EHRFURCHT. The Feeling Of The Arlberg

There’s a unique feeling you get walking into stadiums like the MCG on ANZAC Day, or down the steps at Pipeline, Oahu. A feeling that only comes when a sport is experienced in its historical temple. When the combination of history, natural landscape, people, environment, and culture is just right, something clicks. The German language has a word that describes this feeling perfectly – Ehrfurcht (Air-foorkht): a feeling of deep respect mixed with fear, wonder, and admiration.

As a freerider, stepping off the Schindlergratbahn in St Anton am Arlberg for the first time gave me that exact feeling. Like a gladiator entering the Colosseum, except instead of the roar of a crowd, you are met with the sublime sentinel of the Arlberg Alps. With steep north-facing terrain on tap and an endless abundance of opportunity to express yourself, you find yourself in freeride heaven.

Touted as “The Cradle of Alpine Skiing,” the expansive Ski Arlberg network of St Anton, St Christoph, Stuben, Lech, Zürs, Warth, and Schröcken is home to the first alpine ski club – Ski Club Arlberg (founded in 1901) – as well as the first alpine ski technique, pioneered by Hannes Schneider in the early 20th century. While I’ve skied in many places around the world with terrain to rival the Arlberg, none have given the same regal sense of history these mountains hold.

As a freerider, stepping off the Schindlergratbahn in St Anton am Arlberg for the first time gave me that exact feeling. Like a gladiator entering the Colosseum, except instead of the roar of a crowd, you are met with the sublime sentinel of the Arlberg Alps. With steep north-facing terrain on tap and an endless abundance of opportunity to express yourself, you find yourself in freeride heaven.

This history seems set to repeat itself into the future. Home to multiple Freeride World Tour champions, including our very own Lorraine Huber (who calls both Torquay and Lech home), current FWT Junior World Champion Jana Hausl (daughter of FWT legend Stefan), and 2023 World Champion Valentin Rainer, it doesn’t take long to realise why they call this region home. Skiing here isn’t just a sport, it’s a way of life. It feels authentic to move in the mountains in these parts.

I’ve been returning to this region for years, using it as a training ground for junior athletes as part of our Higher Freeride program in Austria. It’s usually the terrain, along with the conveyor belt of storms rolling out of the western Alps and funneling into this pocket of mountains, that draws me back. Like a vortex, the Arlberg absorbs storm energy like a rainforest in full soak, often leaving little for the rest of Austria. Storms that leave 10cms across the Innsbruck region (just one hour east) will often deliver 20–30cms to the Arlberg valley.

But on this recent trip with my partner Jess, visiting purely for leisure, I found myself drawn to something else entirely – the beating heart of the place: its people.

The mountains here are formidable, and the local talent and depth of culture seem born out of the challenge of overcoming their many moods. Since before the Arlberg valley opened to the world with the installation of the rail tunnel in the late 1800s, locals have been driven by the desire to explore its wild side. Connecting with local ski guide Jens Borgnæs (who moved to St Anton over 40 years ago as a ski bum and never left) for a day out, I asked him what has kept him here for so long. “The versatility, there are so many things we can do here.” From the vast selection of perfect steep groomers to the incredible backcountry access atop almost every chair, he says he has “never gotten bored skiing here.” I can see why.

Tyrolean and Vorarlberg hospitality is built around passion. Known as Gefreundschaft in the local dialect, you are welcomed like family rather than guests. Jens shared his passion for the mountains with us throughout the day, pointing out famous lines, touring routes, and the countless stories of triumph and tragedy that shape the valley. Every powder stash Jens guided us to felt like a genuine gift, and with a backyard like this, there seems little reason to keep secrets.

Our stay at Hotel Gotthard in Lech to close out our trip cemented this feeling. From the familiarity of an Australian accent when greeted by host Nicole, to the warmth of the homemade baking and brewing her husband, Clemens Walch (a third-generation Lech local), has embedded in the experience, we felt very much at home.

Whilst it might be the skiing that brings you here in the first place, it is the genuine desire of the locals to share their special pocket of the world that will keep you coming back. The Arlberg doesn’t try to impress you – it doesn’t need to. It has been defining ski culture for centuries. It’s authentic love for the mountains, exuding from both place and people, entices you to dive a little deeper and rediscover your own love for the mountains and the sport.