Using ski poles

We know they are handy for getting our of your bindings, when you press down on the latch with them, and they do a great job at slapping the snow off your ski boots. But what are they really used for ? Depending on your level of experience they may be an actual useful part of your ski equipment that will make your trip down the piste more enjoyable or they will be just some extra weight to carry around with you all day.

Another popular use for ski poles for beginners is an aid for getting back onto your feet after a fall. But did you know that they are supposed to be used for balance ? However you are not supposed to lean on them excessively, rather your balance should come from your legs and abdominal muscles. When you are skiing with poles you plant them as you are starting your turn, so called “pole planting“. You plant the pole on the side you are turning, so turning right you plant the right one. Remember to only plant one at the time ! It’s not necessary to raise your pole high in the air in order to jam it into the ground, rather simply bring it in front of you and place it into the snow. Once your pole is planted you turn or pivot around it.

To correctly use ski poles isn’t a trivial skill to learn. In fact many instructors tell beginners to practise first without them, in order to focus more on feet positions in turns.

Picking a pair ski poles

Top skiers will pay up to around €150 for a pair of good, sturdy and light poles, but you can get a pair of Scott, K2, Leki, Goode ski poles from between €30 & €80. They are made of various types of material from aluminium to graphite to carbon fibre, and depending on the material you will notice weight and sadly price. Once you have picked set of poles you will need to make sure they are the right size for you.

Nowadays “telescoping” poles are quite popular, these are poles whose height can be adjusted. This feature is handy for younger skiers who are growing fast and for those of you who are generous and would like to share your poles. One last tip for telescoping is that they can be easily packed into your luggage and take up less space.

To get the right size for your pole perform the following steps :

1. Turn your pole upside down and grab it just underneath the basket (the basket is the little plastic bit that cushions the pole to give more resistance when it hits the snow)
2. Touch the pole against the ground, holding your arm straight in front of you.
3. If your arm is parallel to the ground then you have the right sized pole. If not adjust the pole accordingly.

Picking the right sized pole is important.  If you have ones that are too long you will be pushed back on your heel during turns which will make things quite difficult for you. On the other hand if they are too small, you will be hunched over when you try to plant your poles which can lead to sore back at the end of the day.

Where is Altenmarkt im Pongau

Altenmarkt im Pongau is just under 200km from Munich, and 70km from Salzburg. It is reachable by road just off the Austrian Motorway, A10, or by train, the nearest train station is in Radstadt, just 5km away. Hotel Schartner will arrange transfer service from Salzburg airport, for just €90 one way for up to 3 people. It can be done cheaper by train, but with luggage, the language we would recommend this transfer option. Altenmarkt im Pongau is a lovely village which offers quite a big range of shops including sports shops for ski hire and a general grocery store SPAR.

A review of Hotel Schartner

Hotel Schartner [www.hotel-schartner.at] is a family run hotel, which is full of old world charm. It has been handed through the family from generation to generation, and has gone through some recent modernisation. The hotels 35 rooms have been individually decorated with the personal touch of Mrs. Christina Schartner and dinner each evening is prepared by the friendly gourmet chef, Mr. Bernhard Schartner himself. The evening meal, which was a blend of traditional Austrian food and international cuisine. Mr. Schartner incorporates many local and fresh produce in his menus.

Here are some pictures of what we enjoyed (for better pictures check out their website)


With the halbpension (half-board) offer you will be treated to some tasty delights, including a Greek food night along with evening musical entertainment. The morning breakfast is typical for Austrian hotels, with a selection of cereals, fruit juices, meats and cheeses. Save room for the pancakes, these are particularly tasty !

What else they offer

The hotel also has a spa or “wellness” area which is quite popular in the evenings to relax after a day in the mountains. Here you can dip into the jacuzzi or sweat it out in the sauna, or just relax and look out the window at the mountains. They also have a well equipped gym on the property.

They also offer wireless LAN (WLAN) throughout the property.

Ski Resorts near Altenmarkt

A free ski bus runs regularly the village to the near by ski resorts of Zauchensee, Radstadt & Flachau which are part of the SkiAmade group of resorts. We visited Zauchensee and Flachau/Flachauwinkl on our weekend trip, which are suitable for all levels of experience. Flachauwinkl is more geared towards snowboarders as they have a snowboard park with a half pipe & rails. Zauchensee has a women’s world cup run for those of you who would like to try something extra difficult. If skiing or snowboarding isn’t your thing and you want to enjoy the snow, you can always go sledding (rodeln) at the Königslehen-Rodelbahn in Radstadt, which boasts a 6.2km long piste.

Thanks to Bernhard & Christina Schartner for showing us such a warm welcome and to Christian Schartner, for being an excellent tour guide. If you do visit, let them know that you heard about them from skiing.ie.

