St.Anton Intermediate Skiing is expansive and enjoyable. The intermediate skier has many, many runs that they can enjoy in the St.Anton & Arlberg ski areas. St.Anton has three main ski areas – Rendl, Gampen / Kapall and Galzig, let’s explore each of these areas. Then we will look at Stuben and Lech & Zürs. Click here for an interactive ski map. For a 3D tour of the Arlberg click here.
St.Anton Intermediate Skiing – Rendl
The Rendl area is generally the quieter of the three St.Anton ski areas so good for intermediate skiing. Rendl is in the shadow in the mornings so it tends to be quite hard and icy up there early on. So maybe if the other slopes are quite busy you could head over to Rendl in the afternoon. The advantages of skiing on Rendl as well as being quieter is that it is very easy to find your way around. The main mountain restaurant on Rendl is very good with a nice sun terrace. There is also an outside panoramic bar. The runs are classified red & blue with just one, short, black run so it is a good area for the intermediate skier. All of the runs bring you back down to the area by the restaurant except for the long red (red 1) that takes you all the way down to St.Anton. This is a nice run but there are a couple of areas where it gets a little steep so you do need to take care if you are not too confident, or are a little tired after the days skiing! As you come to the bottom of this red there is a nice little restaurant / bar on your right called the Bifang Alm.
St.Anton Intermediate Skiing – Gampen & Kapall
The Gampen / Kapall ski area can be reached from both ends of the village. Either by the Nasserein Gondola or the Gampen Chairlift (next to Galzigbahn). This is quite a large ski area with many varied runs but it is used a lot by the ski schools so it can get a little busy in peak periods. Having reached the Gampen area where the main restaurant is you can then take the chairlift up to Kapall. At the top of this chairlift you have amazing views down the valley. Here you have a choice of three runs back down to Gampen – Blue (43), Red (44) & Black (42). From Gampen there are several runs that will take you back down to the village, again a mix of Blue, Red & Black. If you want to stop for a little rest and a drink there is a small bar / restaurant at the top of Kapall.
St.Anton Intermediate Skiing – Galzig
The Galzig area of St.Anton is great for intermediate skiing. It can be reached by the Galzigbahn gondola. On Galzig you will find one of the best runs for intermediate skiers in St.Anton – Blue Ostang (Blue 63). It is great for just having fun or for practicing your turns. Of course the ski schools are also aware of this so it is used a lot by them – my advice here is to get up there on the early lifts and you will get a pretty clear, nicely groomed piste that is perfect for practice for about an hour and a half.
Another great run here is Red 62, which goes from the top of Galzig down to the Tanzboden chairlift. This does not get too busy so it stays nice to ski on, the bonus being that there is rarely any queue at the Tanzboden chairlift. A great run for the intermediate skier to practice some quicker turns. Now for some advice that you really should take in. From the Galzig you can ski to the little village of St.Christoph via Blue 64 that starts behind the gondola station / restaurant. This is a nice easy little run and St.Christoph is the BEST place to go for lunch. There are many restaurants and hotels here, with the best being in my opinion the Maiensee right next to the chairlift. There is also a very nice coffee bar in the Galzig Gondola station.
You can ski all the way back down to the village from the Galzig and there are a couple of choices here. If you are a good intermediate skier then Kandahar (black 52) is a great but challenging run down to the Zammermoos chairlift where you then carry on down Blue 1 to St.Anton. For the less confident intermediate skier we would suggest that you start from the top of the Osthangbahn. Initially you follow the signs and take blue 59, which is basically a path that cuts across the side of the ski area. At the end of blue 59 you should go to the right following signs for Red 57 – after about 250 metres you again have to turn to the right – this is where you will reach a steeper section; this is also quite busy at the end of the day. Having made your way down this little section you are on a long gentle run down the “Happy Valley” (blue 55). Follow this and everybody else and you will come out at the Zammermoos chairlift, from here carry on down (blue 50) and you will end up back at the top of St.Anton village via the après ski bars.
The Albona Area
We have now told you about the three main St.Anton ski areas. At times they become quite busy so if you are a reasonable St.Anton intermediate skier and would like a great days skiing away from the crowds then you should go to the Albona area above Stuben. On Albona you will find some great runs, all of which are classified as red and are not difficult. It is rarely busy on Albona and the piste is normally in great shape. To get to Albona you should start from the top of the Osthangbahn. Then as you come down blue 63 you go to the left onto blue 59 which is just the little path across the mountain. At the end of the track you turn LEFT down blue 76. This is quite flat and then goes slightly uphill so you will need to push yourself along with your poles for a bit. Follow blue 76 keeping to the left of the Schindlergratbahn. This will bring you to the Arlenmahder chairlift.
