Here is the story: Many times before travelling, you already have in mind what you are going to see. Do. Live. And experience. You might even think that you “know it all” – a classic one. Back here in my hood, Lower Austria, I pride myself on thinking I know every little ski resort by heart, having visited all of them in my almost 30 years as a skier & snowboarder (check out, for instance, my recent trip counting snowflakes at Hochkar mountain ski resort).
So what could possibly draw me out again to Stuhleck, a pretty little (family) ski resort at Semmering mountain claiming to be “near enough for each day”? I have been here many times, however the idea of hosting a small travel bloggers’ gathering high up at the mountain side did make me curious. Let’s go and check it out, I thought.
Stuhleck mountain resort: Truly “near enough” for each day on the slopes.
From Krems, it takes us about one and a half hours by car to reach Stuhleck mountain. This is an okay distance bearing in mind that we do not exactly live close to the mountains here (rather right inside a vineyard by the Danube river 😉 ). But what are we to see as we arrive?
Mh.
Or else, what are we NOT seeing as we stand in line, waiting for the lift to take us up the mountain?
SNOW. It is the beginning of March, just to tell you. Not really end of season yet.
Looking for snow: We are not easily perturbed and laugh off our initial worries about missing snow, taking funny pictures from the chair lift instead. I have never experienced such an unusually mild winter here in Austria in my whole life.
Further up, we are at last “wrapped in snow”: View over the Semmering mountain from Stuhleck ski resort.
Who says it always has to be skiing or snowboarding? The warm weather as well as the absence of strong winds make for perfect conditions for activities such as ski touring or hiking with snow shoes: Indeed, we see many people doing either thing here at Stuhleck. Cool!
Stuhleck offers beautiful, long slopes most of which are not too steep either – ideal for some good old carving fun.
If you too are faced with all those warm temperatures while skiing, I do recommend you stay in the top part of the mountain: Natural powder snow has long since retreated to altitudes such as 1.500 metres (or more) above sea level. We find the perfect snow conditions at about 1.800 metres above sea level, heading slightly further down to the so-called Panoramarestaurant W11 for lunch, where we are to meet with chef & host Fabrice. Fabrice … Maybe he is Italian? Or French? Then for sure he must be très charmant. We are about to find out: “Oui, je suis Francais!”, he welcomes us in his charming accent and smiles. We immediately warm to the good humour and great hosting skills of “Le Maître d’Yves”, a claim that is written across his apron.
Happy with the host of the house: Fabrice welcoming us to the Panoramarestaurant at Stuhleck ski resort.
The restaurant offers “snowflake” lamps, a clever piece of decoration, next to stunning 360° panorama views of the surrounding mountainside.
Food is tasty and hearty, here a nice portion of red cabbage served with venison and typical Austrian Semmelknödel dumplings …
…right at your doorstep, you can chill out in the open air (I am back next time the sun is shining!) …
… and I can’t help smile at the perfect view and day out here! Must be the fresh air, too.
Skiing (or snowboarding) is fun too … 😉
… and modern lift facilities, such as this one with its bright orange bubble, are there as a comfort for the ride up the mountain.
But that is not all yet.
If you look close enough, you will discover many a beautiful detail. Also – or especially – right in the snow!
Ice crystals for instance, taking on beautiful & bizarre forms. Trees bending to extreme wind & weather patterns. And of course my Ski Bum Badge, awarded by the App Foursquare:
Congrats! Your recent check-in at Panoramarestaurant W11 just unlocked the Ski Bum Badge, Level 2! Well thank you, free Wi-Fi during lunch! Just a quick check-in at Foursquare and off we go.).
Powder-iffic! You’ve been to 5 different ski spots! Visit 5 new slopes to unlock Level 3.
So, dear readers, if even Foursquare tells me this, I of course have to follow suit in the real world. Let’s have even more fun in the snow and on the slopes !! (The irony of our digital native generation being under a constant spell of “connected-ness” is in full swing here. Hail new media glory ..!).
If you want to look good in the snow …
… try not to fade in with the surrounding landscape …
… (or get distracted by taking pictures of beautiful snow crystals) …
… you might just be taken on camera passing while looking pretty!
Disclaimer: We have been invited by Stuhleck mountain resort to a beautiful day out in the snow – thank you very much for the warm welcome! All opinions are my own.