KILLIAN FORDEon the slopes...
Resort of the week
EHRWALD, AUSTRIA
This hidden gem is one of four villages of what’s known as Zugspitz Arena. Ehrwald hugs Germany’s highest mountain, Zugspitze, which rises majestically from the valley floor to nearly 3,000m. The so-called arena is named for the bowl-like shape of the valley, which has towering peaks on all sides.
Ehrwald is a small village built around a large green and town square. What’s unique is how spacious the village is. The buildings rise to a maximum of three floors, with the hotels and houses sitting in big gardens. This ensures that the dramatic scenery is always within eyeshot, encouraging long lunches in the village’s superb cafes.
Skiing in the area is spread over seven areas that, unfortunately, require bus trips using an unnecessarily complicated timetable. Once you’re on the slopes you’ll find that most of the runs are pitched at intermediates, with no unwelcome surprises. Set in a gorgeous saddle on the mountain, the slopes of Ehrwalder Alm attract plenty of sun worshippers.
The village’s apres-ski is very quiet, making it ideal for families, couples and anyone else who wants to lie back in one of the Alps’ most beautiful settings.
Resort height1,000m.
Range990-2,962m.
Lifts52.
Total runs147km.
Longest runSeven kilometres.
Best runThe Sonnenlifte is a mellow, meandering, rolling blue run between trees under the dramatic cliff face of Zugspitze.
Snow parksTwo.
SeasonMid December to late March.
Snow reliability ***
Who goesLots of Dutch families and retirees. A smattering of Irish teenagers and their teachers on school ski trips.
ValueThis is a resort that caters mainly for self-drive customers who will quickly find another resort if prices are pushed. The result is some of the best-value food and drink in Austria. A great meal for two accompanied by a bottle of delicious local white wine will come in at less than €30.
Insider tipsTake an afternoon off to travel to Neuschwanstein Castle, half an hour away by bus. The castle, which has featured in everything from Chitty Chitty Bang Bangto the cover of Blur's Country HouseCD, was the template for fairy-tale castles in Disney films and theme parks.
AirportsInnsbruck, Munich and Salzburg.
Tour operatorTopflight.
Onlinezugspitzarena.com.
Snow report
Winter returned to Europe this week, with daytime highs of between minus 10 and minus 15 degrees reported in many Alpine resorts. The low temperatures gave them a chance to put the snow cannons on full blast, refreshing lower or south- facing runs in expectation of a busy Easter. Most of Austria, western Switzerland and northern Italy got up to 30cm of fresh snow last weekend.
Even this far into the season, popular Irish destinations such as Kitzbühel, St Johann and Söll, all low-lying, are still operating with ski areas fully open. The Andorran, French and Spanish Pyrenean destinations, which received light dustings, retain deep snow bases. Huge snowfalls are expected in Scandinavia this weekend.
Booking a ski holiday for Easter is always risky, but given this year’s incredible conditions, a late holiday looks like a decent gamble.
Snowforecast.com provides free forecasts for more than 2,200 resorts. Check the snow at 250 popular resorts on skiclub.co.uk or have a peek at your mountain of choice on snoweye.com.
Kitwatch
Between now and the end of the season, the snow gets increasingly slushy and muddy. Save your normal footwear by buying snowboots. The Canadian company Sorel (sorel.com) makes some of the best. Its range includes imitation trapper styles and one that looks like a welly – ideal, perhaps, for Irish festival-goers. Stockists in Ireland include Snow+Rock and Great Outdoors.
Get your skates on As the season nears an end, one-last-trip fever can set in. You could do worse than consider a short break in Norway. Trysil would be gorgeous in mid April. It’s a small forest-enclosed ski-in ski-out resort with views over Gudbrandsdalen Valley. Topflight (topflight.ie) has a four-day break from €429, staying at the four-star Radisson Blu Resort.
AOB
The Alps’ highest resort, Val Thorens, in the Three Valleys, has the unusual privilege of hosting one of France’s best restaurants, L’Oxalys (restaurant- loxalys.fr/uk). The 2,300m- high kitchen has just received its second Michelin star, and from this summer the restaurant will be running cookery classes with its head chef. As a ski resort Val Thorens stays open until mid May, so there is plenty of time left for a gastronomic post-slope treat.
Series concludes