St. Anton
Located in the Arlberg region of Austria, St. Anton offers sweeping vistas of the Austrian Alps and features a top elevation of 9,223 feet. In 2006, the U.K. Guardian (a British newspaper) ranked St. Anton as the No. 3 snowboarding resort in the world. Additionally, the World Snowboard Guide describes the resort as having the "best terrain in Austria."
Although St. Anton does have a few beginners' runs, it caters more towards intermediate- and expert-level riders. Many of the runs have steep slopes that provide numerous opportunities for off-piste boarding. Keep in mind though: St. Anton is better known for its free-riding than its free-styling. The resort does have a half-pipe, but its freestyle facilities are considered a bit lacking.
St. Anton
Dorfstraße 8
A-6580 St. Anton am Arlberg
Tyrol, Austria
(011) +43 5446 22690
stantonamarlberg.com
Schladming
With excellent snow cover and views of the Dachstein Glacier, it's no surprise why the Schladming Resort draws thousands of visitors from Germany, Sweden, Denmark and the U.K. Schladming appeals particularly to novice snowboarders---it's considered one of the top 10 resorts for beginning boarders by SkiSnowboardEurope.com. More experienced riders will find challenging courses on the Hochwurzen and Planai runs.
In 2013, the resort will host the World Championships, which means many of its lifts and runs have undergone significant renovations. For freestyle boarders, Schladming does offer a terrain park, but it doesn't have a half-pipe.
Schladming
56A Rohrmoos Strasse
8 A8970 Schladming
Rohrmoos, Austria
(011) +43 6646 585337
skischladming.com
Solden
For a world-class snowboarding experience, make sure to look into Solden---a resort that receives a 9-out-of-10 rating from the World Snowboard Guide. One of the largest resorts in Austria, Solden consists of two towering mountains (top elevation is 10,663 feet) and features 35 ski lifts. Due to its high elevation, the resort remains open from October to May.
According to BoardtheWorld.com, Solden "definitely has the goods" when it comes to free-riding. The resort provides a generous number of open bowls, cliff drops, and steep slopes for its free-riders. Unfortunately, Solden's freestyle facilities don't quite match up to its free-riding ones. The park has two terrain parks, but its half-pipe suffers from a lack of maintenance.
Solden
Gemeindestraße 4
6450 Sölden
Otztal, Austria
(011) +43 0572 00200
soelden.com
