Meanwhile, at any Alpine resort, happy grandparents happily plow the slopes in the company of their grandsons and granddaughters. They know: skiing is no more dangerous than a bicycle, from which you can also fall. And much cheaper than the cheapest car.
What makes mountain skiing so attractive? What makes us grab a kite and climb to the peaks, and then rush headlong down - joyful euphoria from the sun, sparkling snow, wind in the face? A thirst for thrills, a desire to test oneself, to overcome one's own fear?..
A curious explanation for the huge popularity of skiing (and now snowboarding) is offered by Montgomery Atwater in his book "Avalanche Hunters": "Man has an innate desire to slide, to slide on anything, from a frozen pond to a waxed parquet floor. Why did man develop such an instinct? Perhaps this primitive skill appeared because all other inhabitants of the jungle were faster, stronger and better adapted to the struggle? Who knows, perhaps a long board sliding on ice saved our ancestor from the fangs of a saber-toothed tiger... But whatever the reason, now, as in prehistoric times, sliding is the only thing for which man, by his physical structure, is better adapted than any other creature."
Innate desire to slide. To slip away from vulgar everyday life with its petty problems. To slip out of the bustle of big cities into a world of purity and freshness. Mountains and skis give us this happy opportunity. Then later - a bronze tan in the middle of a dreary winter. Hemoglobin and adrenaline. Pleasant fatigue from physical exertion. And apres-ski (literally "after skiing", in fact, a pastime before, after, or instead of skiing, which everyone organizes according to their imagination), promising interesting communication and new acquaintances. Skiing, among other things, is also a powerful communication phenomenon. Contrary to popular opinion, it is not an elitist hobby, but a very democratic pastime that unites a mass of very different people into one company. It doesn't matter who you are, a small clerk or the president of a big country: on the slope, as in the sauna, everyone is equal. And they tumble in the snow in exactly the same way.
For someone, a winter trip to the mountains is a matter of prestige. Go at least for this reason. But be sure to take an instructor and get on skis or on a "board". Believe me, it is never too late to do this. The mountains are waiting. The mountains know how to wait...
For a long time I wanted to gather under one cover stories about places that I know and love. Not all of them, of course - the Alpine world is too vast: hundreds of resorts, thousands of lifts, tens of thousands of kilometers of trails... The book SKI GUIDE, which was published as a special issue to the magazine "Voyage" and is offered by the Club of the newspaper "Zagranitsa", is just an invitation to this world. I hope you accept it.
In the Austrian Alps there are about 20,000 km of marked ski runs. And three and a half thousand lifts, capable of carrying several million people to the summits every hour... "Skiing is our EVERYTHING," the Austrians say proudly.
On the European map, Austria looks like a tadpole. Vienna, as befits a capital, is located in the head. The "tail" was pinched by Germany from the north, Italy and Switzerland from the south. And although mountains cover most of the territory of the Alpine Republic, its main ski centers are concentrated in this very "tail" - in Salzburgerland, Carinthia, and above all, in Tyrol.
We say "Tyrol" and mean "skiing". The name of this federal state in western Austria sounds like a password for all skiing humanity. In Tyrol, comparatively small in area (12,648 sq km), there are 120 ski areas: where else are they represented in such concentration?
Innsbruck, the capital of Tyrol, twice - in 1964 and 1976 - hosted the Winter Olympics. Of course, this is not only a sports center. Founded on the banks of the Inn (Innsbruck, in fact, means "bridge over the Inn"), at the strategic Alpine pass Brenner (1310), this city is only slightly younger than Moscow. It developed especially rapidly from the beginning of the 16th century, when Emperor Maximilian I made Innsbruck the capital of the Holy Roman Empire and the center of all European political life of that time, Albrecht Dürer immortalized the city tower in his painting, and the brothers Taxis created such a successful courier service that the word "taxi" has since become a common noun.
The famous "Golden Roof" and Hofburg Palace. Cathedral of St. James and Wilten Basilica. St. Anna's Column, erected on the occasion of the expulsion of Bavarian troops from Tyrol, and a unique Triumphal Arch, built in 1765: on one side of it, stone bas-reliefs depict joy on the occasion of the marriage of the son of Empress Maria Theresa to a Spanish infanta, on the other - grief over the sudden death of Emperor Francis I in the midst of wedding celebrations. All this, as they say, reminds of the rich history of Innsbruck.
