The third annual Bytown Ski Week to St. Anton Austria is in the history books. The largest 2020 ski-week participation in the National Capital Region had sixty-three happy participants return back to Canada after a wonderful week together boarding and skiing in the majestic Austrian Alps. Many returnees from the Bytown club ski weeks of previous years joined new friends in in six days of frolicking on the mountain during the days, doing daily après-ski and sharing stories over evening multi-course meals at the Hotel Basur. Each day the daily ritual would begin over buffet breakfast by checking weather and determining where to ski from a wide array of pistes and locations that were included in our six-day pass. At the end of the day the Hotel Basur treated us to wonderful four course dinners.
While we were not blessed by the record European snowfalls of our previous week-long trips, we did enjoy the mid-week snow dump that allowed us to play in powder knee or waist high in the day following the snowfall. Wide runs, a multitude of comfortable lifts and interconnected trails that allowed us to visit several communities on skis and snowboards offered a variety of opportunities and new scenery each day. Our only distraction from a wonderful ski vacation experience was a knee injury sustained by one of our loyal ski week participants. As a very capable and safety conscious skier, it demonstrates that the injury-devil is not selective in who it attacks on the hill. We all wish Erin a speedy recovery.
A couple ideas are percolating for the Bytown Ski Club ski/snowboard week in 2021. With eyes on the last week of January and/or first week of February, before the school holiday crowds, the two locations on the short-list are Mayrhofen Austria and Morzine France (Portes du Soleil). We will be soliciting input from previous Bytown ski week participants on each of these potential locations in the not-too-distant future. Hope many of you will join this Bytown Ski Club European experience again in 2021!
Winter holiday in Austria
Thanks to tremendous interest, the trip is sold out! You can contact Touringhouse to be placed on a cancellation list.
In partnership with Touringhouse travel agency, the Bytown Ski Club is pleased to offer a week-long European ski and snowboard week trip to the massive St. Anton–Arlberg region of Austria. Timed to avoid European school breaks, the trip departs on Friday, January 24 and returns on Saturday, February 1, 2020. Based on the tremendous success of the previous two Bytown ski club weeks in Austria, Touringhouse has again put together a high quality, economical, all-inclusive package to one of the premier ski regions of the world, featuring the beautiful ski village atmosphere and hospitality of Austria.
If you have never skied in a major European resort such as St. Anton–Arlberg, you are in for a treat: the immense size of the ski terrain is beyond comprehension. With more than 300 kilometres of groomed pistes serviced by 88 state-of-the-art lifts, including several heated chairs, you could spend your entire week exploring new trails connecting five villages. The runs accommodate skiers and boarders of all abilities, with 40% beginner trails, 48% intermediate, and 12% advanced/expert. Your ski pass allows you to access all areas of the region.
Accommodations are at the family-owned Hotel Basur in Flirsch, where buffet breakfast and multi-course dinners are provided to our group throughout the week. At breakfast, join your fellow club members in forming ski groups and planning where to go, and at dinner, share your triumphs and anecdotes of the day’s events! The hotel offers free wi-fi, an in-house complimentary spa, and a hospitable pub with daily happy-hour specials. Touringhouse and Bytown trip leader Don Singer, in addition to organizing a welcome meeting on the day of arrival, promises to show anyone interested the hottest après-ski locations for a post-outing rendezvous.
Registration begins on Monday, July 29, 2019 at 8:30 am. There are single, double, twin 2-person, triple, and family rooms available, each in limited numbers. If you are traveling by yourself and wish to register for a two-person room, just let us know and Touringhouse will try to find a roommate for you. You can guarantee your spot with a $350 deposit (optional insurance is also available). The balance is due on November 20. If you are arranging your own airfare, there is a $1050 savings from the package price. There is also a discount for those born before 1955 or after 2002. Registration details and forms are available from the Touringhouse web site (see the section “Registration Information” in the sidebar).
There will be an information meeting on Wednesday, September 4, 2019 at 6:30 pm at the Nepean Sailing Club, Harbourview Room (2nd floor), Dick Bell Park, 3259 Carling Avenue, for everyone who is interested.
Summary
All-inclusive cost per person:
| Cheque | Visa or Mastercard (+3%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Double or twin double room | $3059 | $3150 |
| Triple room | $2995 | $3085 |
| Single room | $3195 | $3290 |
| Family room Two adults and two youth |
$2525 per youth |
If you are arranging your own air fare, there is a $1050 discount. If you are born before 1955 or after 2002, please inquire about additional savings.
Included
- Round-trip air fare from Ottawa to Zurich (via Toronto) on Air Canada, departing January 24 and returning on February 1, 2020
- Group return coach transportation between Zurich airport and hotel in Flirsch
- 7-nights accommodations in Hotel Basur, Flirsch, Austria
- Group orientation event on arrival in Flirsch
- Daily buffet breakfast and four-course dinner with salad bar
- 6-day all-area ski pass (306 km of pistes and 88 lifts)
- All taxes, tourist tax, coach driver tips, and service charges
- Second checked bag for transporting skis and boots included (no extra charge)
Not included
- Lunch
- travel insurance
- any associated travel document fees such as passport (must be valid for six months after date of departure)
- 5 Euro refundable deposit for ski card
Registration and trip information
Thanks to tremendous interest, the trip is sold out! You can contact Touringhouse to be placed on a cancellation list.
- Reservations for limited number of group package spots will be accepted on first-come basis starting 8:30am, Monday, July 29, 2019, by phoning Touringhouse at 613-741-2942 or submitting an application to Touringhouse Travel by mail or email attachment.
- For registration forms and additional details, see the Touringhouse ski trip web page (see the section “Registration Info” in the sidebar for registration forms).
- An initial deposit of $350 must be made by September 10, 2019, to guarantee your reservation.
- Balance of payment is due with a post-dated cheque for November 20, 2019.
- An information meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 4, 2019 at 6:30 pm at the Nepean Sailing Club, Harbourview Room (2nd floor), Dick Bell Park, 3259 Carling Avenue.
Links
Information for participants
Pre-trip meeting
There will be an information meeting on Tuesday, January 7, 2020 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm at the Ottawa Public Library, Centrepointe branch, Meeting Room 1B. Don will talk about his pre-Christmas visit to St. Anton and Touringhouse will provide your airline package. For those who cannot make it, the highlights will be sent to you before the trip departure.
Flight info
There is no advance seat selection with our group booking. Seating is done on arrival at the airport by Air Canada. The accommodations list has been submitted to Air Canada so hopefully you will be seated with your companions.
Miscellaneous
Check out the Skiline app for your phone to track your kilometres and speed while on the slopes.