St Anton - December 2023
December 16th – 23rd 2023
The Snowcats make a welcome return to St Anton this December for our season opener. We will stay at the Hotel Post with Inghams.
A world-class resort set in the Arlberg region of the Tirol, St Anton offers some of the best skiing in the world. The ski bus service links St Anton to Lech, Zürs and Sonnenkopf, providing over 270km of runs on just one lift pass. Spread out along the valley floor, the resort is actually a large working town which retains a traditional charisma and a pretty car-free village centre in the beautiful local style with inviting shops lining a pedestrian main street.
St Anton, Austria
The Arlberg is a huge ski area encompassing St Anton, Lech and Zurs along with other resorts such as St Christoph, Stuben and the newly connected Warth / Schrocken ski area from the Lech side of the Arlberg. The full area lift pass covers all these areas and offers great value for money.
St Anton skiing offers gentle wide nursery slopes in the Nasserein and Gampen areas. Once graduated from the choice of nursery slopes, beginners can make for the blues from the Ostang chair or take the Gampen lift up to the Plattiwald trail. The Nasserein and Rendl side also offer some lovely pistes. Intermediates looking for a challenge can choose from St Anton’s miles of groomed but demanding runs, the longest being the 10.2km descent from Valluga – Ulmer Hutte – St Anton. Intermediates will also enjoy the classic reds and blacks accessed via the Galzigbahn whilst the World Cup downhill run from Kapall is always a technique tester.
Skiers looking for an adventure can try the famous “White Ring” that swings from the snowy ski-arena of Zurs, across the Madloch (a wonderful descent to Zug) then via the Kriegerhorn to Oberlech for a well-deserved lunch. In the trees now, ski the Schlegelkopf to Lech, cross the river, savour the ambience of this fairy-tale village for a moment, then it’s up the Rufikopf cable-car, and on via Pazietal to Tritalm, then back to Zurs again.
Unlike other resorts, St Anton’s skiable peaks quickly ascend to dizzying degrees of verticality with the toughest skiing at the top of Schindler and Valluga. For advanced skiers Schindler, Mattun and Valluga offer the most accessible off-piste itineraries with open bowls, steep chutes and narrow gullies. Nestling at the foot of the north-facing Albona, Stuben is shielded from the sun in December and January so holds its powder for weeks and offers some fantastic powder descents into the Maroi bowl, and down to the village of Langen. The big one of course, is the north face of the Valluga which is seriously steep at the top before giving way to open powder fields down to Zurs.
St Anton ski area
Click the piste map for a larger view.
Lift Passes
The Arlberg is a huge ski area encompassing St Anton, Lech and Zurs along with other resorts such as St Christoph, Stuben and the newly connected Warth / Schrocken ski area from the Lech side of the Arlberg. The full area lift pass covers all these areas and offers great value for money.
An adult lift pass is £271.
Senior lift passes (born < 1959) at £237.
St Anton Facts
- Resort height: 1304m
- Highest lift: 2811m
- No. of lifts: 82 (4 cable cars, 3 gondolas, 39 chairlifts, 36 drag lifts)
- No. of slopes: 323
- Total Piste length: 276km
- Longest Run – 8kms (Stuben)
- Mountain Restaurants – 18
Hotel Post
The Hotel Post is a stunning hotel with fantastic facilities positioned just minutes from the ski-slopes and Galzig gondola. The public lounge areas, which include a terraced ice bar, are beautifully furnished creating a warm and attractive atmosphere.
The hotels extensive facilities include a leisure area with swimming pool, whirlpool, saunas, massage, solarium, steam rooms, infrared cabin, whirlpool and relaxation room with waterbeds. All the well sized bedrooms have en-suite bath and w.c. and cable TV.
Food at Hotel Post
The Hotel Serves (Included in price):
- Hot and cold buffet breakfast
- Four-course evening meal with choice of three main dishes plus various additional buffets and cheese selection
- Free daily après-ski snacks (approx 3.30-4.30pm)
- After dinner fresh tea / coffee.
Ski Groups
Skiing in groups of about 5-8 people is an important aspect of Snowcat club skiing. We offer multiple groups of like-ability skiers to suit most standards, so providing your ability level is intermediate (see below note) through to expert, we can offer a well-matched group for you.
Non-Skiing activities
St Anton après ski is an international phenomenon! The legendary ‘Mooserwirt’, where an alleged 5000 beers are served per day! If that doesn’t sound like quite your thing carry on down to ‘Underground’ on the Piste, hidden away just above the Galzigbahn, whose cosy candlelit atmosphere makes for a classy alternative, or warm up with a gluhwein in Anton Cafe at the top of the high street.
Non-skiing options in St Anton ski resort are numerous. The Arlberg Wellness centre has indoor and outdoor pools, sauna, massage and gym classes. There’s also ice-skating, curling, bowling and normal and ice climbing walls. A choice of toboggan runs is available but the best is the illuminated 4.3km Rodelbahn – Gampen run. The St Anton Museum of Skiing is housed in the beautiful old Arlberg Kandahar House, built by Bernhard Trier in 1912, and offers some interesting insights into the history of the sport. For a truly magical winter experience take a horse-drawn sleigh ride from Lech to Zug.
Bookings Details
£1,195 pp – Austrian Twin, Shower, WC, Type St Anton. 1 available.
£1,295 pp – Austrian Twin, Bath, WC, Type St. Anton. 4 Available.
£1,375 pp – Austrian Twin, Bath, WC, Lounge Area, Seating Area, Type Galzig. 1 Available.
£1,375 pp – Single, Bath or Shower, WC. 2 Available.
£200 deposit payable upon booking. Remaining balance due by 1st October 2023
Travel
Our travel is a Saturday morning departure from London Gatwick to Innsbruck.
Alternative flight available from Manchester (£30) and Birmingham (£30).
Flight supplements subject to change.
Insurance
The Snowcats does not provide any form of travel insurance so we ask that party members arrange their own Travel / Ski Insurance.
Booking Conditions
Please see the main Conditions of Business page, relating to the operation of these holidays.
Ski Carriage
Cost £40 – needs pre-paid through the Snowcats prior to departure.
Ski Hire
- Red skis: £159
- Black skis: £202
- Red skis and boots: £219
- Black skis and boots: £262