Skiing at Arlberg means treading hallowed ground. Every turn in this majestic mountain realm tells a tale of the past while opening new horizons. The magic of skiing was born here, and it thrives – on every descent, every ascent, in every moment.
The story begins in 1884, when Emperor Franz Josef I opened the Arlberg Railway Tunnel, making the region easily accessible and soon a magnet for mountain-loving visitors.
Just a year later, in 1885, three men in Langen strapped on skis for sport, introduced by a Norwegian engineer.
By 1894, Pastor Müller brought the first pair of skis to the western Arlberg (Tannberg) to travel more easily between Warth and Lech.
In 1901, six friends founded the Ski Club Arlberg at the Hotel Hospiz in St. Christoph. To this day, it is one of the Alps’ oldest and most prestigious ski clubs.
Just three years later, on 5 June 1904, St. Anton hosted the first documented ski race, held without lifts on unprepared terrain.
In 1905, the first ski course was held in Zürs, led by Viktor Sohm. Initially, only locals joined these courses, but by the early 1920s, visitors began taking part.
A pivotal figure in alpine skiing’s evolution is Johann (Hannes) Schneider, born in 1890 in Stuben am Arlberg. A standout ski racer and true pioneer, his ‘Arlberg Technique’ made skiing teachable and accessible to a wide audience.
In 1921, Hannes Schneider established one of the first organised ski schools in St. Anton am Arlberg. His teaching model became a blueprint for ski instruction worldwide. Beyond the slopes, Hannes Schneider was a media presence, starring in fifteen ski films during the 1920s and 1930s, many directed by Arnold Fanck, the pioneer of mountain cinema.
The most famous of these films, Der Weisse Rausch, was filmed at Arlberg in 1931. Its breathtaking shots, authentic ski scenes and majestic mountain backdrop propelled it to international acclaim. The film elevated Arlberg’s fame far beyond the Alps, cementing its role in the global fascination with alpine skiing.
