The Latest from the Flexiski staff

The season is far from over in St Anton...

Posted: Monday 29th March 2010 by amalien

Yesterday Sue and Vanessa arrived here in St Anton and, after an evening settling into St Anton, the time was more than overdue to hit the piste and get skiing. We started off at the top of Kapall, where, in full view of St Anton, Nasserein, and the Valleys on the horizon, the perfect morning sun was soaked up before the three of us. Sue, Vanessa, and I, St Anton’s resident Ski Event Manager, started to ski down towards Stuben. The slopes were very soft and the skiing somewhat reminiscent of spring skiing, and before long skiing in the deep snow, it was time for a coffee break. The place of choice was the Ulmer Hutte, at the top of piste 17, the longest run in St Anton, which lead all the way down the Arlberg pass to Stuben. The view was spectacular and, after a thorough re-charge with hot chocolates, it was time to continue the journey, destination Zürs. Sue has been skiing there a number of times, and as such she wanted to share the romance of the small chocolate box resort that separates St Anton and Lech with Vanessa.

We started by shooting up the Zürseekoph Bahn towards Zug, before hopping on the Muggengrat Bahn, new for the 2009/2010 season with heated seats, a shield, and deep leather comfy seats. The skiing down red piste 10 was good and made the best of the available terrain. We skied across to Hexenboden Bahn, and down to Tripkoff Alm, a fantastic little restaurant slightly hidden by the relief of the surrounding mountain sheltering us from the gusty wind that was building. We enjoyed spiced chicken filet salad in the warm of the glorious sun, accompanied by ice cool beer and followed by Kaiserschmarrn, a typical Austrian desert of shredded pancakes, icing sugar and stewed plums, favoured by a renowned Austrian Emperor, and hence it’s name today. After a lazy lunch the horizon looked dark and we decided it was time to move onwards and jumped back on our skis.

After a further afternoon of skiing we ducked for cover in Toni’s Einkehr, a hidden retreat where we let the enthused Austrian Band whisk us away with live music and one of the most uplifting atmospheres you will ever experience in a ski resort. Within fifteen minutes in Toni’s bar, some deep, dry, fluffy snow had settled and the drinks started to flow. A beautifully presented collection of Tyrolean treats adorned with every accompaniment found its way to our table joined by Pear Williams, a Schnapps served in a small glass accompanied by a ball of pear, only to be drunk in the traditional way. By this point, the French trumpet, accordion, guitar, bass, were surely only being spoilt by all who joined in, and as the snow piled up outside the door, the schnapps kept on coming and spirits only livened further. Sadly, all good things have to come to an end, and a Taxi arrived to return us to St Anton through the deep snow that waited in the Arlberg Pass. Before long, Sue and Vanessa were back in the warm of the Amalien Haus chalet preparing for the day of powder skiing ahead, or was it Piccadilly’s that held their attention?

Either way a great night and day... all enjoyed in St Anton!