 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi,
We'll ski St. Anton for the first time next month. We'll stay in St. Cristoph. We're a party of two families with kids with intermediate level (skiing mostly blues and reds).
I started to look at the slopes map and got some questions to clarify. Here are some of them:
-to ski back to St. Cristoph, is piste nr. 8 the only possibility or there is any alternative ?
-Rendl area: it seems there's only one possibility to get there skiing, via "Rendl Direct" lift. Is this correct ? Is this lift confortable ? does it get very busy ?
-Does the Sonnenkopf area worths a visit ? How to get there (I'm assuming it's not connected to the rest of the lifts system) ?
Best regards,
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Carlos_L,
Yes the Nr. 8 is the only (on piste) possibilty to get back to St.Christoph. It's an easy run though.
The Rendl area almost never gets busy. The lift is a very old gondola, which is comfortable enough. Likewise the area by Stuben, on the Albona, almost never gets really busy, and is worth a visit.
Sonnenkopf is not connected to the rest of the area. I've never skied it so can't comment on whether it's worth a visit or not, but other people here do recommend it from time to time!
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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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Carlos_L, just to confirm what Steilhang, has mentioned but to add that if you were to ski and finish the day in other areas of the valley that there is always the ski-bus, pay bus or taxi rank to get you back to your base. We had a fantastic lunch in St Cristoph on Xmas day, I think the restaurant is Hospizalm?? It has a slide to slip down to get to the basement tiolet!!
The Rendl Direct is a disjointed magic carpet/tow rope, the Rendl gondola is just is short walk from the bus stop in St Anton if you would rather walk to it. You exit the gondola in the middle of Rendl. I would reccomend this as an area to ski earlier in the week before all the hordes discover it.
Alas I never did get to Sonnenkopf although we did set out one day to go there but at the bus station we were informed that we would need 3 seperate linked bus journey's, so I have saved it for another time.
Have fun...... 
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Carlos_L, St Chritoph is a good base to ski the area with kids. Good learners area there and really good run into St Christoph. Rendl is a good area and you could get there on skis if you take the home run down to St Anton, walk a couple of hundred meters past the taxi rank then take a small rope lift. The gondola at Rendl is ancient and possibly why more people don't ski there. Couple of decent restaurants - one at the gondola station and one when you ski all the way back down - probably two thirds of the way down - cant remember name. The skiing at Rendl will suit your standards. Sonnenkopf is apparently really worth a visit but you'll need bus or taxi - have ever skied there yet, but off to Stuben end of Feb with family so will give it bash then as it's close by.
You should also go to Lech and Zurs as the skiing is easy blues and reds. Zurs is only 5 mins away in bus, Lech 10.
The long run down to Stuben is my favourite run in the area and Stuben is nice to lunch - Berghaus Stuben is brilliant (behind church).
Make sure you experience the Mooserwirt - took my kids there last year one afternoon and loved it.
Enjoy your trip
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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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Sonnenkopf is really a mini resort in it's own right. You would your own car to make it convenient. It's actually a really great little resort. I've skied there several times as it's the nearest to my wife's parents. But it wouldn't be worth coming out of the core Arlberg for unless you have a car and need the change.
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Thanks for this very useful answers. 
Any other advices would be very appreciated.
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St.Christoph is a great place. Like Heaven on earth really. In addition to #8 you can ski under the St. Christophbahn if there is enough snow and you prefer off piste. Sonnenkopf is definitely worth the trip. It is an easy bus ride from St.Christoph. And, if the conditions aren't up to par you can be back in St.Christoph and loaded on the lift in 45 minutes time. At Sonnenkopf check out the snow sculpture they will be building.
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There is a free bus from Stuben to Sonnenkopf. The stop is roughly opposite Hotel Post or just below the 2 beginner lifts (Walchlift). Sonnenkopf is pretty much a beginners/intermediate area, but is an interesting diversion for a day. You go more for the journey vs the skiing. I have done it 2 or 3 times, and I probably would not bother again.
Rendl does not attract as much snow as the other side of the valley (Kappall & Gampen), and can be icy in the morning, but also does not attract the crowds.
If you are mainly a red or blue skier, you should try to get to Zurs and Lech - pretty of scope there for good, long runs. The quickest way is probably the PostBus, which stops in front of the Austrian Ski Team building (you cannot miss it!), and costs EUR5.60 return from St Anton (maybe a little less from St C). The alternative is to catch St Christophbahn, then ski down to Arlenmahderbahn, catch it, then down to Alpe Rauz and catch the free Blue Bus. Early in the morning, the run to Alpe Rauz is a delight for blue skiers. By lunchtime, it can be a nightmare - crowded, bumped-up, and full of people skiing to their ego (vs ability). BTW: This is also the way to get to Stuben, viz continue under the road at Alpe Rauz and follow the wide cat-track down into the village. There is usually great skiing on the front side, which is largely shaded and holds the snow well.
Just confirming what the others have said, No 8 is the only on-piste way down from the St Anton area. It starts just behind the top of Galzigbahn. The run can get crowded at the top - the first part is a cat-track that is not that wide.
The initial pitch on the off-piste route under StC-bahn is steepish, but it flattens out fairly quickly. It does however need a reasonable amount of snow in order to be enjoyable.
The skiing in St Christoph itself is relatively limited - there are only 2 or 3 beginner lifts.
I am sure you will have a ball. St C is a lovely village.
