 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
I am on a trip to St Anton with a group. Everyone in that group has skied for 20+ years. I have skied for 3 years. Although I am completely up for pushing myself to do harder runs, I don't want to end up stuck on the mountain having attempted to tackle something far too hard. The tendency of my group is to say "don't worry, you'll be fine" the trouble is when I am not fine, there is no one to be seen!
So I was hoping you can help. Please can you share your knowledge of on-piste runs in St Anton that you know to be very difficult. For example steep mogulled runs, are very difficult for me! Very steep narrow runs are also very difficult.
Really hoping that you guys can assist.
Thanks,
R
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@rossyl, Do you mean 3 weeks instead of 3 years?
If so get some lessons - you still have LOTS to learn, and you'll also learn which slopes in the Arlberg are suitable for you.
Hard to suggests slopes without really knowing your ability, however while many of the pistes in the Arlberg do get chopped up and mogulled (lessons will teach you to enjoy this!), there aren't really any that are particularly challenging compared to other resorts.
I guess just avoid black runs... Though probably the most well known black run in St Anton is Kandahar, which while usually mogulled, is pretty wide and not that steep.
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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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Black nr 2., in the afternoon all bumps
Take your group to Lech, you will like it more than St.Anton! 
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I've not skied St A but have a group of 30 mates that skied it in 2014. Most of them are about your standard and they all felt it was a tad on the tough side compared with 3V's. St Christophe is just around the corner and has better skiing for you. no doubt St A will have a good selection for you to handle, i think it was just the runs back to town that are tricky especially late on when they're a bit choppy. Get another lesson as clarky999 suggests 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Depends what's been bashed, and what traffic has been like during the day. 2 from Galzig has a couple of steep sections, as does 22 from Gampen, but they're both wide enough to traverse. 24 to Nasserein can be tricky when icy, and S3 in Stuben often surprises intermediates. 35/25 from Kapall is probably your longest single challenge. Having said all that, very often the trickiest run is Blue 1 when the world and his wife is trying to make it to MW/KK/Taps for happy hour.
Last edited by Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do. on Mon 4-01-16 15:08; edited 1 time in total
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P.S great apres though!!
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Thanks very much guys. Any further information would be greatly received.
I think a trip to Lech would be a very good idea.
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@rossyl, Lech is generally a smoother ride than St Anton (the clientele like it well groomed so they don't crease their Kjus), great for building confidence.
Last edited by After all it is free  on Mon 4-01-16 15:14; edited 1 time in total
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I recall that one run is a mass mogul field and fairly steep, any ideas?
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@rossyl, I'd agree with "get some lessons" but would add "get a better set of mates to ski with". Yours sound like knobs. I've skied a lot with groups with different ability. Sometimes I'm the strongest, sometimes the weakest. A strong skier should act as sweeper.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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St. Anton is a bit weird IMO as generally the blues would be red in other resorts, some reds blacks maybe but no genuine black pistes. In the wrong conditions the 'happy valley' (a blue) can be perilous. All talk of piste grading can be a bit pointless IME though as it's always conditions dependant.
Don't bow to peer pressure, exceeding your ability can spoil a days skiing or worse you could hurt yourself. I find St. Anton has more than it's fair share of out of their depth skiers, perhaps as the resort has a bit of a rep for being difficult?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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It really does depend on the time of day and conditions. I seem to remember Rendl being quite relaxing skiiing with a fair few easier runs. Just remember that a run that may seem easy in the morning, an hour after grooming and a bit of softening up may well be cut up, rough and icy in the last hour. I seem to remember a really long, easy run down towards Stuben which is a great confidence builder.
Lech and Zurs are certainly more suited to those who want the slopes to flatter their skiing. St Anton is a resort famed for it's macho skiers though so don't succumb to peer pressure and push yourself out of your comfort zone. The most dangerous part of the resort is the post Apre ski down from the Moose.
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to echo @pam w's rather blunt point, your mates need to organise a bit better. Large group I go with each year always nominated a guide and a sweeper for the day, we don't move off until the sweeper confirms all present and correct. We'll split into 2 groups if some fancy going faster/slower than the general group.
I'll also hazard a guess that you end up more knackered each day because by the time you catch up they all immediately move off again.
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You know it makes sense.
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@pam w  I cannot change them....this is a "group" that I married in to, hence it is not so much bowing to peer pressure instead relenting to the demands of in-laws!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Happy Valley is usually the most miserable experience in the afternoon regardless of experience.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@rossyl, Being pushed beyond your limits will often improve you as a skier but it's much better being in this environment with a professional who should judge your ability and plan accordingly.
