Arlberg with non skier and intermediate kids

A snowHead

Planning a mixed group to the Arlberg in Feb half term week including a non skier and kids of very different levels. Can I get some advice on possibilities to keep everyone happy?

For example I’m thinking the non skier could drive the kids round to Lech for the easier slopes while the stronger skiers can ski over? Are there any good restaurants or other spots a non skier can hang out, ideally with a view on the easier slopes to keep an eye on the kids?

Any other good easier skiing areas (think blue / easy reds), that are easy to access.

Any other good places for the non skier to visit during the days and restaurants accessible both on skis and by car?

And assume it will be busy so any tips of other areas to start / finish to avoid the worst of the queues?

We’re staying in Nasserein but have cars.

A snowHead

All the restaurants in Oberlech would be doable by car either with pedestrian gondola from Lech or underground parking in Oberlech itself (might need to check with the hotels on parking situation for non residents though).

We took a guy who was just about very nervously coping with reds on the "run of fame" once. He just about managed to do it in the day. Including the red Madloch. It is an all day adventure which the kids could meet you half way through at Lech and then do the Warth section with the whole team and then back to St Anton (either with them on skis or picked up in Lech/Zurs).

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@BobinCH,you can get over to Stuben & St Christoph and back on blues, the terrain isn't so steep through the pass, compared to the high ridges either side.

Both valley sides above St Anton have a steep pitch, the Rendl side has some true reds, the Gampen/Kapall too, but the blue roads that criss-cross it would make things easier.

The red from Zurs/Madloch down to Zug might be the tricky part of skiing to Lech, so driving or bussing over is a good idea, the lower mountain around and above Oberlech there has some nice blues. Someone could sit on one of the hotel terraces there and supervise kids doing laps, I suppose. They would need to get the cablecar up. There is parking at the far end of the village nesr the Schlosskopf chair: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ujUEvxuqvLJcMpPL9

Warth looks pretty mellow too, never skied it as the lift link wasn't built then. Sking back from Lech via Rufikopf and Flexenbahn is fairly easy untill you hit the very busy Happy Valley!! Shocked

There is also the Sonnenkopf area, which has some nice blues and easier reds, but that is probably a little bit further than Lech.

This might help you visualise it all: https://openskimap.org/#10.89/47.1761/10.1706

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Not sure the kids need to go to Lech to find easier skiing. At the top of the Nassereinbahn there is an excellent beginners area, if folk are not up to skiing back down they can take the gondola. There are some easy runs down from Gampen to Nasserein though more path type runs, keep off the Kandahar black (lower part of the race course) though its not crazy within the compass of reasonable skiers. Blue from the top of Kapall too. Rendl has blues and reds (plus well known off piste runs). Potentially the kids could ski on the red piste and others could go via Hinterrendl and meet at the bottom (there is a small hut). Downside of Rendl is that it can be icy in the mornings.

At Zürs there is a well known slightly hidden lunch spot Flexenhäusl (you need to book), accessible by car, but near the end of the Muggengrat / Täli red run (also a bunch of off piste routes along same valley). The piste has a fairly steep short pitch to start but then straight forward, usually in good nick so an easy ski.

Zug has some good lunch spots, again accessible by car, skiing wise access is either via the Madloch ski route (it depends on conditions but broadly a "red" run) from Zürs or the Zuppert (steep, lumpy, often closed as south facing) or Zugertobel (basically a track, 90% very easy practically flat one short section of bendy track down a slightly steeper section) ski routes from the Lech side or regular ski bus from Lech.

Pedestrians can easily get to Oberlech (via small cable car from centre of Lech) and lots of terrace restaurants there (again need to book for most popular ones), its what is shown in the image above. Oberlech is surrounded by easy pistes though the end of run back to Lech can get very messy as exposed to the sun.

In general would avoid the main home run past the Mooserwirt, KK etc as it gets too busy and cut up, not ideal for less strong skiers. Either go via Gampen to Nasserein or take the Galzig gondola down.

If bored with Austrian type fare there is Skiing Budha, a Thai restaurant in the sports centre next to the station, popular with Brits as only "curry" spot for miles around, again need to book on many evenings.

Note St Anton is a pain for cars as practically no parking, Lech & Zürs somewhat easier

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

@afterski, @luigi, @munich_irish, thanks for the tips. Oberlech sounds perfect for the non skier and will look into Zug, Warth, Sonnenkopf and the Fiexenhausl in Zurs. Will be our first time back after almost 15 years. Good memories from this trip back in the day
https://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=74877

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@BobinCH,Lets hope you get snow.

