St Anton is a popular base for skiing the Alberg region, with a lift pass that includes 10 to 11 ski areas.
The fun starts when you open the huge ski area map, and try to work out how everything connects. After googling this question, and now skied the area for 2 weeks, here is hopefully some helpful tips to make the most of this region; from the point of view of an intermediate skier and boarder.
Firstly the most complicated one. Ski Lech from St Anton. You can catch a yellow #92 bus from just near the Rendl lift, and pay a little less than 5 euro for the privilege of fighting your way onto the bus and being taken to Lech.
If you do this, the 9.10am is the most popular, leaving from bus stop F, BUT, line up well behind that stop sign, as you have to load your skies on the back of the bus first, then go to the front, pay, and get on. Hence the start of the bedlam; but easier if you know to start at the back of the bus first. They also at times, put on 2 buses at 9.10am, so the one behind may prove quicker to get on, and if you are already standing at where the back of the 1st bus will stop, makes it easier to change to the 2nd bus if you want.
Now if you want to use the free blue bus, sorry to say we did not find it in St Anton, but it is readily accessible in Zurs. So here is approach #2 to Lech which lets you get in some skiing and warm up.
Take the Galzig Gondola from St Anton to the top, then ski across blue run 53 to the outside 6 chair Tarsbidden. Take that up and then ski right, down Black 78 onto Blue 76 all the way down to the 6 chair Arlenmahder. (the black 78 is wide, not too long, normally groomed, and not too steep with a quick left onto 76. Don’t be put off with 78 being a black run. It’s not too bad)
Top of Arlenmahder, go left and take blue run 100 all the way down to the Flexenbahn Gondola. You will have warmed up by now, as that blue run has some steeper sections, and its popularity means you stay alert, but it’s wide, and normally groomed.
Take the Flexenbahn gondola to the top, stay left as you exit the gondola and walk across to “Entrance Zurs” gondolas that will take you down to Zurs. Come out of the gondola station, and virtually right in front is a Blue Bus stop marker for the free bus connection to Lech, runs that 4km connection fairly regularly. There is a red run off the other Gondola to ski to Zurs, but the queues for that gondola were almost always quite long.
So now you know how to get to Lech AND Zurs from St Anton, without expert skiing ability of taking “routes” which are essentially ungroomed marked runs.
Lech opens up to Zug & Warth areas which is why you will want to make your way there to start with.
Once AT Lech, getting back is a bit easier, all skiing & lifts. Cross the road from Lech to the Rufikopf 80 person Gondola’s and take that to the top. Ski blue 180 or red 181 down to Scuttboden T-bar and take that to the top. Then Ski blue 185 to the 6 chair Trittalp and take that to the top. Then ski Blue 123 or red 124 into 123 into red 125 and stay to your left to get to the Trittkopfbahn Gondola. Be aware there are some flat sections on this above return, so where you can, stable up and grab some speed to make it across the flat or up the rise to minimise pushing or walking, and watch out for a dodgems/criss-cross of skiers at 125 & 123.
Take the Trittkopfbahn Gondola to the top station, exit and walk across to the Flexenbahn gondola and go down. Walk out, skis on and catch the 6 chair Valfagher lift to the top, then gather as much speed as you can to make it along the long flat blue 78, which will take you down “happy valley” along blue 56 55 and then 50 all the way back into St Anton. This can be crowded in the late afternoon, starts quite wide, but funnels a couple of times, so be courteous, keep some distance, and stay alert.
Last thing, keep a lookout for a cute Collie at the end of the Valfagher lift. She hides at a pole near the exit and jumps at the empty chairs foot rests. Must be a lifty’s dog, nice to see her having a fun time each day 🙂
Safe skiing/boarding !