I've been on plenty of lads trips when I was younger and of course there's a certain amount of bravado in a mixed group of abilities but ultimately we always went at the speed of the slowest, with planning it's easy for a group to split up for a run or two and reconvene after some doing a more difficult run while others take another route if not up to it.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@gazzaredcruiser, St.Christoph (no e!) has just one blue piste, nr.8.
As you have never been to St.Anton, why are you joining this discussionthread?
Last edited by Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person on Mon 4-01-16 17:34; edited 1 time in total
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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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As some others have said, head on over to Lech-Zurs. It is much more civilized than Stanton and thankfully far less full of idiots trying to pretend they are racers. Leave your group to do their thing if they want, but I wouldn't mind betting if you feel this way there may well be others who would welcome the opportunity to try something less demanding. NO ONE should EVER let their so called mates take them out of their depth. It's asking for trouble. Good luck
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@Dave of the Marmottes, tru dat. If it's looking too rough take the short Mattun lift up to Gampen and go down from there.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Toughest will be the run to the village when you come out of the Mooserwirt
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NO ONE should EVER let their so called mates take them out of their depth.
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^This. If you think it's too tough and you don't fancy it just say so and go and do something you feel happier with.
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I skiied St Anton as my 3rd & 4th week on snow. My mate went blind at the top of Kandahar (don't ask!) but we got him down. I always hated the 'Happy Valley' back into town at the end of the afternoon with tired legs. Not sure if that's its real name.
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I don't know why everyone seems to have problems with Happy Valley ( real name Steißbachtal ). I always try to do this very late so the masses are already down at Mooserwirt and it's a real pleasure to cruise down. Failing that just stick to the sides where the mass of people are not and you'll be fine.
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Fine with it now Still don't enjoy it too much on big fat skis after a day off piste though.
When I first went it was late in the season, slushy and busy. If you're not happy turning sharply there is nowhere to go but left down towards the stream if you mess it up. Always dreaded it.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@rossyl, can't you take yourself off next time and do a week in ski lessons?
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@rossyl, certainly at the start of the week avoid:
- any of the itinerary runs.
- Kandahar Galzig (Black 2) gets moguls quickly and you are likely to lose your rhythm and get stuck unable to turn.
- Fang (Black 25) moguls, see above.
- Gampberg Direkt (Black R2a) - can be very fast and you could lose control.
Get into trouble on any of these early and it can damage your confidence for the whole week.
Of course a huge amount depends on the conditions, but that should give you an idea of where to aim away from.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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A number of runs in St Anton are groomed very rarely, if ever, and become seriously mogulled. These runs are described as 'itineraries' on the piste map and are shown with a dashed line.
What's unusual here is that some of these itineraries are shown as red (possibly even blue) on the piste map and aren't clearly identified on the mountain. In most other resorts, itineraries are either marked as black or given a separate yellow colour and are clearly marked as Scary on the hill.
For anyone up for a bump extravaganza, the itineraries have some of St Anton's finest skiing. In fact, your mates might head straight for them and ski down at speed, whooping with excitement and taking air at every opportunity. Without wanting to ne rude, with three weeks skiing under your belt, you would probably collapse into a blubbering heap and start calling for your mummy.
Read the piste map, memorise the names/numbers of the iteneraries and Do Not Follow your mates when they go that way.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@Jonny Jones, 15a, for instance. An acquaintance once ignored my advice to avoid it, met him (much) later and he was your aforementioned gibbering wreck.
Remember many St Anton runs have no chicken runs, once you're on you're on.
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Mon 4-01-16 18:10; edited 1 time in total
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@rossyl, when you say you are "on a trip" ar you here already, or is the trip in the future? But of a difference as at the moment there are still a number of pistes closed (some of which have already been mentioned) and some marked differently to on the piste map (eg the black 25 that is currently showing as open isn't actually the black 25 on the piste map, it's mostly blue 24).
The itineraries mentioned above (none of which are currently officially open, although people are skiing them) are actually marked differently on the piste map and on the mountain. On the piste map they are dotted lines with diamonds, on the mountain the marker poles have diamonds on them and are in the middle of the 'run'. They do however sometimes re-grade some runs due to conditions, eg week before Christmas the blue run on the piste map from Rufikopf in Lech towards Zürs was actually marked out as an itinerary on the mountain (not sure what the current state of play is, not skied there for a bit) and towards the end of season, Happy Valley/Steissbachtal/blue 4 is sometimes changed to an itinerary after slides from the valley sides cross the pistes.
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You know it makes sense.
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Thank you everyone for the advice.
@nozawaonsen, @Jonny Jones, @Sitter, thanks very much for the information and the explanation of the itienraries.
I am not there yet, but will be in a few weeks.
