Arlberg, where the international skiing set meets

By Bernhard Krieger Feb 14, 2012, 13:01 GMT

St. Anton, Austria - Antony Gormley's mysterious human figures attract peoples' attention just as magically as the Arlberg mountain range region draws wintersports enthusiasts from around the world.

Standing there - still, vigilant and serene - the 100 life-sized cast-iron sculptures by the British artist can be seen in locations around St. Anton, St. Christoph, Stuben, Zuers and Lech. They are posted at exactly 2,039 metres above sea level. Some can be easily reached from a nearby ski run. Others are standing alone in the mountains and are visited, at most, by such trekkers as Georg, who gladly takes a break near one. 'These figures radiate an incredible serenity,' the Tyrolean native says.

Gormley's iron humans are silent witnesses to an increasingly colourful and fast-paced ski scene in the Arlberg mountain range in western Austria. The towns of Lech and above all, St. Anton, are the superstars in the world of skiing. There is no other place in Austria where the scene is more international. In the United States and Canada in particular, 'Stanton' has a legendary reputation.

On average, 7 metres of snow fall on the Arlberg each year. In the pedestrian zone of St. Anton, as a result, every second person is seen carrying the broad skis dubbed as 'powder planks' on their shoulders, and instead of posh designer clothing with fur collars, skiers are wearing high-tech functional skiing apparel from Canada.

St. Anton is a melting pot of all nationalities and all ages. Many young ski enthusiasts, above all from North America, Australia and Scandinavia, come looking for work as waiters, hotel maids or any menial job in order to spend a winter season in Arlberg.

'Everybody simply meets here,' Georg says. And on days of fresh snowfall it is therefore advisable to get out quickly in the morning, or else the deep powder-snow slopes will already be marked by the trails of the early skiers. If a snowfall front has done its work overnight at the Valluga peak - elevation 2,811 metres - then the powder skiing fans are out in force, trying to be the very first in the morning to carve through the virgin snow.

After the skiing, for the English guests the fun starts in the 'Krazy Kangaruh' nightspot, while the German-speaking partygoers head for the 'Mooserwirt' pub, where with their vocal chords well-lubricated, they'll join together in a rousing sing-along of apres-ski song hits like 'Anton from Tyrol.'

But St. Anton is no Alpine version of a mass tourism beach resort. It has quiet cafes, lounge-bars, a congress and spa centre, and the highest-elevation restaurant in the Alps with a Gault-Millau rating of two toques. This spot, the 'Verwallstube' set in the mountainside station of the Galzig cable car, is a pilgrimage destination for gourmet diners. The candlelight dinner Thursdays is an absolute must for romantics.

But in Arlberg's top hotels, such as the Hospiz in St. Christoph, the style is sportingly relaxed despite all the luxury. In the historical building located at the Arlberg mountain pass, European nobility, industrialists, stars and starlets gather each winter to see and be seen.

And they'll order sinfully expensive Bordeaux wines from legendary Hospiz senior boss Adi Werner. His cellar with a collection of more than 5,000 large-sized bottles is one of the largest anywhere in the world. The most expensive is the 15-litre Chateau Cheval Blanc 2000, costing 48,000 euros (62,000 dollars).

The two highest-elevation towns in the Arlberg range, St. Christoph and Zuers, are the ideal spots for sports enthusiasts and those looking to enjoy the scenery, preferring a walk beneath the stars at night to the window-shopping or bar-hopping of the towns down in the valley.

St. Anton, by contrast, is for those people who want to party as wildly as they ski down the mountain slopes. Stuben, on the other hand, is the most authentic village and the one most affordable for family budgets.

Ever-so-chic Lech, meanwhile, is the jewel of the Arlberg. Despite hosting the world's jet set, however, Lech does still have a down-to-earth character to it. For most winter guests, the skiing is still the most important thing, even though they might not go to the extremes that Lorraine Huber does.

The Lech native is one of the world's best free-riders. Last season she was one of the stars in the latest Warren Miller films and was able to present her beloved Arlberg region.

'My favourite routes are on the Trittkopf mountain and the area around the Omeshorn peak,' she says. Now and then, she'll be found providing tips on powder snow skiing at a snowboarding camp. Where? In Arlberg, naturally.