The birds have been singing a concert outside my window for some time now. The first rays of sunshine have already crept over the surrounding mountain peaks. There isn’t a single cloud in the sky. I throw back the covers, sit up and stretch on the edge of the bed. It’s half past six. There’s still time for a quick coffee, then the mountain is calling. Spring skiing in April is on the agenda.
The Early Bird Catches the Worm
Um halb 8 stehe ich an der Talstation der Seekopfbahn. Es ist Donnerstag und ich nehme am Frühstart durchs Zürser Täli teil. Spätestens jetzt ist die letzte Müdigkeit verflogen. Voller Vorfreude sitze ich in der Sesselbahn, die in Richtung Sonne fährt. Und dann bin ich da. Nahezu alleine im Skigebiet Ski Arlberg. Abgesehen von mir sind nur der eine oder andere Mitarbeiter sowie 10 weitere Frühaufsteher unterwegs. Ich blicke mich um. Die Rillen auf den Pisten sind noch frisch. Die Morgenluft ist klar. Es fühlt sich gut an, so früh unterwegs zu sein und mitten im Skigebiet diese Ruhe und Einsamkeit erfahren zu können.
A Dream Run Through Zürser Täli
We’re standing at the top of the piste. Wisps of fog hang below us in Zürser Täli. Looks like we’ll be skiing into them in a moment. Three more turns and I’m surrounded by clouds. Visibility remains surprisingly good, and a few metres later we’re already through the fog. Somehow it looked so cool that I didn’t mind at all. Quite the opposite. It was the perfect finishing touch to the morning atmosphere. And the pistes are good too, despite my concerns. I’d been worried they would be really hard after the sub-zero temperatures overnight. But they weren’t. They were just right: smooth, grippy and still untouched. What a dream run.
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 | The ski area Ski Arlberg is Austria’s largest interconnected ski area, with 305 kilometers of slopes, and remains open until 28 April 2019. Mehr dazu > |
A Huge Ski Area with 305 Kilometres of Pistes
After our first turns on the untouched pistes, it’s time for the first food stop of the day. We left so early that there was no breakfast at the hotel, so we’re making up for it now at Restaurant Seekopf. Muesli, fried eggs and a selection of cold cuts and cheeses are waiting for us. Well fed, we finally set off towards St. Anton am Arlberg. Thanks to the Auenfeldjet and the Flexenbahn, the pistes from Warth-Schröcken through Lech Zürs am Arlberg all the way to St. Anton am Arlberg are connected by ski. With a total of 305 kilometres of pistes, it’s the largest interconnected ski area in Austria.
Views All the Way to Germany
Next, we take the Valluga-Bahn up to the Vallugagrat. I step onto the viewing platform and marvel at the view. The air is clear, and my gaze wanders into the distance. I can see as far as the Swiss Alps, make out the Wildspitze on the horizon and even look all the way to Germany. In the far distance, the summit of the Zugspitze stands out brightly. Amazing. I linger here for a while, soaking up the view in no hurry to move on. I tune out the activity around me. Instead, I just keep looking straight ahead, enjoying the fact that I get to stand right here, right now.
Der Weiße Rausch
Eventually, though, I strap my skis back on. The longest ski run in the ski area starts up here. Der Weiße Rausch stretches over 9 km down to the valley. This is also where the spectacular end-of-season race takes place every year, with 555 skiers competing for victory. I’m not racing. Instead, I’m enjoying the descent. The upper section in particular feels truly impressive and high alpine. Rock formations tower on either side of the piste. Elsewhere, walls of snow several metres high line its edges. It’s still proper winter up here. Now I know where the run gets its name. I glide down through the white winter wonderland in a kind of daze. And there are still barely any visible tracks on the piste.
Recharging at Himmeleck
After Der Weiße Rausch, we visit the equally mellifluous Himmeleck. The restaurant on the Gampen is known for good Austrian cooking. I take a seat on the sun terrace, order a Kaiserschmarren and rummage through my jacket pocket for my sunglasses. The sun is already really strong. I stretch out my legs, tilt my head back and let its warm rays caress my skin. I could get used to this. It’s the perfect end to a dream spring ski day. The season could easily go on a little longer like this. But at least skiing is possible until Easter …