An intense mountain experience
The countdown is on: the 2017/18 winter season is almost upon us and the sportiest skiing area can hardly wait for the first guests to strap on their skis or snowboards and wind their way down those freshly prepared slopes. And there are plenty of places to do just that in Silvretta Montafon: 140 kilometres of piste, 36 lift facilities and more than 70 different freeride routes are simply waiting to be explored by winter sports enthusiasts. And the diverse range of mountain experiences such as snow groomer riders, igloo adventure nights and numerous event highlights such as the Ski and Snowboardcross World Cup with an open-air concert provide the perfect off-slope entertainment. This winter there are two new mountain experiences that have been added to the programme: wine tasting at the highest-altitude wine bar in Vorarlberg – VINNOVA – and the beginner ski tour.
Straight from the motorway into the skiing area – convenient, effortless, and with guaranteed snow. Thanks to great transportation links, Silvretta Montafon guests enjoy a stress-free arrival in Vorarlberg's southernmost valley. There are no mountain roads to navigate – so there's no need for snow chains – and you can enjoy a relaxed holiday right from the word go. In addition, a well-established snow-making infrastructure means snow is guaranteed throughout the entire season. As of this winter, the skiing area boasts a total of 500 energy-efficient snow guns that ensure excellent piste conditions. As such, guests at Silvretta Montafon can look forward to a carefree winter vacation or day excursion in the snow, fully enjoying the highlights of the sportiest skiing area right from the start.
VINNOVA – fine pleasures at literally the highest level
Vorarlberg's highest-altitude wine bar opens its doors at the beginning of December. At 2,000 metres above sea level, this new vinotheque in the former barn of the mountain restaurant Nova Stoba indulges its guests with an exquisite selection of more than 100 choice wines served with Alpine tapas. It also has a large panorama window which offers an impressive view of the surrounding mountains. Over a glass of fine wine, guests not only enjoy the view but can also relax in a feel-good atmosphere as they look back over their day of winter sports. Anyone finding it difficult to make a choice from among the extensive selection of wines can savour this new mountain wine-tasting experience by simply working their way through the wine list. Whether white or red – the resident sommelier delights guests with the pleasures of fine wines at VINNOVA every Thursday. Wine-tasting sessions are enhanced with the insider expertise of wine specialists, and wines are served with Alpine tapas, special cheese samples from the region and fresh ham specialities. To conclude each session, a barista serves coffee specialities from the portafilter coffee machine. VINNOVA is also available for rent to anyone looking for a special location for corporate parties, club events or larger group functions.
Unforgettable events
The musical and sporting events in Silvretta Montafon are always memorable – whether as a catchy tune or a story to tell the next time you get together with friends. Everything gets underway on 2 December when Die Draufgänger open the winter sports season in Silvretta Montafon. And since two is always better than one, the following Saturday sees the second round of the season opening celebrations with another open-air concert. On 9 December, the band Die Fäaschtbänkler gets the skiing area rocking – truly making sure that every last snow enthusiast is finally roused from their summer slumbers. But that's by no means all for December – after all, all good things come in threes. The next season highlight awaits visitors to Silvretta Montafon on Thursday, 14 December. High speed, great jumps and passing manoeuvres are the order of the day on the third weekend in December. At the Montafon World Cup, ski and snowboard crossers battle it out once again for ideal lines and fast times. And the World Cup stage is not just reserved for athletes this weekend – there are two top-class music acts, too: the German hip-hop duo 257ers gained fame with their hit "Ich und mein Holz" – they will be rocking Silvretta Montafon on 16 December.
After this the open-air stage at Hochjoch Bahn valley station hosts a real sensation: the Swedish superstars of Mando Diao pay a visit to Silvretta Montafon, bringing along with them some great new tracks from their latest album "Good Times".
Silvretta Montafon has a whole range of sporting and musical attractions to offer throughout the season, too. On 20 January the Dorfrocker will be performing at the Nova Stoba, while on 24 February, the sportiest skiing area will once again host the Open Faces Freeride Contest. Silvretta Montafon demonstrates its enormous variety once again in March with everything from the Ö3-PistenBully to Brass am Berg. In April
guests are invited to celebrate the grand finale and experience the absolute highlights of the 2017/18 winter season. The countdown starts on 1 April with Florian Silbereisen and his Klubbb3 crew, as well as the boys of voXXclub. A week later, on 7 April, Austrian band Seiler & Speer celebrates winter one last time in Silvretta Montafon before the summer returns once again.
Mountain experiences
In addition to these numerous events, visits to Silvretta Montafon can of course get active themselves – not just on the 140 kilometres of piste. The Freeride Adventure Day gives participants the opportunity to explore the vast expanse of the back country, for example. There are also three sunrise outings guaranteeing morning stillness and a glimpse of the rising sun behind the mountain peaks – a moment of pure pleasure. A new feature in the programme this winter is the mountain experience Ski Tour. This group sets off every Wednesday: beyond the hustle and bustle of the piste, winter sports enthusiasts get to explore the local area from a whole new perspective – even though they're never too far away from the pistes. Familiar but newly packaged, the two mountain experiences PistenBully (snow groomer rides) and Night-time igloo adventure are back again this winter season. If you ever wanted to sit at the wheel of a piste vehicle and drive effortless up the mountainside – this is the perfect oppertunity. First there is a brief theoretical introduction, then you get started: visitors go on a 45-minute ride round a specially created course and can then go on to groom the pistes themselves or accompany a PistenBully driver as a co-pilot. Those who opt for an Night-time igloo adventure this winter can look forward to comfortable igloo glamping sleeping facilities in a double bed while still enjoying an unrestricted view of the breathtaking mountain backdrop at an altitude of 2,000 metres.