#onlyinibk: Looking for Powder Snow & Party in Innsbruck

You do have to look for it in this spring-like winter: Snow. On our first trip to Tyrol this year, it had not quite arrived yet, whereas this time, it was almost set to leave again in the 13°C sunshine we enjoyed. I am talking 13th of February here – right in the “middle of winter”, as you would say. So what is happening in the land of snow, the Austrian mountain republic?

 

“Up there at the Nordkette mountains, they will host an igloo party tonight. That’s what’s happening!”

My charming Tyrolean friend Bianca, who lives in Innsbruck, laughs while she stretches out into the pleasant, warm air on her deck terrace. So – an igloo party up at the mountainside! Sounds good right? “Ah, to be honest, I am just fed up talking about the weather. It is what it is?! Warm or cold enough for skiing it is, and the igloo party won’t melt away just yet.” She wears an irresistible grin, and we both laugh. I really enjoy spending some good old girlie time with her. A little later, we take the Hungerburgbahn mountain cable car high above the city of Innsbruck, its sprawled out houses huddling against the towering and protective mountain chain. What a beautiful sight. I am enjoying it each time I come to visit Innsbruck from the lowlands in the east of Austria.

Ankunft in Innsbruck: Gleich zu Beginn grüßt uns mal ein heftiger Föhnsturm, der durchs Inntal fegt und die Schneegrenze auf den Bergen in sichtliche Ferne rückt.

Arrival in Innsbruck: Right at the beginning, we are met by an unusually warm and strong Föhn wind howling through the Inn valley, pushing the snow even further up the mountainside. The swans in this picture seem quite chilled-out about it, though.

 

Im Anschluss an einen ersten gemütlichen Altstadtspaziergang ...

Off we go for a first walk through the old town of Innsbruck …

 

… empfiehlt sich ein Besuch in der 360°-Bar hoch über den Dächern der Stadt - mit atemberaubenden Blicken auf Berge & Stadt.

… which, as we recommend, should be followed by a visit to 360° bar offering gorgeous views across the city of Innsbruck & surroundings.

 

Des Nachts erleben wir eine für mich bisher einzigartige Iglu-Party am Berg. Zur gleichen Zeit ist Valentinstag - recht romantisch schien mir die feiernde Meute deswegen jedoch nicht unbedingt.

At nighttime, it’s igloo snow party time – whoop whoop! I have never experienced anything quite like this – and really enjoy myself.

 

Our ski resort choice for the weekend is a place named “Muttereralm”. Only 10 minutes away from the city of Innsbruck, it offers great slopes for carving & boarding!

I love my board. Seriously, I do. High up at the slopes, carving in blissful powder snow. My moments of Flow. Full of endorphins. Serotonins. Just what they are called. 😉 And once I find my perfect slope – not too steep, not too flat – then I must go sliding, carving, rushing down. I love the feeling. It is irresistible. And you?

The advantage of the Muttereralm ski resort is that it offers a couple of really long slopes that despite many visitors never seem to be crowded enough for good carving & cruising fun. All the slopes we take are marked blue or red, comfy chair lifts or cable cars taking us back up the mountain. And oooh, the food at the hut. We could not resist. Would have bought enough for cooking back home. But then the waiters came round carrying amazing Kässpätzle & Kasspressknödel  … (can you pronounce it yet? Or worse, resist them??). Nope.

Check this out. La pura vida!, no?

Hüttenleben, I LIKE !! Aufs Kalorienzählen verzichtet man beim Wintersport an der frischen Luft bewusst - das geht quasi durch. Erzähle ich mir zumindest seit meiner Jugend. :D

Hut life just how I LIKE it !! Counting calories is a total no-go in the fresh mountain air, after all we are exercising out here too. At least that’s what I keep telling myself since my teenage age 😀

 

Wenn beim Essen noch SO ein Ausblick dazukommt, dann kann es eigentlich nur mehr heißen: Herz, was willst Du mehr?

If added to the good food are mountain vistas like these, then all you got to do is to be – and stay – happy. Our tip: The food here at the Muttereralm hut is served in generous, almost large portions, making for an excellent price value relationship.

 

Die tapferen Wintersportlerinnen: Danke für die schöne Zeit bei Dir, liebe Bianca!

Two happy winter girls: Thank you for the great days in Innsbruck, dear Bianca!

 

Beim Schifahren selbst lockt der weite Blick von der Muttereralm hinein ins Inntal und über die Stadt Innsbruck.

Skiing or snowboarding, you can enjoy wonderful views from the mountainside over the entire Inn valley and the city of Innsbruck.

 

Kleine wie Große haben hier ihren Spaß, die Muttereralm ist wie ich feststelle ein ebenso beliebtes Familienschigebiet ...

Lots of families and young kiddies up here, too: Muttereralm is a good ski resort for families and beginners …

 

… gemütlich am Lift abhängen ...

… a little resting in between on the chair lift …

 

… und bei diesen typischen Genüssen aus der Region einfach zuschlagen: Leckere, deftige Kaspressknödel. Meine Augen schließen sich gerade leicht, mein Mund wird wässrig, als ich an Geruch und Geschmack des Momentes zurückdenke. Halleluja. Gutes Essen ist einfach nur … göttlich!

… and digging in the beautiful Tyrolean Kaspressknödel. My eyes shut slightly, my mouth starts watering again when I pull up the memory of that moment, the tasty cheese, the mountain air, everything … Oh eating good food is simply DIVINE!

 

So how do I get there? The best and fastest way is by train. ÖBB Austrian Railways have put together a good offer …

… that is unbeatable, really. Let me tell you this: Since I can think, our winter & ski trips would always start with and end up in long car drives to and from the destination. Now, however, the super fast ÖBB Railjet is able to do St. Pölten (Lower Austria) – Innsbruck (Tyrol) in only 03:42 hours – punctual and very, very fast. Driving, there is no way you are going to make that distance in less than four hours, let alone more economically than the train. The “SparSchiene” offer starts at only € 24,- per person! We only decided rather late on taking this trip, so it was a little more expensive for us, but nevertheless. I think I will not go back to driving to Innsbruck. The train is just so much faster, cheaper and more comfortable!

Blick in den superschnellen Railjet der ÖBB: Eine empfehlenswertere Anreise für die Strecke Wien oder Niederösterreich - Tirol habe ich nicht!

Check out the comfort of the superfast Railjet ÖBB: I do not have a better recommendation for you to cover the distance between Vienna to Innsbruck, really.

 

Bye bye liebe Berge … Ihr werdet mir fehlen. Bis zum nächsten Schi- bzw. Snowboard-Ausflug!

Bye bye dear mountains … I will miss you. See you around next time (I hope)!

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