Ask away, if you have any more questions. I will be there next week, for a month, but staying in StA.l
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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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Carlos_L,
If there are up to 8 of you in the party the best way to get to and from Lech & Zurs is by Taxi. The taxis are minibuses with 8 passenger seats. It will be as cheap as the Ski Bus and a lot more convenient, no waiting in the cold. In fact use a taxi all of the time to save time and getting cold.
Lech provides the easiest and best piste skiing on the Arlberg Ski Pass. St Anton pistes aren't very easy but good off piste. Rendl is very limited but good off piste. Zurs is good off piste.
In St Christoph the Hospitz Alm is really nice restaurant on the lower bit of Piste 8.
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I must endorse the suggestions regarding Lech and Zurs. I debated at lenght between St Anton and Lech/Zurs last year and researched both options to death and eventually only decided on Lech because of the choice of blues. You should try the White Ring which is a great way of experiencing the whole valley taking in several villages. Be warned that there are some tough sections including some non prepared red ski routes. You can begin your 'expedition' in Zurs which should make your transfer cheaper and quicker although you might consider doing a few extra runs above Lech which contains the best skiing in the valley. Based on my research Lech isn't as tough or busy as St Anton although I haven't been to St Anton so I can only go on what I've read and been told.
http://www.derweissering.at/english/index.html
Enjoy
BarryOS
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Despite what Erica says (  ), Der Weissering is nowhere near as difficult as some people suggest - provided you hit it early. See some photos I posted here: http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=45431&start=40 This is the section, ie from Madloch to Zug, that some people say is difficult. The rest of the ring, depending on your choice of runs, can be done pretty much on blue.
If you are a reasonable intermediate or above skier, you will have no problems in the morning on the Zug section. It does however chew up, especially on dry hardpack, and by lunchtime there can be some fairly decent moguls on it. The other thing is that the Madlocj lift is a fairly slow 2-seater, which can get crowded, especially just before lunch (I assume people are heading back to Lech for lunch?).
Agree with Welshflyer on the taxi, but in my case there is only 2 of us, so using a taxi gets a bit exxey. We just buy weekly tickets on the PostBus and have a timetable, so not as good as a taxi, but nowhere near as bad as public transport back here at home.
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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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ulmerhutte,
While waiting at the bus stop try and grab 2-4 more people at the taxi queue who are willing to share the taxi with you.
I had a bit of a discussion with a Austrian/German at Alpe Rauze when I stopped a taxi for my group of 4 and he tried to hijack it with his group of 6, it would have been fine if there were only 4 in his group.
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welshflyer, any idea of the cost of taxi from st anton to lech? just in case we miss the bus? ta
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You know it makes sense.
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doogo,
For 8 of us Lech to Nasserein was about €60.
However the tariff is a bit confusing, if there are fewer people it wouldn't be as much in total but more per head if that makes sense. I think that 8 of us went Rauz to Zurs and were charged €24, however 4 of us did the same journey for €15.
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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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Think the tariffs are different with each company. There's this wee old guy based in Zurs that is cheaper than the Lecher one and Taxi Harry etc - can't remember the name though, sorry
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Poster: A snowHead
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Sonnenkopf is nice little North facing skiing area. Also mecca for Off-Piste
http://www.sonnenkopf.com/00-winter/index.html
There is the Free LandBus No 90 just across Street from the The Hotel Post Stuben.
Landbus 90 is a public bus route from Stuben (Or Lech on somedays) to Bludenz. It take around 17-20 mins stopping on route to pick up more skiers in Klostere It stops just outside the car park at Sonnenkopf.
The Bus is full of skiers so your know where to get off !!
It leaves from Hotel Post Stuben on the hour at 09:25, 10,25, 11,25
THe return it leaves at 03:10, 03,30 04,10, 04,30 last bus is 18:10 !!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Welshflyer... good suggestion. We however normally time our arrival at the bus stop close to departure time, so hanging around in the cold is not normally an issue.
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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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heading to kitzbhul in march.
can anybody recomend good places fo going out and what are the prices like
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Very good hints, thanks a lot guys.
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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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spartan, Kitzbuhel is not the cheapest Austrian resort, in fact I believe that it's one of the more expensive, although last year it didn't seem especially expensive. As for going out, it sepends what you're after. There's the Londoner, which I regard as a toilet but if you want a beery evening in the company of beery Englanders, it does the trick. There are loads of other bars and restaurants, much as in other resorts. It's not a major clubbing town, SFAIK, although I tend to go out, eat, have a beer or two and go to bed because I'm old and knackered.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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richmond,
| Quote: |
| if you want a beery evening in the company of beery Englanders |
why on earth would anyone travel all the way to Kitzbühel to spend his time drinking beer with beery Englanders 
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Steilhang, don't ask me, but people do, apparently.
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Sonnenkopf is definitely worth a visit.
there are some nice long runs from the top down to the valley, through the trees, and some lovely off-piste of varying degrees of steepness, and it was _very_ quiet last week.
The lift station at the top has an indoor 'picnic' area, with a small cafe - so a good place for a cheap (bring your own lunch) - which you might need if you hit the other mountain restaurants, as food is not cheap with the poor euro rate.
For a REALLY good meal in St Anton, go to the Museum. It's not cheap (£60 a head incl wine), but it's Michelin star food, in a stunning environment.
Other restaurants can charge nearly as much (typically 30 euros for a steak), so I thought Museum was excellent.
good (wine) bar (the Underground)) is next door - less rowdy than the Moosewirt.
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