What does Mongolia have in common with Kitzbühel?
On the surface, there doesn’t appear to be many similarities. Dig a little a deeper, and well, there still aren’t really any similarities. Chalk and… Käse. So what’s the link? Well, neither Mongolia or Kitzbühel are places that are commonly described as being an ‘off-piste skiing mecca’ or a ‘freeride paradise’.
While you might not find the desolate and isolated Tavan Bogd Mountains or the Autobahn-style pistes of Kitzbühel on the bucket list of many powderhounds, Austrian-born professional skier Stephan Skrobar has extensive experience of both. And in the process, he’s clocked up more turns in deep powder than you might think.
While I can only rely on documentary evidence with regard to the snow conditions amongst the Altai Mountains of Mongolia (his expedition resulted in the quirky and off-beat short film, ‘Camels are Never Cold’), I’m lucky enough to be witnessing first-hand Stephan’s ability to sniff out snow amongst Tirol’s Kitzbüheler Alps.
Although December’s warm weather has not been kind to the snow cover across many resorts in the Alps, lower-elevation slopes in Austria have felt the effects more than most. Kitzbühel is typically considered a Schneeloch, capitalizing on weather systems that move in from the north and reliably deposit snow on its slopes.
This season, the major snow storms have favoured resorts further south, but despite this, I’m following a few turns behind Stephan, ripping turns through knee-deep powder. And it’s not for the first time today either. An hour earlier, under the summit of the Klein Retterstein, we’d skied a much longer run on a powdery north-facing slope, punctuated by trees and gullies. Local freeskier Matthias ‘Hauni’ Haunholder, who is also skiing with the group, refers to the area as ‘Little Canada’. I can see why. Although the off-piste snow cover is thin in places, what Stephan has convincingly proved is that Kitzbühel’s terrain - away from the famous Streif - is underrated.
This is basically the whole idea of the recent Kitzbühel Freeride Weeks, which were organised by Haunholder along with Matthias Mayr, another local freeskier keen to show that there’s a lot more to the famous Austrian resort than many people think. Bringing together the local freeskiing community with movie screenings, avalanche safety talks, demo days and a handful of parties, the inaugural Freeride Weeks also offered the opportunity to ski alongside pros such as Stephan Skrobar, who along with being a founding member of the Fischer freeride team also runs his own off-piste specific training programmes through Die Bergstation.
This trio of freeskiers - Matthias, Matthias and Stephan - all reckon the off-piste skiing and backcountry riding here ranks amongst the best in the Alps. Without the crowds of St Anton, or even nearby freeride-friendly Fieberbrunn, there are fresh tracks to be found long after the storm. Although we weren’t blessed with the best snow conditions, the pure enthusiasm of these guys is infectious. Having a bad day simply isn’t an option. Of course, dropping into knee deep powder, just above the world-famous Streif racecourse in the late afternoon sun, is anything but a bad day in my books!
Kitzbühel is set to open additional off-piste and touring terrain on the Bichlalm this season, served by a Snow Cat that will shuttle skiers to the top for €20. Off-piste guiding and instruction is available through specialist local ski schools including Alpin Experts and Snowsports Kitzbühel.
There's a Ski Club Leader in Kitzbühel from January until March. Pre-register to ski with a Leader or find out more about the Ski Club’s on snow Leader service.
Join the Ski Club to enjoy unlimited access to our unique and renowned Ski Club Leader service, as well as discounts with leading ski schools throughout the Alps.
While you might not find the desolate and isolated Tavan Bogd Mountains or the Autobahn-style pistes of Kitzbühel on the bucket list of many powderhounds, Austrian-born professional skier Stephan Skrobar has extensive experience of both. And in the process, he’s clocked up more turns in deep powder than you might think.
While I can only rely on documentary evidence with regard to the snow conditions amongst the Altai Mountains of Mongolia (his expedition resulted in the quirky and off-beat short film, ‘Camels are Never Cold’), I’m lucky enough to be witnessing first-hand Stephan’s ability to sniff out snow amongst Tirol’s Kitzbüheler Alps.
Although December’s warm weather has not been kind to the snow cover across many resorts in the Alps, lower-elevation slopes in Austria have felt the effects more than most. Kitzbühel is typically considered a Schneeloch, capitalizing on weather systems that move in from the north and reliably deposit snow on its slopes.
This season, the major snow storms have favoured resorts further south, but despite this, I’m following a few turns behind Stephan, ripping turns through knee-deep powder. And it’s not for the first time today either. An hour earlier, under the summit of the Klein Retterstein, we’d skied a much longer run on a powdery north-facing slope, punctuated by trees and gullies. Local freeskier Matthias ‘Hauni’ Haunholder, who is also skiing with the group, refers to the area as ‘Little Canada’. I can see why. Although the off-piste snow cover is thin in places, what Stephan has convincingly proved is that Kitzbühel’s terrain - away from the famous Streif - is underrated.
This is basically the whole idea of the recent Kitzbühel Freeride Weeks, which were organised by Haunholder along with Matthias Mayr, another local freeskier keen to show that there’s a lot more to the famous Austrian resort than many people think. Bringing together the local freeskiing community with movie screenings, avalanche safety talks, demo days and a handful of parties, the inaugural Freeride Weeks also offered the opportunity to ski alongside pros such as Stephan Skrobar, who along with being a founding member of the Fischer freeride team also runs his own off-piste specific training programmes through Die Bergstation.
This trio of freeskiers - Matthias, Matthias and Stephan - all reckon the off-piste skiing and backcountry riding here ranks amongst the best in the Alps. Without the crowds of St Anton, or even nearby freeride-friendly Fieberbrunn, there are fresh tracks to be found long after the storm. Although we weren’t blessed with the best snow conditions, the pure enthusiasm of these guys is infectious. Having a bad day simply isn’t an option. Of course, dropping into knee deep powder, just above the world-famous Streif racecourse in the late afternoon sun, is anything but a bad day in my books!
Kitzbühel is set to open additional off-piste and touring terrain on the Bichlalm this season, served by a Snow Cat that will shuttle skiers to the top for €20. Off-piste guiding and instruction is available through specialist local ski schools including Alpin Experts and Snowsports Kitzbühel.
There's a Ski Club Leader in Kitzbühel from January until March. Pre-register to ski with a Leader or find out more about the Ski Club’s on snow Leader service.
Join the Ski Club to enjoy unlimited access to our unique and renowned Ski Club Leader service, as well as discounts with leading ski schools throughout the Alps.
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