The Arlberg – the best ski holiday region in the Alps?
The ski holiday resorts of St Anton, St Christoph, Stuben, Zurs and Lech go to make up the Arlberg ski region. Individually the ski holiday resorts generally offer excellent quality and variety and access famous ski areas. Collectively the resorts of the Arlberg could be reasonably rated as producing one of the best ski regions in the world but how does it compare with The 3 Valleys or Les 4 Vallees? Having skied extensively across the Alps (and beyond) I rate the Arlberg as generally the best ski region in Europe.
Stuben powder – image © ineedsnow.com
Snow – let’s start with something that goes beyond the subjective, snow fall histories. Zurs am Arlberg is rated as having the second highest snow fall accumulation of any ski region in the Alps, only beaten by the Bregenzerwald ski area of Warth-Schrocken located just in the next valley. Statistics are banded around for Stuben claiming it has the 3rd highest snow accumulation of any resort in the Alps – for anyone visiting between December and April any year they are almost certain to see near unbelievable snow depths around the village. The same can be said for Lech and St Christoph whilst the Valluga peak above St Anton ensures that the ski area is often deep in snow.
Lech am Arlberg & Arlberg gets snow – image © ineedsnow.com
Resorts – St Anton is a true alpinists resort with hard core riders and hard core après skiers, St Christoph is stylish and upmarket, Stuben is really atmospheric, Zurs is ski-in, ski-out, whilst Lech has style, fine hotels and real refinement. Amongst the resorts there is almost something for everyone
Zurs am Arlberg ski-in, ski-out luxury - image © ineedsnow.com
Ski terrain – St Anton steeps, Lech – Zurs and St Christoph intermediate cruisers or Stuben off-piste. The variety of skiing in the Arlberg is absolutely superb and really covers the entire spectrum of abilities, not all comparably sized ski regions can boast that.
St Anton steeps – image © ineedsnow.com
OK, the downsides……
Costs – the Arlberg can be more expensive than many other Austrian ski regions. That said I skied in Courchevel 1850 last year and saw lunchtime menus in mountain huts that featured dishes at over €100 and bottles of wine for €9000. We had a client contact us recently saying they bought 2 glasses of orange juice (200ml and not freshly squeezed) in 1850 for €32 – nicht gut!
Crowds – popularity leads to crowds and whilst Meribel pistes (in The 3 Valleys) can seem like Liverpool Street at 17:30, the Arlberg does have some issues with crowded pistes just above St Anton and traffic on the Lech roads. To get away from either head to Stuben.
Glacier skiing – one thing that the Arlberg does not have is glacier skiing and whilst it is not for everyone it does extend the ski season hugely. That said there are Austrian resorts that are 750m higher than Stuben that don’t come close to their snow fall levels.
Generally though I think I have to say that I have yet to find a ski region offering more than the Arlberg. I will keep skiing and looking though – feel free to add your favourite region…..
some great photos there Mattman!
Thanks John, I have also taken some shockers – digital is a great equaliser
The worst experience is looking at a stunning image on the display of the Nikon and then seeing in full size with a hand caught in the view of the fisheye lens – that really hurts. I am having to rely quite a bit on stills at the moment as the customised helmet camera fell out of the helmet on a Stuben chairlift and into the pocket of a passing skier – not at all impressed that he did not return the memory card to the lift station at least – I had some great powder runs on the card. Oh well, at least the justice is that the charger and accessories will cost that loser an absolute fortune – hopefully he will one day read this. All I needed was the memory card returned!!!!!!
Nice blog and article. I think the Arlberg is the best I have rode but the search carry on
Real cold in Arlberg in 09 with perfekt snow.
This area is definitely my favourite…the views from the Valuga station are amazing. W
This area is definitely my favourite…the views from the Valuga station are amazing. We found with a bit of planning the average ski day can be short on crowds if you use your piste map an head out early. I will return when my kids are a little older !
Hey Ben, yes the viewing platform from the Valluga 2 lift station is superb, I have been up there in high winds and it was dramatic, that is for sure. I had a meeting with Wilma from the St Anton TVB recently nad she mentioned the new Rendlbahn ski lift that is due to be developed over the summer / autumn.
Erik, thanks for your thoughts, I also got over to the Arlberg a few times this winter and scored some great conditions – this has to have been one of the very best winters on record. I will hopefully be over in St Anton on Saturday if I can organise it.
Hey Cherie, yes the top station at the Valluga is iconic and offers both great views and spectacular descents – guided only of course. There are very many other great spots for steeps in St Anton and for those in the know Stuben or the Rendl area of St Anton are the places to head after a dump of snow.