When they filmed their 1965 classic ‘Help!’ in Obertauern, the band made ski biking look easy. However, it’s anything but – even with a world record holder as your instructor
“You’ll thank me later, and with less sarcasm,” says my companion Chris, passing me my ski gloves, which had previously been strewn across the piste. Moments earlier, the local ski lift operator cheered “Bravo” over the loudspeaker as, on my fourth attempt, I managed to get off the drag lift with my ski bike without falling flat on my face.
Sitting on a beginner’s ski slope in the Austrian resort of Obertauern, I am questioning my decision to join a ski biking lesson. That said, I am under the wing of Hermann Koch, a world-record holder in the sport, with the patience of a saint.
Could it really be that hard? Sixty years ago, four likely lads from Liverpool named John, Paul, George and Ringo had a go here in Obertauern. From the grainy footage of the film Help! it seems the Fab Four were either much more accomplished than I am, or I need to hire my own stunt double.
I am a seasoned skier, but none of those skills appear to count for ski biking. Two short stubby skis take the place of conventional bike wheels, on which you slip and slide your way down the piste while hoping to stay upright. Undimmed by my personal failures, Koch encourages me to keep trying, recalling his many world records as he does.
His accolades include the fastest man to go 1km backwards on a ski-bike (in two minutes and 35 seconds), a record slalom of 1,600 ski gates on a ski bike in one hour, and the greatest distance travelled on, yes a ski bike, in 24 hours – 63.6km, with his partner Harald Brenter.
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison in Obertauern (Photo: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty)
The Beatles came to Obertauern in March 1965 to film scenes for the movie Help! During their short time in the Alps, they had a go at ski biking, curling, skiing, and Alpine culture as part of the film, whose arguably bizarre plot took the band from London to Austria and the Bahamas on a quest to help Ringo Starr escape the clutches of a sinister eastern cult and a pair of mad scientists.
Familiar faces
Hosting one of the most famous bands the world has ever known hasn’t passed Obertauern by – there are Beatles references all over town.
A silver piano sits halfway up one mountain, available to anyone who can strike up a tune; at the bottom of one of the main runs, a hulking metal sculpture of the band is a popular meeting point.
Skiers of all nationalities certainly like it and pose for photos on their way down to the lifts that connect Obertauern’s varied 100km ski area. Steve, from St Helen’s, describes it as a homecoming for him and his friends; others sing Beatles tunes as they snap a photo, before skiing off.
It is the highest resort in Austria’s SalzburgerLand (Photo: Andreas Vigl/Atomic Austria GmbH)
Seeing the smiling faces of Paul or George pop up on lamp posts or in shop windows is like being at a cheerful, snow-deep Butlins; the historical presence of the band seems to rub off on nearly everyone I see.
I’m told that the movie’s location scouts chose Obertauern due to its altitude. At more than 1,740m, its position in a bowl-shaped valley in the Lungau and Pongau regions makes it the highest resort in Austria’s SalzburgerLand.
The resort also claims to be among the snowiest in Austria, which is becoming an increasingly valuable asset. “Obertauern’s guarantee of snow is not just a marketing claim, it is a scientifically proven fact,” the tourist board boasts. It has more than 97km (60 miles) of groomed pistes, 26 lifts, and skiing to 2,313m.
Last season, snow depth was an impressive 154cm on the lower slopes in December, and 192cm on higher slopes.
The pistes are diverse enough for intermediate skiers to enjoy whizzing from one side of the valley to the other, stopping off for a “Tee mit Rum” or an Obertauern favourite, Gamsmilch – hot goats’ milk with rum and chocolate for good measure.
Black runs are dotted around the valley (Photo: rusm/Getty/iStockphoto)
Experts can have a go at the black runs dotted along the valley, including the Gamsleiten 2 which, with a 70 per cent gradient, is among the steepest in Europe.
Unsurprisingly the mantle of “snowiest ski resort in Austria” comes with lots of snow on my visit. As my group descends – this time on skis – from the runs off the 2,381m high Zehnerkarspitze peak, it begins to blow in – substantially.
We find respite from the blizzard at the rustic Achenrainhüette. Built in 1926, it is a care-free, convivial Austrian free-for-all.
The bar’s motto seems to be “serve it simple”. A trio of Austrian men get the bill for “20 beers, ham and bread”, shaking our hands vigorously while wishing us luck back out in the snow.
Obertauern has something for everyone (Photo: Supplied)
As people chat in the nooks and crannies, I ponder whether John, Paul, George and Ringo also stopped by for schnapps six decades ago.
The Beatles performed a couple of private gigs during their stay in Obertauern – John and Paul jammed at the Hotel Marietta one evening – could one of them have been here?
While many Alpine resorts now hone their offering to cater to one demographic, Obertauern – with its reliable snow, range of runs and varied après scene – can claim to have something for nearly everyone, alongside a chintzy memorial to a slice of musical history.
How to get there
Obertauern is 55 miles from Salzburg and is reached via a 90-minute bus transfer. Flights are offered by British Airways, easyJet, Ryanair, Jet2, Wizz Air and Tui.
Where to stay
Sporthotel SnowWhite has doubles from €151 (£125) B&B, snowwhite-obertauern.at
More information
Skischule Koch offers half-day ski bike lessons for £92 (skikoch.at)
For more: obertauern.com, salzburgerland.com/en