Take this eight seat lift up and then ski down Blue 100 . This is a very nice and easy run as well as being quite long. Eventually you will come to the Alpe Rauz lift station. From here there are three choices of lift – you take the Albonabahn Gondola. Enjoy the skiing on Albona and then ski down to little and beautiful Stuben village for lunch. There are some great lunch spots and we recommend the Hotel Post or the Hotel Mondschein both of which are in the little main street.
To get back to St.Anton you need to take the two man-chair lift up from Stuben village and then ski down blue S1. This is signposted to St.Anton and will bring you out at Alpe Rauz where you take the Valfagehrbahn back up the mountain. As you come off the chairlift you ski straight on and then around to the right. This part of the slope goes down and then up, the more speed you carry downhill the less pushing you will do with you poles! However exercise caution as it is very busy and you can pick up quite a bit of speed. Keep to the left and follow blue 56 and then you come to happy Valley (blue 55). Carry on down this run, then down the valley and past the Zammermoos chairlift, now you are on blue 50 and heading back down to St.Anton, via the après ski bars of course!
Lech & Zürs
Another day out that is not beyond the confident intermediate skier is to take a trip over to Lech & Zurs, the most expensive place that you can stay in the Arlberg! The slopes are not too crowded and are easier than in St.Anton. They are also quite wide and open so good for those of you who snowboard. You can ski almost all the way to Germany and it is a great day out. To get there follow the directs for Albona / Stuben (above) but at Alpe Rauz take the Flexinbahn gondola. The views are amazing from this lift. You have to get off at the middle station of this lift. At this point you should take the Trittkopfbahn I down to Zürs village. If you take the Trittkopfbahn II up all you gain is a very busy red run back to the mid station! At the bottom station of the Flexinbahn in Zürs village you now have tow choices. If you want to ski Zürs then take the Übungshangbahn up and from there you can ski all around Zürs.
However if you want to ski in Lech then go to the roundabout next to the Flexinbahn station and there you will find a bus stop. There is a free bus to Lech every ten minutes. You can ski from Zürs to Lech but it is easier and much quicker to take the free bus. Lech & Oberlech is a very big area and great place to ski. Oberlech has some lovely places for lunch.
We think the skiing in Lech is best and the red runs above Oberlech are great fun to ski and not normally very crowded – the whole lift system including Warth & Schröcken is included in your lift pass. A few things to do and see when you are skiing in Lech: A great little bar is the Kriegeralpe located on Blue 200 – best Gluewein for miles! The fun park is underneath the Schlegelkopfbahns. There is a slalom course where you can race you mates and it has electronic timing! This is to the side of the Hinterweis T Bar next to the bottom of Blue 207. We have a couple of good recommendations for lunch in Oberlech: The Hotel Montana in Oberlech – this is owned by Patrick Ortlieb and he has his Olympic medals on display. It is in the centre of Oberlech and you will see the Olympic rings on the outside of the building. The Mohenfluh Hotel. This is located at the top of the Ubungslift T Bar above and to the right of Oberlech. The food is great – if it is sunny phone ahead and book a table on the sun terrace – it is the best place to sit!! 0043 5583 3311
When you are ready to head home you have to make your way back to Zurs. best way is to take the free bus back. Ski down to Lech village keeping to the very left of the piste. At the bottom you will be by the river and if you walk 10 metres to your left there is a bridge over it. Walk over the bridge, Raiffeisen bank will be on your right and at the main road the bus stop is to the left. From Zürs take the Trittkopf bahn I up and then at the halfway station take the Flexenbahn gondola down to Alpe Rauz. Here you take the Valfagehrbahn which gets you back up to St.Anton – last ride up on the Valfagehrbahn is 16.20 ! As you come off the chairlift you ski straight on and then around to the right. This part of the slope goes down and then up, the more speed you carry downhill the less pushing you will do with you poles! However exercise caution as it is very busy and you can pick up quite a bit of speed. Keep to the left and follow blue 56 and then you come to happy Valley (blue 55). Carry on down this run, then down the valley and past the Zammermoos chairlift, now you are on blue 50 and heading back down to St.Anton, via the après ski bars of course!