Photos of Hotel Schartner

Here are some other photographs of the hotel :

If you want to ski early in the season, or have guaranteed snow cover even in bad years, Hintertux Glacier [www.hintertuxergletscher.at] is the place to go. This resort towers over almost every other resort in Austria with a peak of 3,250m. It’s often above the clouds, giving a great view like the one above (looking over the Schlegeis glacier on the back side of the resort). When the weather is good at Hintertux, you have many km of freshly-groomed slopes, and you can see lots of powder stashes from the lifts.

Hintertux is not a huge resort as Austrian resorts go, but it does have 86km of slopes: 23km for beginners, 47km for intermediates, and 16km for experts. Because of the wide, nicely-groomed slopes, it’s a great resort for snowboard carving and ski carving (especially early in the mornings when the pistes are not yet cut-up).

Getting to Hintertux

Hintertux is 180km from Munich, 90km from Innsbruck, and 200km from Salzburg.  Arriving at Hintertux can be difficult in bad weather, but if you plan ahead you should have no problem. Because of the high altitude, the weather is extreme during storms, so be prepared to drive in snow if you rent a car. You might need chains to get up the last 15km or so to the resort, and in bad weather they are required. Front wheel drive is much better than rear wheel drive in the snow, and 4WD is the best. Just remember, 4WD doesn’t help you when you are braking. If you don’t want to drive up, you can take a train to Mayrhofen, and then catch a bus from there.

Tips for Hintertux

If you like carving on groomed slopes, get to Hintertux early in the morning. You won’t regret it! The Apres Ski is going all day at the Sommerbergalm lodge, which is at the top of the first gondola. So if you start early and get tired out at 1 or 2pm, you can have a few drinks on the mountain while waiting for your friends who slept in. Just at the bottom of the mountain is a great Apres Ski place called Hohenhaus Tenne [www.tenne.com], where you’re sure to hear the famous song of the region. “Tux, Tux, Hintertux!” Along the road leading up the Zillertal valley to Hintertux (which is at the end of the road), you’ll pass several discos, and you can always head down to Mayrhofen (half an hour away) for a serious night out.

One cool thing about Hintertux is the cave at the Spannagelhaus, a lodge just below the top of the Gletscherbus II Gondola. It’s great for non-skiers in your group, who can walk down from the gondola (about 10-15 minutes walking along the slope). A tour costs around 10 euro, and they are offered on the hour during the day (except around lunch time). Ask at the cashier at the bottom of the mountain for times. There’s also an Ice Palace cave at the top of Gletscherbus III, but this is only recommended for the nimble, because you are walking on corridors of slippery glacier ice the whole time.

You’ll see fantastic views and in-shape people at Hintertux. This guy is hiking up the whole mountain on telemark skis! Also, you can see T-bar lifts in the background of this photo. There are lots of them at every glacier, because they are less susceptible to wind. Snowboarders should study the Hintertux map and try to avoid these if you don’t favor T-bars. As a boarder myself, I often stay on the Gletscherbus gondolas and the Schlegeis chairlift. One last thing: be prepared for cold weather. It’s often -15C during the day if there’s a storm; for those days you will want a ski mask to protect your face from snow & wind. After a cold day like that, I recommend the tasty restaurant “Alte Hutte” in Madseit, about 5km down the road from Hintertux. The grill platter (3 types of meat, with chips and salad bar) is unbeatable.

Last but not least, I’ll leave you with the Hintertux song!

Hintertux song on YouTube

As the name suggests they offer live streaming, as well as daily highlights of the events. They even offer feeds in HD quality (1280px by 720px). The daily highlights are arranged by category and I’m sure you will be able to find your sport that you are interested in. You can visit the website yourself at www.eurovisionsports.tv/olympics

Thanks to john510 for the tip !

Dominik used his survival knowledge from his military service to keep himself warm, and he started to burn items to attract attention, like receipts and business cards. What finally worked for him, was when he burned some cash. He had €120 in his pocket and used that to get the attention of the slope cleaning crews. With temperatures at night reaching down to -18C Dominik was quite lucky to be found.

We bet it was the best €120 he ever spent ! If he had an iPhone he could have used this iPhone skiing app to keep himself warm.

The ski area of Soell (spelled with an umlaut, Söll, in German) is part of an amazing connected resort called Skiwelt [www.skiwelt.at], overlooking the majestic Wilder Kaiser mountains. Altogether, Skiwelt has 279km of pistes, with 43% beginner, 47% intermediate, and 10% expert. In the main resort area, the highest peak is Hohe Salve (1,829m). As you can see above, the view from the top is amazing! There’s a nice restaurant up there with outdoor benches and Plexiglas protection from the wind, so you can sit outside at 6,000ft and enjoy a Hefeweizen beer in the sun. Lift tickets run €39 for a day pass and €167 for a 5-day card.

