What are people's thoughts on the upcoming ski holidays this month (Sportferien)?

Like most families with kids, we booked our ski holidays a year in advance. In fact, we have been going to the same place every February for 10 years and we book for the following year on check out. So the booking for this year was made pre-Covid.

I've been curious as to whether the ski fields would remain open and it looks like it will go ahead! Except, I don't feel particularly comfortable about going this time.

The ski fields during Sportferien are always crowded and I think this year will be no different. I called the hotel and we are unable to cancel (without paying a huge penalty) because, well, the ski fields remain open and skiing is effectively allowed (albeit not highly recommended).

What is everyone else doing for the ski holidays?

We also normally book a year up front as it's the only way of guaranteeing decent accomodation. This year we were supposed to be going to France, but they're not opening for the resorts for the entire season

We were able get a decent last minute place in Switzerland, which appears have been a cancellation from abroad I'm going to go and enjoy it and not have a care in the world about Covid!!

We have been able to pospone our booked ski hols by 3 days, to avoid the crowds for the NE long week-end and will only ski Tuesday-Friday, and see what it is like at the week-end. If too busy, we will go snow shoewing- if conditions great and not to busy, we will ski half day for 3 days. Owners happy as they can use the studio from Friday to Monday and to the change over with us.

For mid March and OH's even bigger BD- we will look for last minute offers if conditions are great- otherwise go to Spa- or perhaps combine both- loads of timeshare swap offers as foreign owners can't come.

This looks like being the best Sportferien ever for skiing (in Austria). That is unless they are forced to close the ski areas.

There are no hotels open. No tourists. Shops just opened up this week.

Downside is restaurant food is takeaway or delivery. But that works out OK.

Foreigners still aren't allowed to go skiing in Austria

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55888856
https://www.austria.info/en/service-...inter-holidays

slightly inaccurate. It is however very inconvenient for foreigners to do anything and the ski areas are not fully open, even though the snow is pretty awesome.

they are discouraging Austrian residents outside Tirol from visiting Tirol. I believe you need a clear COVID test to leave Land Tirol starting this week.

I still see cars from outside Tirol as well as Bavarian cars plus a few Swiss.

We cancelled the accommodation in Austria as unable to go and they were gracious and did not make us pay.
We rebooked to Switzerland. I do not see the resorts as a big danger area. Despite what the press is saying, with skis on and if you avoid gondolas and queuing inside and you are wearing a mask, then the risk is pretty low.
So if the resorts remain open (my understanding is that this will be announced tomorrow?) then we are going.

Really? They're going to make an announcement regarding skiing on the eve of Sportferien??

Unfortunately, in the places that we ski, there are only gondolas and the queuing areas can get pretty crowded. We will assess once we are there. If too busy, we will do snow-shoeing and build snowmen.

“Sportferien” has been going on for two weeks already and goes to end February. Every area has its own week or 2. With the absence of most foreign tourists this year the only significant crowding issues I have seen have been on fine weather weekends.

Oh and “ski fields”?

It goes on until March 7th here and I don’t think we’re the only canton with holidays until then.

We've been booked up for ages in our large apartments for the two main weeks starting this Saturday, but still have space in one studio. After that we don't yet have any bookings, so if anyone's interested we may be able to do a discount for EF members.

Ah but she/he has location Zurich. The German side doesn’t go on that late!

I took it OP was talking about cross country skiing....?

How so? They're pretty clear that skiing is only open to locals? OK, granted like many Covid restrictions it's hard to enforce, but highly likely many of those German and Swiss cars shouldn't be there.

I looked into getting an AirBnB in Austria but was told they're not allowed to rent out to foreigners.

Normally Neuchâtel is the last canton to have winter holidays but my holiday calendar shows several German cantons with their holidays going on until then.
Uri, Schwyz, Grisons and Valais.

clearly you need a place to live or stay. If you have that, you're good.

what they are looking out for and clamping down on is the lacky foreigners coming to look for work and registering a Nebenwohnsitz. Think ski teachers and the like. I think they put 100 or so into quarantine in St Anton two weeks back.

I'd call it strong discouragement. At this time, nothing is outlawed, no tests are required to go skiing.

I do have an antigen test booked for early next week so I can get a haircut

We have CH, FL, DE, NL, and UK plates in this neighbourhood. They have a legitimate right to be here, but you can't just drive across the border to ski. Most, like us, have been here since before lockdown. Working from home and skiing Avalanche level is at 3; a few inches of powder over ice, -13 at 2000M.

I have a question about Meiringen. What is the waiting time for the cable car to Hasliberg early in the morning these days? Let's say at 8 8-30 in the morning. Is it worth going there with kids or will we be spending few hours per day just to get to Hasliberg and back?

The joy of Austria continues. COVID tests are now required in Tirol to go skiing.

But due to how fab the Austrians are, it is really well organised, bookable online and free for those with a registration in Tirol.

I don't know how they are controlling this at present going up onto the slopes. But I think it's a reasonable approach.

You must have been in the wrong place. Just over the border here there were 30 to 40cm of finest powder on a good dense powder base.