Stuben am Arlberg Ski Area
Stuben’s Albona mountain has long red runs for intermediates and excellent off-piste freeriding. Stuben is also near the centre of the whole Arlberg ski area – putting 300 kms of pistes and ungroomed ski routes within easy reach.
Photo: Copyright © Stuben am Arlberg Tourismusbüro | Alex Kaiser
Skiing and boarding on the Albona
Stuben’s own area is the Albona. It’s reached by taking the Albona I lift from the village and skiing down a blue or red run to Alpe Rauz. This is the gateway to the whole of the Arlberg with lifts heading off in all directions, but if you want to explore Stuben’s own area first, select the Albona II lift which takes you to the ridge line near the top of the Albona. From here you can ski on both the north and south faces of the Albona on excellent red runs. The north face (pistes 105 and 106) tend to have better snow and the runs are longer. If you ski all the way to down to the village the total vertical is about 1000m – a real test of stamina. Half way down, near the Mittelstation restaurant, you can switch over to a blue run for an easier descent into Stuben (103). This also gives you the option of peeling off towards Alpe Rauz.
The south-face is much the same – a couple of red runs (both numbered as 107), serviced by the Albonagrat chair which goes all the way to the Albona summit. The south-facing pistes are not as long as the north-facing ones, but they tend to be sunnier, and that can be a welcome on an otherwise austere mountain.
Stuben’s only other pistes are its nursery slopes, serviced by two drag lifts. These are on the other side of the village and are often deserted. And whilst Stuben is not really a beginners resort, it has an excellent ski school, so if you want to learn in a quite spot, it could be an option.
The top of the Abonagrat chair is also the starting point for the off-piste itineraries down to Stuben and across to Langen.
Quick access to the rest of the Arlberg
Stuben’s own slopes are not the only reason for skiers and boarders to stay in Stuben. Alpe Rauz, just one lift and one blue run out from Stuben, is the Arlberg’s central crossroads. Whilst the Albona II takes you back to the area above Stuben, the Flexenbahn gondola heads towards Zurs and the Valfagehr chair towards St Christoph and St Anton. This means you are very handily placed to explore the whole of the Arlberg ski area – even the extremities like Warth-Schroecken although if you want to spend time there it’s probably worth catching the free ski bus from Stuben to Zurs or Lech as it’s quicker than crossing over by lift and piste. And don’t forget about the Sonnenkopf area at Klosterle – the only part of the Arlberg that is not lift-linked to the others. It’s easy to get to from Stuben, with buses leaving about every 30 minutes from the bus stop near the Apres-Post hotel. Off-piste skiers with a guide can ski to Langen which is half way there and pick up the bus to Sonnenkopf at Langen railway station, or take a taxi to complete the journey.