SPARKLING SNOW

Fun on the slopes during the most beautiful time of the year

Author: Mag. Bernd Tschiltsch,

Sports scientist and editor-in-chief of sportINSIDER

For most of us ski enthusiasts, the Easter Bunny doesn't put a new pair of skis or a snowboard in our Easter baskets. Although that would actually be a good idea: the best prices in sports shops are usually around Easter, and April and May are the best time to spend on the slopes!

Even as a sports student in the 1980s, despite wearing angora underwear*, I was always freezing cold when Professor Hans Zehetmayer** sent us up the Kitzsteinhorn in the frosty month of February: at 3,000 meters, it could get pretty bit chilly. Lacking angora gloves and socks – Gore-Tex® wasn't even a thing back then – frozen fingertips and toes were more the norm than the exception. Gritting your chattering teeth and pushing through, or rather, uphill, was the motto. Later, during years as a ski and snowboard instructor in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, it certainly wasn't one of the highlights of my sporting career when we had to take our students out onto the slopes in well below-freezing temperatures. Cold, wind, and snowfall! Frozen nose and chilly cheeks – awful! But one thing struck me even back then: the Dutch don't seem to mind any of this... hmm, are we Austrians just too spoiled in this regard?

Snow and sunshine: the best combination ever! Something that the average Dutch winter visitor might not be familiar with, as they usually come to Austria during the Christmas or university holidays. "Thank goodness!" one has to say, because otherwise things might look pretty grim with the (almost) empty slopes at this time of year! The advantages of late-spring skiing are obvious: the perfectly groomed slopes freeze during the cold nights, thus offering perfect edge grip right from the early morning, before softening up a little later, leaving nothing to stand in the way of perfect spring snow fun. The wonderful texture of the spring snow is reminiscent of ball bearings, on which skis or snowboards glide smoothly downhill.

Spring skiing is, of course, very popular with children and teenagers, making it the perfect family activity at this time of year. What mom or dad – grandma, grandpa, as well – doesn't know the feeling of helplessness when the little ones stand trembling at the edge of the slope, refusing to make another turn? All too quickly, you find yourself back in your hotel room, in a ski lodge with hot chocolate and cake, or, if you're a day visitor, already on your way home. But no problem in April and May: we're already sitting on the sun terrace of the ski lodge in our T-shirts at lunchtime! The rows of deck chairs are just too tempting – we often skip our afternoon skiing and perhaps enjoy a small beer or a glass of Prosecco, while the children treat themselves to a soft drink through a straw! And on some days, the snow is a bit heavy later in the day, and there are plenty of other options until sunset; the sun terrace is just one of them. Perhaps we'd like to swap après-ski for something more sporty?

Looking for some exercise after a day on the slopes in spring? For many of us, it's a must! Down into the valley, onto the bike, or into our running shoes. Hiking is another great option! Or, if there's still plenty of snow in the valley, perhaps a snowshoe hike or a cross-country ski tour on the often perfectly groomed trails well into spring! If you'd like to try skiing below the glacier ski areas, you have the opportunity: In Obertauern or Ischgl, most ski lifts are open until the end of April. And if you want to enjoy the wonderful conditions in May, you can do so in the higher-altitude glacier ski areas until June, sometimes even July.

Table: Ski resorts in late spring

Obertauern (Salzburg) until May 1, 2022

Ischgl (Tyrol) until 1.5.22

Dachstein Glacier (Styria) until May 1, 2022

Sölden (Tyrol) until 8.5.22

Mölltal Glacier (K) until 8.5.22

Pitztal Glacier (T) until 8.5.22

Kitzsteinhorn (Sbg.) until July 19, 2022

Kaunertal Glacier (Tyrol), Stubai Glacier (Tyrol), until June 5, 2022

Hintertux Glacier (T): open all year round

*For the younger among you: In the past, ski underwear was made from the wool of the Angora rabbit.

Professor Hans Zehetmayer (1927-2016) was a brilliant ski instructor, considered by experts to be the originator/inventor of the carving ski.