WHERE TO SKI?

In our ‘Insider’s Guide’ series, we will unravel the very best of St Anton, starting with where to ski. Here we unveil the Arlberg’s best ski areas, St Anton’s best slopes, and when to visit them.

Hit the Home runs first! 
Catch first-lifts, and as everyone else disappears further afield, head back towards the village on the home run. These pistes become mogul-laden ski highways later in the day, but have very different identities in the early hours.
In the morning, the 2 main home runs provide the first skiers of the day with perfectly groomed, wide, open, empty pistes, which we promise will leave you “whooping” with joy. You’ll feel like the only rider on the hill whilst you experience crispy-corduroy-perfection.
Take Red No.1 which descends back to the resort centre from the Rendl Mountain, or Blue 55 (otherwise known as ‘Happy Valley’) which meanders beautifully from the Galzigbahn top station to it’s base.
We promise that you’ll spend the rest of the day feeling smug, because whilst the rest of the resort was still asleep, you had the run of your life.

Rendl 
We like to think of the Rendl mountain as our back garden; what a luxury to be able to walk out of our cute picket fence and be on the Rendbahn in 30 seconds, or ski back through the gate directly from the above mentioned Red no.1. But that’s not the only reason we’re plugging this great ski hill; it’s generally quieter than the rest of St Anton, easily navigable, and offers a great mix of pistes for all abilities. A trip up Rendl is the perfect way to warm up for the rest of your holiday, we recommend spending half a day on this quiet hill at the start of your holiday, to warm up those ski legs.

Ski to Lech…. On a Monday! 
The Arlberg is the largest linked ski area in Austria so a week will pass by here in a flash as you explore it’s many villages.
A typical itinerary is to spend the first few days discovering St Anton’s home mountains of Gampen, Kapall, Galzig & Rendl before taking on the famous “White Ring”. This expedition is an essential part of any holiday in the Arlberg, leading mountain enthusiasts on a 22km journey to Lech, taking in the villages of Zurs, Zug and Oberlech along the way.
Our inside scoop is that crowds and lift queues later in the week can dampen the experience, so we say, go on a Monday. Not only will this allow you to experience quieter pistes, but you will also discover the whole of the Arlberg region quickly, allowing you to maximise the time you have left in the areas you decided you love!

Follow the Sun 
The weather conditions make a huge difference to your ski experience, so understanding how to follow the sun can really help you get the most out of your holiday. 
Stuben is in a hidden corner of the Arlberg offering wonderful skiing. However it’s north-facing slopes are in the shade for most of the season making the whole mountain rather chilly. If you are visiting in the colder months of December and January, wrap up warm and head over to Stuben later in the day when the snow has had the chance to soften. Or if your holiday is in the spring months, then you will catch Stuben at it’s very best, because when the rest of the resort is slushy, “Shady Stuben” is perfect!
As a contrast, Kapall is home to south facing slopes. This is ideal for sunbathing, however not idea for the snow, which faces the intense sun all day long. Therefore it’s best head up there first thing in the morning to experience it’s beautiful red and blue slopes. (And not to mention it’s stunning views down the valley!)

Don’t Ignore Zurs 
Many see Zurs as a gateway to Lech, passing through without so much as a second glance. But we urge you not to make this mistake as this little village boasts some of the quietest and widest pistes in the Arlberg. We often spend the day lapping these cruisy groomers, especially in peak weeks when St Anton is busier. To add to it’s magic, there are some very well hidden restaurants that shouldn’t be missed, notably Trittkopf BBQ-Station boasting the most incredible views, and the Trittalm Bergrestaurant hidden under Red 121 (our favourite piste in Zurs). 

These are just a few of our top-tips, but we aren’t going to give away all our secrets… What do you think? Tell us your favourite place to ski, in the comments below. 

Tune in next time, for our “An Insider’s Guide to St Anton… Where to eat?”