St. Anton am Arlberg, Austria

First off, I want to say Happy New Year to all.  I’ve been away from the blog for a while visiting family and friends in the U.S.; it was great fun.

Now that 2012 is upon us, we decided that our first trip of the year should be an active one….So, off we went to St. Anton am Arlberg in Austria to work off our Christmas cookies on the slopes.

St. Anton

St. Anton, part of the Arlberg region, is Austria’s prime skiing destination and largest ski resort.  At an elevation of 4,265 ft (1300 m), the mountain air is crisp, clean, and may even take your breath away if you’re not accustomed to high altitude.

St. Anton

Galzig Bahn - main gondola

A lot of snow!

With several feet of snow already on the mountain and fresh powder falling on us, we knew the conditions could not be any better.  Kevin was in heaven.  He skied off-piste in deep, fresh snow and had a ball (too advanced for me!).  St. Anton boasts about 270 miles (440 km) of descents with 85 lifts and cable cars to keep you on the move.

Après Ski

At Mooserwirt...need I say more

And at the end of a long day of skiing, you have St. Anton’s legendary après ski festivities to look forward to.  Head to Mooserwirt or the Krazy Kangaruh for some suds to cool you down or some mulled wine to warm you up.  Get ready to sing, dance, and be merry…cuz it’s a P.A.R.T.Y.

Innsbruck, Austria

Colorful Row Houses in Innsbruck

After two days of skiing, it was time to head home and move our sore muscles to the airport, but not before a very quick peek at Innsbruck.  Located in the valley of the Inn River, Innsbruck is a charming city nestled close the beautiful Austrian Alps.

Innsbruck

Sculpting the ice...I think he's carving Kevin.

The Golden Roof

The Golden Roof (Goldenes Dachl in German), built in the early 15th century for Emperor Maximilian I, is one of Innsbruck’s famous landmarks.  Covered with approximately 2,700 gilded copper tiles, it served as a royal box for the emperor so he could watch the events in the square below.  Pretty nice.

Inn River at Innsbruck

I think it’s safe to say we burned a few calories on the slopes of St. Anton (which might work out to a cookie and a half).  Calories aside, it was a memorable experience swishing around those impressive mountains.