Pioneers of alpine skiing

"For the perfect ski vacation, winter vacationers are best to stay there right away, because in the evening you can get directly to the hotel with your skis - simply legendary, just like the Arlberg."

Until today, the Arlberg has been famous for its winter sports milestones: Priest Mueller from Warth who brought the first skis to western Arlberg, or the pioneer Hannes Schneider from St. Anton who revolutionized skiing with his legendary Arlberg style. Today, Ski Arlberg is the biggest ski area in Austria and among the five largest ski areas in the world, offering a new dimension of skiing.

As the story goes, six friends made their way from St. Anton to St Christoph on 3rd January 1901, shortly after the turn of the century. Dressed in loden, with simple boards and heavy boots on their feet and carrying an ice stock in their hands, they made their way through the powder snow. At the Hotel Hospiz, which is situated at an elevation of 1800 metres above sea level and has ushered in a new era of winter sports, they took a break and, by founding the first ski club in the world, set the first major milestone in skiing. The guestbook of the Hospiz still contains the entry of Adolf Rybizka, a founding member and community councillor: 

“Enchanted by nature, delighted by the sport, driven by the necessity to create a modest meeting point at the Arlberg for friends of this noble pleasure, these spontaneous excursionists felt inspired to found the Ski-Club Arlberg!”

The entry was signed by the other founding members Carl and Adolf Schuler, Dr Adolf Rybizka, Oswald Trojer, Josef Schneider, Ferdinand Beil, Dr F. Gerstel and Liesl Trojer. Today, the Ski-Club Arlberg is one of the largest in Europe and one of the most traditional in the world. 

Three years later, on 5th and 6th January 1904, the Ski-Club Arlberg held its first ski race, an event that had never before taken place in the alpine world. Today the tremendous physical strain on the participants is hard to imagine: The ski race demanded a high level of strength and stamina, and at that time there were no ski lifts, cable cars or groomed pistes. The route for the long-distance race was descending from the Ulmer Huette via the Schindlerferner to the Arlensattel, then to the Galzig and from there down to St. Christoph and finally to St. Anton. Those who want to experience the feeling on the more than one-hundred-year-old race course are well advised to fortify themselves with a culinary treat on the Ulmer Huette, which is located at an elevation of 2288 metres directly adjacent to the ski slope. Unless you are related to Hannes Schneider. 

Famous for its alpine beauty and perfectly groomed pistes, the Arlberg is a world-renowned winter sports destination, offering snow-sure skiing fun in all its villages. The ski area boasts more than 340 km of pistes suitable for skiers of multiple ability levels. The interconnected ski resorts St. Anton, St. Christoph, Stuben, Lech with Oberlech, Zuers and Warth-Schroecken provide an amazing network of slopes, accessed by 88 top-modern lifts and cable cars. The lifts transport winter sports enthusiasts comfortably up the mountains while offering breathtaking views of the surrounding mountainscape. In addition, thrill-seekers will find sporting challenges on 200 km of open terrain, snowboard fun parks, carving areas and permanent race tracks. There is always something going on at the Arlberg and there is something for every taste, whether it’s on the slopes, at the ski lodges or in the valley. Many convivial meeting points, such as the sun terrace of the Hotel Arlmont, which is located directly adjacent to the ski slope, invite you to linger and enjoy. Hotel Arlmont is the ideal accommodation for perfect skiing holidays: Winter holidaymakers appreciate the comfort of doorstep skiing. In the evening, just ski directly to the hotel - simply legendary, just like the Arlberg.