Good few changes in past 15 years. Most obviously the Flexenbahn which really makes it one area (though quicker to drive or bus between St Anton & Lech) and the section to Albona makes access to the runs there much quicker. Mixed views about the new Schindlergratbahn, clearly it is quicker, more comfortable & warmer than before but something has been lost with the demise of the chairlift less connection to the mountain environment and the drop beneath your feet down the couloir was a pretty unique experience. The new Madloch chair has significantly reduced (but not eliminated) queues. Not sure snow conditions have improved for the better but that is hardly an issue unique to the Arlberg!

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

In addition to what's already been mentioned, one of the easiest blue runs which usually has good snow is Osthang (#63) from the top of Galzig (not to be confused with the ski route of the same name which continues further down the mountain). It's wide and open and popular with ski schools.

It's one of the few blue runs in St Anton that does not get any moguls throughout the day. As munich_irish mentioned the main run past the moose gets really chopped up although it's labelled as blue and easy to ski when it's freshly pisted, it's a lot more challenging at the end of the day. If you want to go to the moose/kk it's usually better to take red #29 down from Gampen, it's a lot less busy and not difficult except one steepish section before you turn the corner down to the KK. For skiers that don't mind it a bit steeper black #30 is an even better route down to the KK/Moose, just follow it down till you join red #29. Its steeper but much fewer people and its fairly wide and not usually icy in the afternoon.

If you to Lech you can park for free (with your ski pass) at the very last car park in town right next to the Schlosskopf lift. This is where we always park and there is always available spaces. If you are nostalgic for ancient old 2 seat chairlifts, your luck is in as it's one of the few left in the Arlberg, maybe the rich folks in Lech don't venture that far from the shops so it's not upgraded Happy

Sonnenkopf is very different to the rest of the area, it's much more family oriented and quite small with generally easy runs. You have to drive there but it does not take long and there is plenty of parking. There is no artificial snowmaking there so the long run back down to the car park often has branches and/or stones on it but it's a nice run. If you go there the day after it's recently snowed there is usually still fresh powder even just off the piste because it does not attract the same crowd who search out every bit of powder in St Anton in hours.

Rendl is often overlooked but the runs over there are very nice, theres a variety of easy and slightly more difficult runs. Sometimes it can be clear over there when the weather is bad on Galzig. Actually Galzig is usually where the worst of the cloud congregates and sometimes it needs a bit of leap of faith to head off in the zero-visibility cloud from there only to discover perfect weather as you head over to Zurs or Lech via the long blue to Alpe Rauz/Stuben.

After all it is free

@munich_irish, I think we always accessed Zurs side via Valluga and had to traverse off piste to reconnect with lifts at Alpe Rauz. Or did we have to get a bus? This new lift makes the conne ruin easier?

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@BobinCH, Yes before the Flexenbahn the only way from St Anton to Zürs on skis (without using skins) was off the top of the Valluga which was clearly only for a small minority. I didnt think there was a route through above the gallery on skis from Zürs to Alpe Rauz but maybe there is, deep runnels, small cliffs and loose scree/boulder fields to cross. The bus link from Alpe Rauz to Zürs was overcrowded and too few buses.

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Zug has some winter walks along side the river and is very picturesque for a lunchtime meet! Not really anywhere in Zug to sit and watch kids do laps though!!

https://www.lechzuers.com/en/winter/winter-sports/winterhiking/trails

New lift from Stuben can download to Zurs from the middle station, it's not the easiest run down for nervous skiers (particularly the start). There are some nice blues and reds in Zurs that can be lapped, they have a nice pitch IMHO and can be quieter in the mornings.

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You know it makes sense.

Skiing in crowds will sharpen your skills.

You learn to ski around obstacles, avoid bad riders, and better control the planks.

Don't wuss out on the blues in St Anton.

Once you can ski the Arlberg, you can ski anywhere.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

@Whitegold, skiing in crowds with weak skiers will get you a trip to the hospital. (especially the crazy crowds in the arlberg at half term).

A snowHead

@mcg, The op is a very accomplished off piste skier, the Arlberg is a perfect spot for that. I agree some of the "blue" pistes at St Anton can be far too crowded but there are ways to avoid them (ski Kandahar rather than the Steissbachtal, use the runs down from Gampen etc). I avoid New Year as far too many people but live with the crowds at other times the skiing is just better than elsewhere.

A snowHead

@mcg, don't feed the resident troll.

Help!!

Arlberg with non skier and intermediate kids

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