Silvretta Montafon, Gargellen, Golm, Bielerhöhe, Kristberg

Montafon
Always an experience

Wide and gently rising is the Montafon at the beginning, before it gets steep and narrow from St. Gallenkirch towards Gargellen and Silvretta. At the valley entrance you will find tranquil classics such as Schruns-Tschagguns, with the Hochjoch and the "Gupf" Golm - now with barrier-free 8-person gondolas - on the opposite side of which is one of the steepest slopes in Austria. If you keep left in St. Gallenkirch you go via Gaschurn towards Silvretta. Behind the town there is no access for cars in winter. At St. Gallenkirch you drive under the last major lift development for the time being: from here you have the choice. Either to the Hochjoch area, which used to only be accessible from Schruns, or to the wide slopes of the Silvretta-Montafon.

Autonomous The cable car takes you up here as an absolute innovation. A quick visit to the middle station shows that it is not completely free of people. An employee at the headquarters monitors the smooth running of the cable car, and employees at the stations ensure that anything forgotten - primarily mobile phones - is stored away. Or that the ascent continues after the automatic emergency stop if, for example, a stick sticks out of the gondola. In addition to the new Valisera cable car, the valley station has spectacular restaurants, a hotel, an Intersport shop and an underground car park with 600 parking spaces and 50! charging stations. Silvretta-Montafon is one of the best-connected ski centers in the Alps with outstanding slopes. Cable cars lead from Gaschurn and St. Gallenkirch to the extensive ski area. If we drive to Alpe Nova, we are faced with an often tough, steep slope on the otherwise moderately difficult terrain. For skiers, the Schwarzköpfle route offers wide-open terrain in a picturesque setting.

With a new descent Since last winter, Gargellen has also provided guests staying on the right side of the village (Landal, Madrisa, Alpenrose) with a guaranteed valley descent on skis to their accommodation until spring. This is made possible by the new piste connection from the Schnapfenwald to the Schwefeltobel, which is secured by 23 snow cannons. The village, located in the last corner of the side valley branching off to the southwest from St. Gallenkirch, in the shadow of the Madrisa, is still a real insider tip. And one for real experts. If the avalanche safety is sufficient, the Madrisa circuit is tempting. If you want to invest less time, drive to the "Täli", once the starting point of an avalanche accident. Today, the area is cordoned off at the slightest danger. In the right snow conditions, the 500-meter-long, painted "Nidla" is legendary.

At the beginning of the valley behind Bludenz, the Montafon is wide. Schruns-Tschagguns - the starting point for Golm, Hochjoch and Silbertal - is more than just a winter sports center. You will often come across horse-drawn carts ringing their bells, while others use the route under the striking Rätikon peaks "The Three Towers" for an endless toboggan ride. It is particularly pleasing that public rail travel is being promoted today. Specifically, it is the Green Ticket, with which the journey from the borders of Vorarlberg is also included in the tickets. Incidentally, these have been subject to dynamic pricing since last year.