Bergsteigerdorf

Ski touring? Where? In St. Anton? No, St. Antönien is located in Prättigau, canton Graubünden or south of Montafon/Rätikon. St Antönien has been a mountaineering village of the Alpine Club since summer 2021. The characteristics of the mountaineering villages are living traditions and Alpine expertise, the location in the Alpine region, tranquillity and a harmonious townscape. You won't find the hustle and bustle of the pistes here, but you will find countless ski touring opportunities!

From the perspective of Switzerland, Germany and the western federal states of Austria, for most people the Alps and their "interesting" part in terms of skiing end with the "almost three-thousand metre" Dachstein. The areas further east are generally referred to as the eastern edge of the Alps even by experts (such as the PowderGuide community) and are wrongly considered to be insignificant in terms of skiing.

The easternmost of the Tauern valleys, the Grossarl Valley, offers a wide range of touring options and extensive terrain for a wide variety of preferences. The mountaineering village of Hüttschlag is the perfect base for an excursion. As part of our co-operation with the mountaineering villages, Sepp Kendler, ÖAV section chairman of Grossarl-Hüttschlag, presents three beautiful tours in Grossarltal.

Combining being out and about with sustainability? Especially when it comes to leisure activities, it is up to us to leave as small an ecological footprint as possible. We have collected a few suggestions for you so that your trip to the mountains has as many positive impacts on the climate, nature and people as possible:

The mountaineering villages of the Tyrolean Gail and Lesach valleys lie hidden under a thick blanket of snow. The record precipitation at the beginning of December has once again underlined the Carnic Alps' reputation as a snow-sure region. The basis for a winter full of tours has thus been laid several meters high and will continue into the spring.

In times of climate crisis and flight shame, vacations in the mountains are also being tested on one moral or climate-friendly measure or another. Well-considered concepts and approaches, such as those implemented in the mountaineering villages of the Alpine associations, not only focus on the fun factor for environmentally conscious guests, but also on nature conservation and the quality of life of the local population.

While the number of alpine skiers is stagnating or even declining in some cases, the ski touring market is growing rapidly. More and more people are seeking this special winter experience by the sweat of their brow. Even if ski touring is one of the more nature-friendly sports compared to alpine skiing - for which special infrastructure has to be built - it still has an impact on nature and the environment.