You can make a day’s adventure out of traveling many km from one end of Skiwelt to the other: for example, you can reach Scheffau (pictured below).

From every part of Skiwelt, there are different, beautiful views. This photo shows some clouds in the valley, with just the mountains poking through – a common (and amazing!) weather pattern for the Alps.

Getting to Soell

Soell itself is just 110km from Munich, 80km from Innsbruck, and 130km from Salzburg. But since the resort of Skiwelt is surrounded by roads and towns, you could just as easily stay in Scheffau, Ellmau, Going, Hopfgarten, Westendorf, or Brixen im Thale. Soell and Scheffau are the closest resorts to Munich, and you can get there easily without needing to buy the Austria highway sticker or “Vignette.” In case you choose to arrive by train, you can go to one of the towns on the south side of the mountain easily, such as Hopfgarten. With a car, you’ll have greater mobility in case you want to check out other towns around the resort.

Tips for Soell and Skiwelt

For experienced skiers: do your own ski tour! Start at Soell, and take the gondola to the top of Hohe Salve for a great morning view. Then go down the steep slope on the back of Hohe Salve and turn left toward lift 7, Filzbodenbahn. From the top of that one, take a left toward Scheffau. One of the lifts at Ellmau, number 80, is actually a mountain train! Have fun exploring for the day. Just make sure to head back toward your base-town with enough time to arrive before the lifts close.

When there’s fresh snow, the best powder skiing areas of Skiwelt are found around Hohe Salve. You’ll see these areas when coming up the gondola from Soell. On the backside of Hohe Salve, toward Scheffau and Brixen, there is even more powder. For good carving, try the slopes under lifts 42 and 43.

If you need a day off from skiing (or learning), or have some non-skiers in your group, try sledding at several of the areas around Skiwelt including Soell. Sled-riding is called “Rodeln” in German; and this isn’t your grandpappy’s sled-riding, as you ride up the lift and then go on a course several km long. The best thing after all this exercise (or in between sessions!) is a “Susse Mahlzeit,” or sweet meal. Germans love to eat apple strudel, Kaiserschmarrn (a kind of chopped pancake), or Germknoedel (plum-filled, poppy-sprinkled dumpling) for lunch. Here you can see Germknoedel with vanilla sauce or melted butter!

The nightlife, to be honest, is not as hot as some other resorts like Mayrhofen, Soelden, and St. Anton. But that makes the Skiwelt region a little more family friendly. For Apres Ski, there are still several good possibilities. Both Soell and Scheffau have jumpin’ bars right near the gondola entrances, just follow the pulsing music when you arrive at the base of the mountain. Enjoy a Jagermeister, some mulled wine, or a local beer!

The most photographed sign in all of Austria’s ski areas must be this one, at Mayrhofen [winter.mayrhofner-bergbahnen.com]. It’s the entrance to Harakiri, the steepest groomed ski run in Austria at 78% grade (that’s 38 degrees!). Besides having this super steep slope, Mayrhofen has a lot of great things to offer: excellent nightlife, varied slopes, connected resorts, and good train connections. The 159km of slopes have a meager 45km for beginners, a whopping 94km for intermediates, and a respectable 20km for experts. Prices run €39.50 for a daily ticket and €166 for a 5-day pass.

You can also find places to do tandem paragliding in Mayrhofen. Just be careful on the slopes, you don’t want to be airlifted out. There’s too much fun to be had on the wide, open slopes and big-air funparks!

Getting to Mayrhofen

If you arrive by plane, you have a drive of 160km from Munich, 70km from Innsbruck, or 180km from Salzburg. There is also a good train connection to Mayrhofen. If you come by car, Mayrhofen can be a good choice if the weather is snowy – you won’t have to drive up the steep road that goes to Hintertux. But, if there isn’t enough snow on the slopes, the glacier at Hintertux is only a half hour drive away. Your ticket should be good at both resorts, just check with a ticket agent to be sure.

Tips for Mayrhofen

Where to start? You can do a ski tour going between the linked resorts, including Finkenburg and Eggalm. The 150er-Tux is a big cable car that holds 150 people at once, which is quite an experience. The top of Horbergjoch chairlift is 2500m; the snow stays more powdery and soft at that high altitude. Just be careful not to get lost

Try out a Tiroler Grostl for lunch: that’s fried potatoes and strips of ham or bacon, with a fried egg on top. It’s a favorite in the Austrian Alps, and very filling as you can imagine.

