Arlberg Pass

The Arlberg is a high mountain pass in western Austria, linking the Klostertal Valley in Vorarlberg with the Stanzer Valley in Tyrol. Four villages sit on its slopes: Lech and Klösterle–Stuben on the Vorarlberg side, and Kaisers and St. Anton on the Tyrol side. The Valluga, the area’s highest peak, and the Trittkopf tower over the pass. The watershed between the Rhine and Danube rivers runs across the summit, dividing two great river basins. A single road still crosses the 1,800-metre pass, while a 14-kilometre tunnel carries modern traffic below. The Arlberg is best known for its winter sports heritage. Skiing began here in 1901 with the founding of the Arlberg ski club. Hannes Schneider opened the first ski school in 1921, and the famous Arlberg Kandahar races started in 1928. The first ski lifts appeared in 1937, built by Konrad Doppelmayr and Sepp Bildstein. Today the linked resorts offer 305 kilometres of groomed pistes and 200 kilometres of deep-snow routes. The White Ring, a 22-kilometre ski circuit, winds through the area and hosts annual races. Visitors find wide, snowy slopes above Lech and Zürs, served by 15 aerial tramways and 45 chairlifts. Above St. Anton and St. Christoph, the Arena on Gampen, Kapall, Galzig and Valluga provides varied terrain. The old pass road still climbs to the summit, where walkers can stand on the watershed and look down into two valleys. Winter sports dominate the economy, yet the high peaks and deep forests belong to the landscape all year round.