I may possibly be joining some friends for a few days in St Anton, I am a pretty poor intermediate skier, only ski'd about 8 days in last 15 years! They are all good intermediates or experts.
Was slightly intimidated reading the general descriptions of the St Anton ski area, I was wondering if there are plenty of blues and fairly tame reds for me to cruise on? Also what is the bus service like to Zurs and Lech? I have heard its a bit hit and miss? I think Zurs and Lech may offer me more but don't want to be waiting for busses or having to be careful with timings and busses, is the service fast and easy to use or would I have to plan a bit more and be aware of the timetable?
An initial glance looks like the area down to St Christophe and Stuben would be my best bet?
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
DRHOSKING, You'll be fine. Piste skiing in St Anton is just normal stuff like anywhere. It's the off-piste which is 'gnarly'
The bus to Lech/Zurs is good - there's a free one, but I prefer the postbus for 4€ ish which seems less busy
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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An initial glance looks like the area down to St Christophe and Stuben would be my best bet?
I'd agree with this. Get yourself down to Rauz to get the bus to Zurs and Lech (much easier slopes than St Anton). I'd also recommend downloading via the Galzigbahn at the end of the day as the blue home run into town is like a icy motorway from about 3.30 onwards.
It very much depends on the conditions. Some of the slopes do seem steeper than similarly graded ones elsewhere to me, but this is not the main issue. Grooming is certainly better elsewhere, and if snow is not great the whole mountain can be covered in moguls within a few hours. But the main thing I struggled with is the crowds, especially on the main home runs. If you are confident on a busy piste you will probably enjoy it.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
I would echo the comment about heading to Lech or Zurs. Virtually all the easier blues & reds at StA get quite crowded, so whilst not that steep, you need to be comfortable skiing in close quarters to lots of other skiers.
The run down to St Christoph (# 8 ) is relatively easy first thing in the morning, but there are some narrow sections that bump up quickly. Worth doing, but do it early. Ditto on the run down Valfagehr and thence onto Alpe Rauz (& free blue bus to Lech/Zurs), or Stuben. But do it early. Most of the reds off Albona II in Stuben are probably mostly within your scope, but each has one or more steep pitches, albeit not that long.
Zurs, especially on the Hexaboden side, has plenty of cruisey runs. The Seekopf side is a bit like Stuben in that it has plenty of red/blue runs, but virtually all have a steep pitch somewhere on them. The two that don't, require a longish tuck to avoid walking.
Lech is home to largely blue, and some red, cruisers.
Last edited by So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much on Tue 24-12-13 14:16; edited 1 time in total
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Thanks for the replies so far, I have a bit more confidence that there will be plenty for me to do, plus the runs in Lech / Zurs sound promising. Lots have mentioned how busy it gets and runs becoming cut up and bumpy in the afternoon, is this the case all season? Will probably be travelling first week in February, so would hope it to be not so packed as other periods?
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Lots have mentioned how busy it gets and runs becoming cut up and bumpy in the afternoon, is this the case all season?
It's just a busy place. More traffic = more moguls.
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Will probably be travelling first week in February, so would hope it to be not so packed as other periods?
Don't bet on it.....St Anton is always packed! I'm going again in 18 days and fully anticipate it to be heaving.
It is right up there with Val D'Isere for number of 'undergraded' pistes, so you should feel righteous with whatever slopes you ski. No doubt whatever resort you visit next will feel easy peasy after the Arlberg. Enjoy it.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
February is busy. Period.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
I went to St Anton at half term a couple of years ago and tbh I didn't find it, apart from a couple of bottlenecks and the home run, particularly busy for that time of year. I also wouldn't consider the pistes to be undergraded, but then apart from a couple of exceptions I wouldn't Val D'Isere either. It was pretty mogully and busy on the home runs though.
This was my daughter skiing down to Nasserein, it looks steep in places but this runs a mixture of red and black I think.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Another shout for Rendl. It is a decent area, that's where we headed some times with my group last year. It had enough for the beginner/intermediates to be happy, but also for the more advanced of us there was a lovely pisted black run, a timed slalom course on a red, a nice few cruisey blues, a speed gun, plus a fairly decent snow park. Also a very nice outside cafe for a beer while watching the park.
The beginners of our group ended up doing 3 or 4 days out of 7 up there. I and others got a little bored of it before then and shot off to do other stuff, but they were really happy up there so it worked well for us as we could have two or three distinct groups of abilities.
The red run back from Rendl into resort is long and very nice, it cuts through the trees all the way. All of our lot managed it so you shouldn't have any troubles.
But there's plenty of other runs around St. Anton that are fine for beginner/intermediates. The black runs are predominantly all pisted, one of our second weekers did a few of those with us (albeit fairy slowly!)
DRHOSKING, hi I'm in st Anton now Christmas week, I've never got out of the nervous stage, but can manage
Most slopes, nothing had fazed me so far, we've covered a lot of ground just one or two steepish sections and it's very
quiet! Rendl is good the slopes were empty! same as anywhere else really, the home runs get mogully at the end of the day
but I haven't come across anything scary, it's a nice place with very long runs thoroughly enjoying it, have fun
Any of the black runs. Similar diffuculty to blues, but far less crowded
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
peanuthead, agree with you. Always pick the blacks over the reds!
After all it is free
After all it is free
If you can hit either of the main blacks in St Anton; Kandahar Galzig or Fang, freshly pisted (ie very early, one of the first down), then they would be great fun (steep, smooth and empty), leave it to later in the day and the build up of moguls would leave anyone lacking in the necessary confidence and fitness pretty uncomfortable.
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Poster: A snowHead
