Austria's Most Fashionable Resort
Lech transformed from a poor mountain farming village into a respected ski resort during the 1920s and 1930s. The ski resort grew steadily in the early years, but today is regarded as a key component of the popular Ski Arlberg region which boasts over 300 kilometres of perfectly groomed ski runs.
The region is one of the snowiest parts of Austria so visitors are guaranteed fresh snow right throughout the ski season. However, the pistes in Lech are mostly suited for beginner and intermediate skiers with only a smattering of black runs for advanced skiers.
Lech Resort
The quaint village has maintained most of its traditional charm despite the cosmopolitan influence that provides visitors with a choice of international restaurants and lively bars. If shopping is on your agenda, you won’t be disappointed by the choice of designer labels on offer either.
Resort Statistics
| Base: | 1450 meters |
| Summit: | 2450 meters |
| No. of Pistes: | 54 |
| Total Piste: | 305 km |
| Cross Country: | 20 km |
| Total Lifts: | 88 |
| Gondolas/ Cable Cars: | 15 |
| Chairlifts: | 45 |
| Drag Lifts: | 28 |
Piste Map
Lech Ski Areas & Slopes
The majority of the ski areas at Lech are geared towards beginners and intermediate skiers and snowboarders. There are, however, several challenging runs at Madloch and Langer Zug together with 20km of cross country skiing.
Oberlech
Situated in the sunny side of the Alps, Oberlech is the main ski area of the Lech. It’s a great place for families and beginners to hang out but also connects to neighbouring resorts.
Intermediate-Advanced: The most demanding runs in the Oberlech ski area are the ungroomed runs from Zuger Hochlicht. The area is not patrolled or avalanche controlled, however, so go with an experienced guide.
Beginners: An excellent network of easy blue runs makes Oberlech ideal for newbies.
Rüfikopf
The Rüfikopf is another popular part of the mountain thanks to its stunning panoramic views from the observation deck and mountaintop restaurant serving a wide range of sumptuous and energy boosting dishes.
Intermediate-Advanced: The most challenging and enjoyable downhill descents in the Lech ski area are from the 2,363m summit of the Rüfikopf. The steepest and fastest side of the mountain is Langerzug on route 215 which has a 900m+ vertical drop - the longest in Lech!
Beginners: Beginners that are ready to tackle the legendary “White Ring” ski circuit can enter from Rüfikopf and try out some testing blue runs.
Zurs
Neighbouring Zurs is connected to Lech and St Anton by “The White Ring”. This side of the slopes is an intermediates paradise. Advanced skiers will also find several challenging slopes from here, and there are plenty of easy blues for beginners.
Intermediate-Advanced: The 5km route from the top of Madlochjoch down to Zug is highly recommended for intermediates. If you want to tackle something faster, head for Weibermahd and stick to the right-hand side. Advanced skiers will find 5 or 6 runs classified as “Extreme”.
Beginners: Take the Ubungshang chairlift and follow the blue run 123 to the Zursersee chairlift.
Warth-Schröcken
Warth-Schröcken was the last resort to marry up to the Ski Arlberg area. It is linked to Lech via the Auenfeldjet gondola. The runs are a mixed bag, but is the good area for advanced skiers to tackle a couple of short trickier runs.
Intermediate-Advanced: The red runs on the Saloberkopf side are fairly straightforward but a good starting point to get a feel for the mountain on your first day. The Warth side of the terrain presents more challenges and advanced skiers will find a handful of sharp black runs that weave in between the reds.
Beginners: There are some easy slopes between Warth and the Hochtannberg Pass which are suitable for beginners.
Ski Holidays in Lech
Lech Ski Passes
A Ski Arlberg pass gives you access to the entire mountain from any resort including Lech, Zur, St Anton, Warth, Schröcken, Sonnenkopf/Klösterle and Pettneu.
Main season passes cost €56.50 per day for adults, costing €372 for seven days, while child passes are €34 per day and €202 for seven days.
Beginner’s tickets are available for half day or one day passes for between €24 and €31 for adults.
Ski Schools
The Lech Zurs am Arlberg ski area has a longstanding tradition of ski schools. There are no end of ski schools and private ski instructors plying their trade in the resort.
Because of the competition, ski schools are often geared to a specialist type of training; freeriding, cross country skiing, altitude skiing, adventure sports and children-only.
Ski schools that have a good reputation include Ski School Lech, Alpine Centre, Skischule exklusiv and Kinderclub Lech.
Equipment Hire
There are plenty of shops renting ski equipment in Lech. Together with the usual suspects like Intersport and Sport 2000, you also have friendly family-run local shops including Skibex, Sporthaus Pfefferkorn, and SportAlp.
Family Fun in Lech
Lech ski area is mostly geared towards beginners and intermediates so is an ideal ski destination for families - especially if you have young children that are inexperienced skiers.
There are plenty of family-friendly restaurants and high-quality ski schools that accept children from the age of four and upwards. Group lessons and private classes are readily available.
There is also a Terrain Park in the Schlegelkopf area which is purpose-built for young families to spend quality time together and have some fun. In the park, you will find a mini slalom, jumps, rails and boxes together with a half-pipe for snowboarders.
Off-slope, you have the option to go ice-skating, horse-sleighing, tobogganing and snowshoeing or a range of indoor sports including badminton, volleyball, football, and ping pong.
When to Go?
Early season and late season receive the longest sunny spells.
Snow Report
The Ski Arlberg region is best known for its snow quality. Lech typically receives an average snowfall of 11m throughout the ski season. Check out our snow webcam for the latest reports.
The weather in Lech is ideal for skiing. In the early and late parts of the ski season, the Arlberg region enjoys long sunny spells whilst still receiving a fair amount of snowfall. Late December to early March tends to be colder.
Operating Times
Lech is open between Dec 1st and mid-April. The slopes open at 9:00 am and close at 5:00 pm.