Today the capital of Tyrol is a big city with a population of 128,000 people, of whom almost 20,000 are students. The first university here, by the way, was opened back in 1669. About five million tourists from all over the world visit Innsbruck every year. Mountaineering Museum and "Swarovski Crystal Worlds". The highest European zoo Alpenzoo and a casino in the Hilton hotel with monumental wall painting by the artist Max Weiler. Charming Old Town, hundreds of shops and restaurants... In short, there is something to see and do if you take a day off from skiing. But honestly, excursions almost never work out for me personally.
Who has time for museums or shopping when Innsbruck's Olympic World has six independent ski areas, including the Stubai Glacier? 130 km of marked slopes require at least five days even for a superficial introduction. You can get around the region on special ski buses, and the Club Innsbruck Card gives you free access to them. From the city center to the nearest lift is a ten-minute drive, and to the glacier – thirty to forty minutes.
The Tyrolean capital lies at 575 meters above sea level. Along the northern side of the spacious valley stretches a powerful mountain ridge with rocky peaks; Hafelekar (2,334) rises directly above the city. Here lies the small Nordpark, which attracts experienced skiers and boarders with its off-piste opportunities. Two sections of an old funicular carry you up from the outskirts; two chairlifts operate at the top. From the middle station, Seegrube (1,905), a pleasant red intermediate run leads down; at the summit is an expert skiing zone. Innsbruck, like an architectural model, lies beneath your feet; opposite you can clearly see the slopes of Patscherkofel (2,247), the Stubaital valley stretching south, and to the right – Mutterer Alm and Axamer Lizum.
Patscherkofel above Igls, the resort suburb of Innsbruck, has 12 km of slopes. The long, scenic forest run is ideal for beginners and intermediates. Even the route marked with a dotted line from the bare summit can hardly be called difficult. The red sports trail Olympiabfahrt (4.7 km long; FIS-certified) often hosts prestigious competitions and Alpine Ski World Cup events. At the 1976 Olympics, the legendary Franz Klammer won the downhill here.
Axamer Lizum is a twenty-minute drive from Innsbruck. From the summit of HoadI (2,343), which can be reached by a funicular railway or two chairlifts, a beautiful trail called Olympia Damen runs under a sheer rock face. It is marked blue on the maps, but in its middle section it could just as well be red: in any case, you can pick up a fair amount of speed here. On the opposite slope there is a black run for advanced skiers; another black trail starts from Pleisen (2,236) and leads into a dead end, to Axams, from which you have to get out by bus or taxi.
In the 2003–2004 season, the long-awaited event will finally take place: Axamer Lizum will merge with Mutterer Alm. To this end, a new gondola lift and several high-speed chairlifts are being built on Priemeskopfl (1,807) and Birgitzkopfl (2,098). This will create the largest ski area in Innsbruck's Olympic World: the total length of slopes will be about 60 km.
Stubaital deserves special attention. Seventy peaks in the depths of this valley rise above 3,000 meters. At its entrance lies the resort town of Fulpmes with its "home" ski area Schlik 2000 – small but very charming. Two gondola sections, a 4-chairlift to 2,220 m, and several T-bars. 18 km of slopes (more than half are "blue" training runs) plus 4 km of off-piste on the western slopes. There is also a snowboard park, small and cozy.
Further into the valley, we come to Neustift. The hotels and guesthouses of this resort can accommodate 6,500 guests at a time, primarily those who prefer the Stubai Glacier to all other ski areas around Innsbruck. It is just over 15 km from here.
Two cable cars start in parallel from 1,750 m. One takes you to Gamsgarten (2,620), the other to Eisgrat (2,900). The highest point you can reach is Wildspitz, 3,215 meters above sea level. Three 6-chairlifts of the latest generation, one 4-chairlift, three double chairlifts, and nine T-bars operate on the glacier. There are 23 slopes totaling 53 km – for every taste and every level, from beginners to experts. A "ski carousel" around Schaufelspitze (3,333) and a superb 10-kilometer off-piste descent Wilde Grub’n all the way to the valley. A cross-country skiing track at 2,600 m, a fun park at 3,000 m: half-pipe, tables, jumps... A ski school and ski kindergarten Ski Club Micky Maus. Several mountain restaurants, the highest of which, Die Jochdohle, sits at 3,150 m, and several après-ski bars... And a stunning view of the entire Austrian Alps.
But the main thing here is the opportunity for year-round skiing. In summer 2003, a one-day lift pass for the glacier cost 25.70 and a six-day pass 116.90 euros. So if you are going to Innsbruck in July or August, bring your skis – they will come in handy.