Another reason to bail out of guided skiing Tuesday was predicted bad weather. For a short day I thought we should check out Stuben. Stuben is a worthy stop for ski history buffs like Patrick.
2 slow doubles ascend one of the few direct north faces in the Arlberg, total about 3,000 vertical, of which the upper 2,000 was in cloud. I had to instruct Richard to look at the red trail markers alongside the run rather than down at his feet to avoid vertigo. Mid-mountain fog was so thick we never saw the return to the upper lift and wound up back at the base. On our second ascent the cloud lifted from the backside so we took a couple of runs on the piste back there.
While riding the lift we also spotted an off-piste group.
Tempting, but who knows were they will end up 3,000 feet below? I found out the next day!
We descended the foggy front side, this time skiing the lower half on a blue piste to Alpe Rauz. A ski bridge crosses the Alberg Pass road and then a high speed quad takes you into the St. Anton lift complex. We skied the long #12 and #4 pistes to the Zammermoos chair, our last ride with the guides Monday. To return to Rauz, you must first ski to the Arlenmahder chair, which was completely pea soup on piste #11. The visibility was better on #17 back to Rauz.
From Rauz a blue piste goes under the Arlberg Pass road, then descends a winding canyon 1,200 vertical back to Stuben. We skied 11:30-3:00, skipping lunch as we had a late breakfast at the Sandhof. Monday was the worst night for my cold and Richard had to wake me up at 9AM for that breakfast. Skiing totals were 9,300 at Stuben and 5,100 on Rauz/St. Anton terrain.
2 slow doubles ascend one of the few direct north faces in the Arlberg, total about 3,000 vertical, of which the upper 2,000 was in cloud. I had to instruct Richard to look at the red trail markers alongside the run rather than down at his feet to avoid vertigo. Mid-mountain fog was so thick we never saw the return to the upper lift and wound up back at the base. On our second ascent the cloud lifted from the backside so we took a couple of runs on the piste back there.
While riding the lift we also spotted an off-piste group.
Tempting, but who knows were they will end up 3,000 feet below? I found out the next day!
We descended the foggy front side, this time skiing the lower half on a blue piste to Alpe Rauz. A ski bridge crosses the Alberg Pass road and then a high speed quad takes you into the St. Anton lift complex. We skied the long #12 and #4 pistes to the Zammermoos chair, our last ride with the guides Monday. To return to Rauz, you must first ski to the Arlenmahder chair, which was completely pea soup on piste #11. The visibility was better on #17 back to Rauz.
From Rauz a blue piste goes under the Arlberg Pass road, then descends a winding canyon 1,200 vertical back to Stuben. We skied 11:30-3:00, skipping lunch as we had a late breakfast at the Sandhof. Monday was the worst night for my cold and Richard had to wake me up at 9AM for that breakfast. Skiing totals were 9,300 at Stuben and 5,100 on Rauz/St. Anton terrain.
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