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It was 1976 that I first visited an Austrian ski resort, and I couldn't believe places like Innsbruck, Lech, Zurs and St. Anton could be so beautiful. Now, nearly thirty years later they still take my breath away. In that first winter St. Anton was completely cloaked in white and I slept snugly under a couple pounds of goose feathers. Today, Austrian resorts may have expanded, but you still snuggle under a down-filled quilt that's like being in a half of a sleeping bag open at the bottom. The major difference: shop keepers and ski instructors offer directions and restaurant suggestions in excellent English. Innsbruck is everyone's favorite and filled with amazing attractions. When I stood in front of the city's Triumphal Arch on historic Maria-Theresien Strasse I knew why. Look upwards and you see mountains encircling the entire urban spectacle seemingly close enough to touch. Better yet, visit the Bergisel ski jump in nearby Igls that has been the site of two world Olympics in 1964 and 1976. From the gleaming observation tower you are eagle high with glorious snow-capped peaks. In the streets of Innsbruck you still see signs of the traditional tyrolean garb: felt hats with a brush ornament on the side and women in dirndls or peasant-styled dresses. I connected best with city sights by going to the city's bustling tourist office at Burggraben #3 and securing an Innsbruck Card, an all inclusive day pass for about $10 is valid for central area street cars and museums. Highlights of an Innsbruck stay was discovering the tucked-away ski village of Kuhtai, the magical Swarovski Crystal Museum and a visit to St. Anton ski resort.
In the St. Anton area (including the ski villages of Stuben and St. Cristoph), there are 39 lifts and cable cars servicing 160 miles of ski runs. With an Arlberg Ski Pass you can ride 82 mountain railways and lifts valid in six different ski resorts. The Galzig/Valluga cable car climbs out of the village to 9,200 feet above sea level atop the mighty Vallugagrat and feeds over 30 miles of downhill ski runs and assorted lift connections. St. Anton has a reputation for being tough (runs are challenging and long) but was one of the first areas in the Alps to teach people to ski. Color coding of ski runs can be misleading to those used to Colorado's milder approach to rating. Some blue runs are closer to being black in difficulty. Keep in mind that St. Anton is extremely congested with young people and apres-ski entertainment booms 24/7, with hundreds of bars, cafes, restaurants and clubs all catering to a large mix of nationalities. In town center, the Ski Hall of Fame is worthy of a visit for its exceptional collection of period ski photos and events. Getting there:
Lifts and lodging:
For a city full of history, many Innsbruck hotels offer 3-4 star quality. Four-star Hotel Europa is the noblest and a good choice for convenience to the rail station. The Europa also will pamper you with excelIent breakfasts. Compared to Rocky Mountain pricing, Austrian lodging can be less expensive and you get fed as well.
The Houston-based tour company Ski Europe specializes in arranging lodging and lift packages on the continent for diverse budgets. Ski-Europe.com provides a wealth of information on their website.
More info:
Pat Pugh is a Houston-based travel writer. Her golf and outdoor features are published in Golf Houston and the English golf magazine Through The Green. She has received travel writing awards from Delta Airlines and the British Tourist Office.
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Wintertime in Austria looks like a Christmas card, a landscape of onion-domed churches and medieval villages cocooned in snow.
If you're not into the steep and deep nothing can be more comforting than spending a ski day at Kuhtai, a less-crowded area 45 minutes from Innsbruck. Situated above 8,000 feet it can guarantee snow through early April and all slopes are wide open and above tree line. Kuhtai village is made up of two ski mountains bisected by the only road through town with 12 chairlifts fixed on both sides. It is conceivable for the intermediate skier to make 30 runs in a day, including a stop for a bratwurst and a beer. The Innsbruck area speeds the adrenaline rush with an exciting alternative in night tobogganing or sledding and there are several places to do it. "Tobogganing" in Austria means one or two persons sit upright on a small two-runner sled. The person in front controls the speed with the feet while coasting down an iced track that can run two miles or so with a 500-foot drop, top to bottom. It offers a unique brand of excitement for a few bucks but it's not for the timid.