Lech ski resort

Lech ski resort is one of Austria’s oldest ski resorts famously known as the birthplace of Alpine skiing and home to the world’s first heated chairlift (1937). A favorite spot among British Royals including Princess Diana, a ski holiday in Lech is a must for families and ski enthusiasts looking for a fun-filled winter getaway.

Ski Information for Lech

Located in the mountainous region of Vorarlberg, Lech combined with the other 6 neighboring ski resorts provides an extensive skiing terrain named Ski Arlberg. The resorts together create Austria’s largest ski resort with over 306 km of skiing slopes, serviced by 88 lifts.

With the Ski Alberg’s high-tech ski pass, skiers can access all cable cars and lift station gates in Lech ski resort ‘hands-free.’  Ski Alberg is also home to Europe’s oldest and strongest ski club, producing famous World Cup and Olympic gold medalists and hosting numerous ski races and competitions yearly.

Home to hundreds of high-quality five-star hotels, glamorous sports boutiques, and fine ding restaurants, skiing in Lech is quite expensive. Despite this, more families still come to visit Lech for its large powder-filled and well-groomed terrain for beginners and intermediates and its extensive facilities for children. It also offers one of Arlberg’s greatest après ski spots and numerous exciting off-mountain activities.

Skiable Terrain in Lech

Majority of Lech’s skiing areas are composed of sunny, wide open and interconnected slopes that are great for beginners and novices. Off-piste terrains with some doubled diamonds are available for expert and advanced skiers. Many insurmountable peaks are accessible through heli-skiing.

Because of its high altitude and modern snowmaking equipment, the resort provides snow-sure and top-quality skiing slopes. For powder hounds looking for deeper powder, avail the Ski Arlberg pass to get access to Europe’s snowiest skiing terrain. Connected by the Auenfeldjet lift, the small Warth ski resort receives 11 meters of natural snow every year.

Flexenbhan cable way is a new and efficient chairlift system that connects Lech ski resort to six neighboring villages allowing skiers to access more slopes. One of the world’s five largest skiing resorts, Ski Arlberg claims over 5,000 hectares of skiing terrain for skiers and snoboarders. In addition to the groomed slopes, over 180 km of ungroomed slopes are waiting for freestylers and freeriders with several routes marked extremely difficult.

Lech Skiable Terrain for Beginners

Lech offers very limited slopes for beginners. The best area for beginners and children, serviced by a T-bar is located near the Flühen lift, close to the 600-year-old church. Skiing and snowboarding lessons are also offered for those who want to learn how to ski before they head to the slopes. After some practice from the ski schools, confident beginners can try the runs at Oberlech and some easy blue slopes near Weibermahd. There are also slopes for advanced beginners at the Rüfikopf area like the Monzabon-See trail and the Schuttboden-Zurs trail leading to the Zurs base area where more nursery slopes are available for novices.

Lech Skiable Terrain for Intermediate Skiers

Lech allots almost 50% of its terrain to intermediate skiers. The pistes are perfect for deep powder runs. The famous White Ring circuit, a 22-km clockwise route connecting Lech and Zurs area is composed of red and blue slopes. While some parts are well-groomed, there are areas in the circuit that are steep and challenging even to the best intermediate skiers.

Most of the long intermediate skiing slopes are immaculately groomed and are connected through a series of lifts and gondolas.  One of the ideal slopes is the 5 km long route taking skiers from the top of Madlochjoch downhill leading to Zug.

At Lech, plenty of vast powder filled slopes await those seeking for some skiing at blinding speeds like the Weibermahd run. A few off-piste locations are available for skiers looking for more fresh powder and more challenging terrain.

Lech Skiable Terrain for Experts

Lech combined with Zurs offer 33 km of ungroomed black marked pistes for experts and over 200 km of ungroomed and off-piste tracks across the Arlberg. Best explored with a mountain guide, most of these slopes are considered ‘Extreme’.

The Kriegerhorn (2,173m) have expert routes like the mogul-filled Südhang (202), the ‘Extreme’ Osthang (203), some off-piste areas near Nordhang (204) and the Furkawang route (222) taking skiers down to Zug for another two marked trails. From Rüfikopf (2,362m), the Langerzug (215) is another extreme trail that leads to Stubenbach’s gladed terrain. The popular and challenging off-piste Schwarzewand slopes offers wonderful views of Lech.

For more freeriding adventures, head to Zür’s powder deep off-piste area near Madloch. The black marked Sonnenberg and the ungroomed ‘Extreme’ Seekopf is just one lift up on the western side of the resort and both of these slopes leads back to Zur’s base area. Freeriding is available at Hexenboden (2,223m) near the Trittalp area, but it will require a steep and daring climb, supervision of a mountain guide is a must.

For experts seeking for more unforgettable adventures, Heli-skiing trips are available on Monday to Friday, taking off at the Abflugplatz Flexenpass. There are two locations available. Schneetäli (2450m) is great for intermediates and the other one is the expert skier’s favorite, Mehlsack (2652m). The 5.5 km long and 1,200m vertical descent from Mehslack’s peak is one of the longest run in Alberg and offers the freshest powder.