With their high-altitude, snowsure slopes, daily flights from Innsbruck and short transfers, Obergurgl and its neighbour Hochgurgl could hardly be better placed to provide the perfect ski holiday. And the Chalet at 11º East offers a mountain sanctuary for all – from relaxing holidaymakers to anyone seeking sanctuary from the elements.
If only Ötzi the Ice man – whose 5,000-year old remains were discovered deep-frozen in the ice high above Obergurgl almost 30 years ago – had been around more recently, unharmed by a fatal and mysterious assassin’s arrow, he could have booked into the iconic chalet for a blissful few nights away from harm, accompanied by some mouth-watering meals!
And if only this luxurious yet homely chalet had been an option as recently as May 1931, the hot-air balloonist Auguste Piccard and his assistant Paul Kipfer could have enjoyed the aftermath of their celebrated emergency landing at Gurgler Ferner Glacier in the knowledge that they too would be able to enjoy a relaxing few nights’ sleep and indulge their stress-enhanced appetites with some wonderful food.
Back then, of course, there was little tourism here, but today the ski season in the reassuringly high-altitude resort of Obergurgl-Hochgurgl lingers magnificently on. And from April 22 to 27, many of the world’s best freestyle snowboarders and skiers will meet again in the Ötztal to show off their latest tricks.
Following the success of the first “Audi Nines” in Sölden in 2018, the event is expanding to include Obergurgl-Hochgurgl, where a new set-up is being built for female athletes. The men’s contests take place on the Tiefenbach Glacier in Sölden. The highlight will be the “Public Contest Day” on the glacier on April 27.
The Audi Nines (originally known as the Nine Knights) are now in their eleventh season. The event focuses on the interaction of some of the world’s best snow athletes, snow park designers and media producers. And after heavy snowfalls in early April, all the athletes can look forward to prime conditions in the still wintry ambience of both ski areas.
Altogether eight Olympic medals, 21 world-champion titles and 39 X-Games gold medals have been collected by the participants.
The event is aimed primarily at “snowsports fun” on huge ramps and the production of first-class photos, films and stories.
Snowboard legends like Norway’s Terje Håkonsen, free-skiers like David Wise (USA) will be hoping to set new records in Sölden in the gigantic quarter pipe. And Olympic champions like Austria’s Anna Gasser and Switzerland’s Sarah Hoefflin will be looking to conquer special kickers, the Big Air Jump and Jib, and performing new tricks. A “Become a Nine” video competition will allow young riders to demonstrate their skills in Ötztal.
“We are moving approximately 120,000 cubic metres of snow on the Tiefenbach Glacier alone,” says Markus Klotz, head of the snow-grooming team of the Sölden mountain lifts. His team has the challenging mission to provide enough snow for the 70 metre-long, 40 metre-wide and 19 metre-high basic construction.
“About 50,000 cubic metres will be piled up,” says Dietmar Holzknecht, operations manager in Obergurgl. Thanks to the excellent snow conditions throughout the current season and the considerable amount of fresh snow, “building material” is available in abundance.
The mountain lift team is doing preliminary work with excavators, snow groomers and snowguns before the “Schneestern” specialists take over the final shaping.
A dramatic “night shoot” will take place in Obergurgl-Hochgurgl on Wednesday, April 24 l, when the Festkogel mountain gondola takes visitors directly to the event location – where male and female freestyle athletes will be jumping into the night sky.
If only Oetzi and Auguste had lived to witness this event – and rest their weary heads at the Chalet at 11º East https://www.thechalet.com/
For more detailed information about the Audi Nines: www.audinines.com
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