St Anton, Austria

Wizard from SWITZERLAND writes:

Overall, I wouldn't recommend St Anton.

It's true, there is a lot going for it. The people are friendly, the bars are quite lively and attract a good crowd, restaurants cater for all tastes, the off-piste is great when it gets going, access to St Anton is good with the tunnel & train, and joining lift ticket to other areas is great. The snow-making in 2009 has also gone up a level.

However, there is so much more that can be done to make it better, yet no one seems interested.

1. Avalanche deaths - obviously this is bad for publicity, but cover-ups don't help anyone. People will go off-piste and need to be fully aware of dangers. All the risks need to be broadcast.

2. Helicopter evacuation - get ready to drop a thousand euros if you have any accident. Almost all evacuations are done dangling from a wire under a helicopter. Great for pilot/rescue training. Not so good for your back pocket or vertigo.

3. Dangerous points - there are known tight parts on the pistes (e.g at the end of Steissbachtal, last corner down to Nasserein) that should be widened, but year after year nothing changes. Same thing with the flat parts under Ulmer Hutter and the turn-off to the Mattunbahn, with people carrying too much speed trying to avoid stopping.

4. Skiing on Rodelbahn - a pet hate of mine, yet no one seems interested in enforcing this as a non-ski area. The last thing kids want on their sleds are stupid skiers and boarders flying past, especially on all the blind hair-pin corners.

5. Skiing in restricted areas - another pet hate, and mostly boarders to blame here. No one seems to interested in enforcing this either. The forest above Nasserein would be a good place to start.

6. Reporting theft - obviously people have to secure there equipment properly. But if you ever become a victim then don't expect much help from the police. They apparently view such events as a waste of their time and feel it an imposition to file a report or prepare something for your insurance company.

7. Wastes of money - seems the money not spent on improving the above dangers are wasted on other things. Examples that quickly come to mind are the V-tunnel moving carpet at Rauz and the safety red/green lights as you get to the top of may lifts (and now being advertised on TV). Surely this cash could be diverted somewhere more useful.

8. Town council is petty - a visitor here for a week may not notice but other people do. Excessive restrictions on property ownership, having to register for every night of your stay, restricting bar operations only for some operators, etc. Petty and mean.

St Anton is a good resort, although definitely not for beginners. But, in any case, I recommend you take you hard-earned tourist dollars and spend them where they are more appreciated.

2009-02-03

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