February 27th, 2009 
Sheila Simkin We lucked out with clear blue skies, abundant sunshine and enough snow for both snowshoers and skiers. There have been times, because European ski resort bases are usually lower in altitude than Colorado or Utah, we’ve snowshoed over patches of grass! Skiers were thrilled though because a low front moved in on our last night, snow started falling and was expected to snow for the next 3-4 days. Fresh powder for all you powder-hounds.
The mix of clientele in St. Anton, Austria was interesting because of the preponderance of English-speakers. Tignes, Meribel and other French resorts are usually filled with a majority of French speakers and I missed being forced not to attempt any German. But, as Christoph Fahrner pointed out, there were quite a few Russians and Swedes staying at the Hotel Fahrner and English-speaking has become universal around the world.
A few St. Anton reminder facts:
- The Arlberg Circus includes St. Anton, St. Christoph, Pettnau, Stuben, Zurs, Lech and Sonnenkopf with a combined total of 85 lifts, 280 kms/173 miles marked ski runs and 180 kms/111 miles off-piste options;
- The season runs from end of November through end of April and there is snowmaking on most runs (you still have time to visit);
- The longest run is from the Valluga-Ulmer Hutte-St. Anton, an amazing 10.2 km/6 miles; and
- It’s easy to arrive in St. Anton by train from Zurich or Munich and there are even buses that run directly from Zurich Kloten Airport to St. Anton on weekends.
We were very happy with the Hotel Fahrner’s cuisine, room and friendly personnel and liked a portion of a quote from Abraham Lincoln placed on everyone’s dining room table one day. “…and in the end, it’s not years in your life that count. It is the life in your years…”
Let’s all revert back to our childhood and go play in the snow. St. Anton am Arlberg is waiting for you and it’s not too late to enter that crazy Der Weisse Rausch race in April (details in post, “About St. Anton am Arlberg”)….
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