SpotCheck | St. Anton at the Arlberg

Klara and I were lucky enough to spend a weekend in St. Anton and get to the bottom of the area's legendary reputation. Our journey began in a relaxed manner by train from Innsbruck, and the Hotel Schwarzer Adler, which provided us with accommodation, was within easy walking distance of the station.

We arrived on Thursday evening and had been assigned a guide from Arlberg Guides for Friday morning to show us the area and the most exciting freeride descents. When we arrived at the office, there was a brief moment of confusion: we were standing there in our freeride outfits, with thick skis and avalanche backpacks, and George, our guide, came towards us in his ski instructor outfit with piste skis. Something didn't seem right. But the misunderstanding was quickly cleared up and George set off with a broad grin to get his freeride boots and touring skis.

As soon as that had happened, we were off - off to the lift, beacon check and straight towards the first descent. George took a quick look at our skiing technique on the piste and then headed for the Valluga run.

The “Valluga” and the “Antenne”

The Valluga runs in St. Anton are truly a jewel and are among the most spectacular and challenging freeride routes in the Alps. It begins on the Valluga, the highest peak of the Arlberg (2,811 metres), from where you can enjoy a stunning view of the surrounding peaks and the valley. To get to the Valluga North run, skiers and snowboarders first have to take the Valluga cable car. This is a cosy 6-person gondola that can only be used with skis/boards if accompanied by a guide. Luckily, we had George with us, which meant we didn't have to trudge uphill, the only alternative to get to the entrance.

The route itself is unmarked and presents a special challenge - perfect for experienced freeriders looking for an adventure. It's no wonder that many tourists book this descent as the ultimate destination of their holiday.

Conclusion

Even though après-ski is not necessarily our thing, it quickly became clear why so many people come to St. Anton for this very reason. However, we are particularly enthusiastic about the freeride potential of the area and can recommend a trip here to everyone. Apart from the routes we skied, the area offers countless other descents. The next day, we explored some of the marked ski routes. Of course, it had been a few days since the last snowfall and these were relatively well-groomed. With a little imagination, we could imagine ourselves on a powder day. The routes themselves were well thought out, offered exciting routes and were excellently signposted. 

The two days went by far too quickly and we can hardly wait to come back — maybe we'll even get to chase after George again! A big thank you to the St. Anton am Arlberg Tourist Board for the invitation and of course to George!