A handful of canny chalet companies base themselves here, a minute's walk from the blue piste running past the village.
Some in Sou Piste ran to a nearby health clinic built by Partners in Health, a nongovernmental organization, to take shelter, but Ms. Millien said she was afraid of what would happen if she went outside.
The small, quiet, inexpensive resort has 13 miles of ski runs, with five ski lifts, seven good piste runs, and beginner and intermediate runs on the lower slopes; instructors; and ski rental.
There will, ultimately, be a piste running down the same slope once the exact route and funding can be agreed; but, for now, you can ski only 2km down from Schatzberg to the gondola's mid-station, and must ride the rest of the way down.
One of my favourite runs is the Satellite – an easy hike and a mellow off-piste run.
When snow conditions are safe there is an exciting 'freeride' off-piste run back down to Ramsau called the Edelgries.
HITTING THE SLOPES The resort has 171 miles of slopes, 111 miles of off-piste runs and 85 lifts.
A few winters later Powder ran a piece about another unknown ski kingdom -- a Valley Y -- where off-piste runs stretched for a vertical mile or more.
With the off-piste runs not in play, Nacho steered us toward Bonaigua, the third sector, which we hadn't yet explored.
It may entail hiking, ski touring or trying heliskiing – and comes with additional risks, since off-piste runs aren't protected from avalanches by piste patrollers.
Stubai is great for freeriding and has 15 inbound off-piste runs, known as The Powder Department, which are lift-accessed and GPS trackable.