@pam w, I really wanted to this year. Unfortunately I had no days left of holiday. Otherwise I had planned to go with the InsideOut guys. Bit gutted about it. This year is already looking similar. 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Sitter wrote: |
| The itineraries mentioned above (none of which are currently officially open, although people are skiing them) are actually marked differently on the piste map and on the mountain. On the piste map they are dotted lines with diamonds, on the mountain the marker poles have diamonds on them and are in the middle of the 'run'. They do however sometimes re-grade some runs due to conditions, eg week before Christmas the blue run on the piste map from Rufikopf in Lech towards Zürs was actually marked out as an itinerary on the mountain (not sure what the current state of play is, not skied there for a bit) and towards the end of season, Happy Valley/Steissbachtal/blue 4 is sometimes changed to an itinerary after slides from the valley sides cross the pistes. |
As I'm heading out to Lech next week I was reading this with interest, the above arrangements are very unhelpful to the average punter who might get caught up in the uncertainty of these itineraries
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Poster: A snowHead
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@stevew, despite what @Sitter says, it's very easy to mistake an itinerary for a regular run when you're on the hill. Unfortunately, once you're at the point of no return there's no mistaking them!
I'm the kind of skier who actively seeks out itineraries, but, when I was there, I have to say that on several occasions I surprised myself by accidentally following an itinerary when I'd planned to take a regular piste.
If you don't like bumps, be careful.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| stevew wrote: |
| Sitter wrote: |
| The itineraries mentioned above (none of which are currently officially open, although people are skiing them) are actually marked differently on the piste map and on the mountain. On the piste map they are dotted lines with diamonds, on the mountain the marker poles have diamonds on them and are in the middle of the 'run'. They do however sometimes re-grade some runs due to conditions, eg week before Christmas the blue run on the piste map from Rufikopf in Lech towards Zürs was actually marked out as an itinerary on the mountain (not sure what the current state of play is, not skied there for a bit) and towards the end of season, Happy Valley/Steissbachtal/blue 4 is sometimes changed to an itinerary after slides from the valley sides cross the pistes. |
As I'm heading out to Lech next week I was reading this with interest, the above arrangements are very unhelpful to the average punter who might get caught up in the uncertainty of these itineraries |
How are they unhelpful? They were clearly marked on the mountain as itineraries, and the various TV screens and moving message LED signs (not sure what's best to call them) were indicating the same, and at least with the Happy Valley case, they had put a sticker over the run number on the big piste map boards dotted around resort indicating it was an itinerary. The alternative I guess would be to have the runs closed...
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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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| Jonny Jones wrote: |
@stevew, despite what @Sitter says, it's very easy to mistake an itinerary for a regular run when you're on the hill. Unfortunately, once you're at the point of no return there's no mistaking them!
I'm the kind of skier who actively seeks out itineraries, but, when I was there, I have to say that on several occasions I surprised myself by accidentally following an itinerary when I'd planned to take a regular piste.
If you don't like bumps, be careful. |
This surprises me, you've got to be about the first person I've come across that has managed to do this, with the exception of people finding themselves at the bottom of Osthang and the lift shut...
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@Sitter, I don't think that I clocked that diamond shaped signs meant itineraries. Tbh, I wasn't too concerned in any case - my family loves bump runs - but I did think that it would have been very easy for novices to make a very scary mistake.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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wise words
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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One of the good things about StAnton is there aren't as many real beginners to have to avoid and weave through. Most people on the moutain are pretty good and will avoid you.
I think the resort markets itself as a bit of an expert's resort but don't let this put you off. There's plenty of skiing for your average skier. Don't let it put you off make your anxious about your holiday. Why not take private lesson or two early in to your trip? They really are good value and can leave you skiing with much more control/ confidence afterwards.
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Stay away from Red 14 in the afternoon! I'd happily skied most of the blacks in St Anton, vaguely remembered a run I hadn't liked from when I'd been there years ago & decided to do 'just one more run' at the end of the afternoon. I couldn't work out why I was the only person on the lift. The very top of the run is narrow, very exposed & was covered in huge moguls (thankfully only for a very short bit). I'm very glad there was nobody around to see me get down - not very elegant and I usually like bumps!
I would really, really recommend getting some lessons, even if it's just for a couple of days. The ski school is good & you'll definitely need loads more lessons if you're ever going to catch up with the rest of your group.
Get yourself over to Rendl to start off. Less experienced skiers are always super relieved when they discover Rendl - I wish someone had taken me over there on my first trip to St Anton....
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@sazza42, Rendl is a good shout for intermediates. very flattering compared with Kapall and Galzig. iirc, Stuben is similar.
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@Sitter, I was more meaning the chopping and changing of what a run is but I suppose it's no different to a mal neige sign in France
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