team managed to leave their tracks in fine powder only a few meters away pack ice. Tired but very satisfied the team reached the Alpine Center and said farewell to Heli thanking him for a wonderful morning. He made them promise to return to the Kitzsteinhorn in Kaprun because there is still so much to do and explore. Of course the team said that would be no problem at all - they would love to go back!
Watch this space for the next stop on the Snowplaza Ski Safari - we hope you're enjoying the trip so far...
Being lucky enough to have parents who were crazy about skiing, my love for the mountains started when I was 4 years old on our first family ski holiday to Austrian ski resort of Obergurl. One ski holiday a year was never enough and tears rolled down my face as I looked out the back window of the car on the drive down the valley on the way home!
