European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 24, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Number of restaurants for the population. All set against a backdrop of jagged Snow capped peaks. Like Many Alpine tourist towns Kapraun carefully cultivates its quaintness but it is not a Disney Village h la Zermatt. Despite its popularity As a tourist destination Kapraun still has a Small town feel. The Pace is slow and relaxed the people Friendly. In shops and on the Street people Greet you with grass Cott go with god and a smile. Unlike some of the More glitzy areas the mercantile spirit has not taken precedence Over hospitality. The atmosphere comes very close to embodying that untranslatable German word  Tow the kids around town on a wooden sled. Eat in some of the Many quite Little restaurants. Take quiet walks under the stars. On the other hand if rubbing elbows with the Jet set and a flashy acres ski scene Are High on your priority list Kapraun is not your kind of town. Head for St.  kit Buhel. Maybe Davos. There Are discos and a night life scene in Kapraun but they Are comparatively tame. Kapraun is go Uhlein and Irish Coffee not Champagne and cocktails. But the Alpine Village ambience is Only a sidelight to Kapraun s main drawing cards for skiers certain Snow and an amazing variety of slopes. The certain Snow is on the kit Steinhorn a 10,500-foot Mountain whose glacial snowfields Are open year round Kapraun Calls itself Quot the Village at the foot of the kit Steinhorn Quot. At some ski areas Early season bookings Are a hit or miss proposition. In fact during the last three disastrous show Winters in Europe skiing almost anytime was a shaky bet in Kapraun this was not a problem. Guests were assured of Good skiing on the kit Steinhorn even if there was no Snow in the Valley. The result was that Many tour operators last year bused skiers great distances from other areas that were dosed because of Bare slopes. Access to the kit Steinhorn Glacier is via a train or Cable car located about four Miles outside town. These link up to seven More lifts that take skiers As High As the 10,000-foot level. The skiing is fairly typical for Glacier areas Broad wide open slopes and gentle inclines. Most of the runs Are listed in the least difficult category but there Are several that Are classified As intermediate. The Only complaints might come from expert skiers who May not find the runs challenging. As with All Glacier areas the Altitude can be a problem for some people. The kit Steinhorn Glacier ski area lies Between 8,000 feet and 10,000 feet. Even if you Are in Good physical condition Altitude sickness is something to be aware of. It hit one member of our group who at first was puzzled by the symptoms. These include dizziness headache and nausea. If Altitude sickness is suspected the affected person should go Back Down the Mountain. The kit Steinhorn Glacier offers very a Good intermediate skiing and of course spectacular views of the pin Gauer Alps but in a Normal Snow Winter there is Good skiing right on the Edge of town. In fact one of the Best things about Kapraun is that it is Small enough 4,000 residents so that the slopes Are an easy walk from nearly anywhere in the Village. You can Park your car when you arrive and leave it until you depart. On one Side of town is the Mai Kogel Schaufelberg area with seven lifts and a variety of trails. On the other Side near the Tennis and Squash Hall is the Lechne Berg a Small beginner intermediate area with two lifts. If you Are a hot dog skier you will Likely want to ski at Zel am see sometime while you Are in Kapraun. Though it is Only six Miles North of Kapraun this Lakeside town of 9,000 residents is a world away in atmosphere. Not Only is it twice As big 9,000 resident sit is also faster paced. There Are More shops More hotels More people and More traffic. This is a major resort town Notan Alpine Village. Zell am see is a perennial world cup site that attracts Many Good skiers. Its 25 lifts provide Access to a collection of challenging Black runs on the 6,500-foot Schmitten Hohe. These Are slopes that no expert will get bored with. In All the three ski areas Kapraun Kurvers Galtung Zoll am Soo the Schmitten Hohe in nearby Zell am see features challenging expert runs. Kit Steinhorn Zell am see that Call themselves the Europa sport Region have More than 70 Miles of downhill ski trails served by 53 lifts. Cross country skiers can Glide along More than 110 Miles of trails including one on the kit Steinhorn Glacier. Ski buses connect Kapraun with Zell am see and the  and certain Snow if you drive from Central Germany there Are several routes to Zell am see and Kapraun. All of them Are reached by taking autobahn a-8 South from Munich Germany. 1. Take autobahn Al 2 South from Rosenheim Germany and get off at the Kofstein exit. From Kofstein take local highways 173,312,161 168 and 311 to Zell am see and Kapraun. 2. From Salzburg Austria take autobahn a-10 South to the we Fen exit. From we Fen take local highways 159 and 311 to Zell am see and Kapraun. 3. From Siersdorf Germany take local highways 306,312, and 311. There is regular train service from Munich Salzburg and Innsbruck to Zell am see. Buses leave every hour from the Zel am see train station to Kapraun. Zell am see and Kapraun have a combined capacity of More than 14,000 Beds. These Range from hotels to private rooms. The tourist office in Kapraun or Zell am see will provide assistance in finding accommodations. In addition to downhill skiing other Winter activities available in the Region include sledding swimming ice skating horseback Riding Squash and Tennis. There is a wide variety of ski passes available. All Region ski passes Cost 1,700 schillings $155 per week for adults and 1,105 schillings per week for children in season. Low season prices Are 1,420 schillings $129 and 925 schillings $84 respectively. All Region tickets Are available for Validity periods ranging from two to 21 Days. Day tickets Are also available for the individual areas. In Zell am see Day tickets Cost 315 schillings $29 for adults and 205 schillings $19 for children during the nigh season. Low season rates Are 280 schillings $25 and 185 schillings $17 respectively. Day tickets for Kapraun s kit Steinhorn Mai Skoge areas Cost 315 schillings $29 for adults and 205 schillings $19 during the High season. The Low season prices Are 300 schillings $27 and 195 schillings $18 respectively. Day tickets Good Only for Kapraun s Mai Kogel area Cost 210 schillings $19.50 for adults and 130 schillings $12 for children during High season. During the Low season the prices Are 185 schillings $17 and 120 schillings $11. From Early morning to evening buses connect Kapraun with Zell am see and the kit Steinhorn base station every hour. For More information Contact  Kapraun a-5710 Kapraun 601, Postrach 26, Tel. From Germany 0043-6547-8643 or  am see a-5700 Zell am see Brucker Bunde Strasse 1, Tel. From Germany 0043-6542-2600. , Czechoslovakia a amps map