One of Mayrhofen’s strengths is the nightlife scene. There are several discos, bars, and rock clubs. There’s one basement disco near this bridge over the river:

Bigger Map
And just a bit farther down Ahornstr, this was the scene at one rock-oriented Apres Ski party,

So when your day on the pistes winds down, head into town. Take a break from Austrian food at the China-Restaurant Singapore [Scheulingstraße 371]. Check out the (smoky) Scotland Yard pub [Scheulingstraße 372], mix with some young locals, and play a game of darts. Enjoy your stay, and make sure to save enough energy for a run down the super-steep Harakiri!

At St. Anton am Arlberg [www.skiarlberg.at], you’ll find snowy pistes reaching all the way up to 2,811m. This beautiful mountain is nestled in the Alps not far from Switzerland and Italy. Great slopes and off-piste areas combine with this HUGE connected resort to give you a great ski vacation. The massive 278km of pistes are distributed well: 110km beginner, 138km intermediate, and 30km expert. For this great package you pay a bit more, as the price is €43.50 per day or €182 for a 5-day pass.

Getting to St. Anton

St. Anton am Arlberg is a bit farther to drive than many other resorts. It’s 190km from Munich, 100km from Innsbruck, and 280km from Salzburg. Note, the Munich distance is if you take A95 and then go on some smaller mountain roads; otherwise via Innsbruck it’s 260km. You can also reach St. Anton by train without problems, which would work well if you’re staying directly in town.

Tips for St. Anton

The very cool Galzigbahn is a must to ride up, it has a really neat giant-wheel-system so you don’t have to walk up the usual flights of steps to board the gondola. There is a sledding area for the non-skiers (or worn-out beginners), operating from the Gampen chairlift. Sledding is called “Rodeln” in German.

St. Anton has a lot of powder potential if there’s any fresh snow. There are good powder stashes to be found in many areas around the resort. The town of St. Anton is already at 1,304m. Due to the high altitude, the sky is very blue – so take your pocket camera along for some great shots

For Apres Ski you should try the Krazy Kanguruh, directly on slope 21. It’s a great atmosphere to have a beer or a Jagermeister, and there’s usually a lot of dancing and partying at the end of the day! At this Map below you can see the center of town, with the Galzigbahn on the left, and B&B’s, restaurants, shops, and bars sprinkled around.

Bigger Map

If you’re there on the right week, the nightlife in St. Anton is quite good. The last time I was there it was an Easter holiday weekend, and we had quite the night out. Enjoy your trip to St. Anton and tell us all about it when you’re back!

Kitzbuhel is a fantastic mountain in the Austrian Alps, surrounded by several quaint towns including Kirchberg im Tirol and Kitzbuhel itself. The resort is especially good when there’s lots of new snow, as there are many steep & deep powder stashes. Daily tickets this year are €41.50 for adults: a little steep, but often you get what you pay for in a ski resort. A 5-day pass will run you €170. Across the road from the main ski area is the 2000m high Kitzbuheler Horn, where there’s a big snowboard halfpipe. The view of the Horn from the main ski resort is fantastic!

There’s a lot of terrain at Kitzbuhel [www.bergbahn-kitzbuehel.at], 170km to be exact. It’s a good mix for beginner (72km) and intermediate (74km), with just 24km of black slopes for experts. But there’s a famous World Cup slope (Hahnenkamm), and the powder potential is great for intermediate and expert skiers alike.

Getting to Kitzbuhel

Kitzbuhel is centrally situated in Tirol: 130km from Munich, 100km from Innsbruck, and 110km from Salzburg. If you are traveling in to one of these cities by plane, it would be around 1 1/2 hours drive to the resort (depending on traffic, of course). You can also arrive to Kitzbuhel by train. This may take a bit longer than if you go by car, but could save you a lot of money if you plan to stay in the town of Kitzbuhel for your whole trip.

Tips for Kitzbuhel

As mentioned, this resort is great for powder days! Above you can see some fresh tracks just off one of the main slopes. One thing I love about Kitzbuhel is that there’s a lot of off-piste stashes, and a lot of them are right near other slopes. That way if something happens (you get stuck, lose a ski, or bang your head on a rock), you can easily get help. For the best off-piste powder, head over to the 1972m Steinbergkogel. You’ll see the powder stashes below you as you ride up lift C1 or C7. There’s another stash just below lift C2, which goes up to Ehrenbachhohe.

Another nice thing about Kitzbuhel is that many of the lifts converge on the same areas at the top or bottom. This makes for easy connections between different sections of the mountain. If you split up with your buddies so some can do groomers and others go off-piste, it’s easy to meet back at a central lodge for lunch. Here’s the view from one of the many lifts converging at Ehrenbachhohe:

If you’re at Kitzbuhel from Jan. 21-23, 2011 you can see the 71st Hahnenkamm Race. Whenever you go, enjoy your trip to Kitzbuhel!

For more take a peak at Google SlopeView where you can see all of the venues and some of the slopes.