Lech Zurs Austria Ski Vacation
St Anton l
Solden l
Obergurgl Hochgurgl
Lech and Zurs are located in the famed Arlberg ski region, north of
St
Anton, in Austrian's Vorarlberg. Lech and Zurs ski resorts together offer over 144 kilometers
of prepared (groomed) trails served by 32 lifts. The village valley
of Lech is the perfect place to stay for a family ski vacation, the
romantic alpine town has authentic Austrian ski chalets and convenient ski
lifts to take you up to the surrounding ski slopes.
Skiing at Lech Zurs is extensive with five different peaks over
8,000-feet. In addition to skiing between Lech
and Zurs, you can ski to the villages of Zug and Oberlech. The best
way to ski it all is to expereince "The White Ring" (Der Weisse Ring) named for
the longest ski race in the world held here every January since 2005
when 1,000 participants race 22 kilometers down 5,500 meters of
vertical. We recommend you ski The White Ring at a relaxed pace and
enjoy the skiing and scenery.
Families will find the Rufikopf Tram
starting in
Lech village brings them to pleasant skiing,
eventually heading to the Schuttboden T-bar. From here, the
Hexenboden chairlift offers more excellent prepared slopes toward
the charming village of Zurs which has 8 more chairs and trams.
Families will love the extensive high alpine terrain of Zurs from groomed
(prepared) cruisers to steep, challenging chutes off the Trittkopf
tram for advanced skiers. We recommend lunch along Muggengrat-Tali (Trail 10) at the quaint Flexenhausl where traditional Austrian
dishes are served in a cozy atmosphere.
The 8,000’ summit of Madloch-Joch provides more long runs down to
the Village of Zug, where you load a double chair to the mountain
top Balmalp. This lodge offers magnificent views, a big sun deck,
and a modern interior. The kids will like the mini-gondola operating
in the ceiling rafters. From here you can ski down to the 8
passenger Steinmahder bubble chair and enjoy heated leather seats
between long ski runs off Zuger Hochlicht. Skiing toward the east
brings you to the main base of Lech Oberlech which features 11 more
lifts accessing fabulous skiing. Many families only ski this section of Lech
and never reach Zurs or the spectacular White Ring loop. A new
gondola for 2013-14 will connect Lech to Warth-Schrocken expanding
eth terrain even more.
Your Ski Arlberg ticket includes a total of 84 lifts from Lech and
Zurs to nearby St Anton, Stuben, St Christoph, and Sonnenkopf, free
bus service connects all these towns and their 283 kilometers of
trails plus tons of off-piste skiing. If you wish to ski off-piste,
it is best to hire a guide, Bergfuehrer, who will lead you safely
(avalanche danger is real) to the best snow. Guides are expensive
($300 Euro a day) but a worthwhile investment to open up extensive
backcountry terrain comparable to what you would experience heli-skiing or
cat-skiing.
Lech and Zurs have excellent ski schools, Kinderclub for the
youngest, and special après ski sports for families like a climbing
wall, tobogganing and snowtubing, even horse drawn sleigh rides.
Staying in Lech, families have lots of upscale shops, restaurants
and of course great après ski bars
along the Lech River with views of the slopes. Lech has many beautiful five star and
four star hotels, like
Hotel der Berghof located right next to the Seilbahn Rufikopf Tram, with ski packages perfect for families. Garni
means breakfast is included. Oberlech is a very romantic on mountain
village accessed by Tram with several chalet hotels if you want a
quieter stay.
Also, Oberlech is a great spot to stop for après ski or a ski in lunch.
Lech Zurs sister ski resorts are
Beaver Creek, Colorado, and Hakuba
Happo in Japan.
Place to Stay in Lech:
der berghof Hotel
- A 4-Star hotel in Lech Village
just an elevator ride and steps to the Gondola and Lech skiing. This
traditional alpine chalet offers beautiful rooms, many with balcony,
fine dining and breakfast buffet, Bergquell Spa, and ski room.
Lech's best family dining:
Schneggarei – Families love the wood-fired pizzas
served slopeside in this grand barn, very affordable for Lech, fun atmosphere
for ski to lunch, or dinner.
Lech Zurs Ski Stats: 8,038-feet summit, 122
kilometers of prepared trails served by 32 lifts plus thousands of
acres of off-piste, 3,200-feet vertical. Lech Zurs and Oberlech
skiing consists of 8 peaks of 8,000-feet, all part of the Ski Arlberg Card
along with nearby St Anton.
See Our Lech Zurs Photo Gallery
See more Austrian Ski Reviews St Anton l
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All Stories by Heather Burke
All Photography by Greg Burke
