11th November 2022
One of our regular readers, Kostantinos Valtadoros, has been out on the glacier slopes of Soelden in the Tirol. It’s an addiction. Plain and simple. NEW
When the first snow falls and I see the slopes in the web cams,I always head to the open Austrian glacier ski areas in the Tirol.
I can’t help myself.
Sometimes it is mid-October, sometimes the first week of November.
It doesn’t matter.
I have been doing it since 2007.
I really don’t know what it is exactly that attracts me to this situation.
Usually there are only a few slopes open, they are mainly full.
The snow conditions are not the best, and that is putting it charitably.
Soelden, Austria. Image c/o Kostantinos Valtadoros
If in 4-5 days I manage to find a couple of hours of sun, I am the happiest person in earth.
Usually I don’t.
This year it’s Soelden in November.
For me Soelden has some big advantages for autumn glacier skiing.
Its slopes are relatively gentle.
Blue, wide slopes, perfect for skiing with children or for the first turns of the season.
It is also one of the best ski resorts in Austria regarding slope preparation.
You can reach the slopes with the bus or car.
Of course, this also can be a disadvantage.
The route is a high alpine route.
Winter tyres are a must, and of course snow chains.
So, is it all worth it?
Soelden, Austria. Image c/o Kostantinos Valtadoros
Hell Yeah!
The feeling of the first turns on the snow, the views from the 3.200m, the pleasure of the first snowfalls …all these are unique.
There’s this magic moment when the legs are sore, the face, the fingers and the toes are frozen, the visibility is at zero, and you decide to go once again to the top for one decent more.
The feeling that the season is just started and the winter is coming.
For me it’s an addiction.
If you have an itch then scratch it.
Plain and simple.
Soelden, Austria. Image c/o Kostantinos Valtadoros
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This article was originally published by Planetski.eu. Read the original article here.
