Sankt Anton am Arlberg

More mountains were on the agenda. I took the train from Innsbruck to Sankt Anton am Arlberg for a couple of days. I came this far in Austria, I may as well as take advantage of a few quiet days in the Tyrol region. And quiet it was. The summer is full of hikers, and the winter full if skiers. Not many people are around in the fall. I was ok with it though. 

The train ride was super quick. Not only did I have some great views of the surrounding mountains, but I got to see a rainbow. I wish I could have gotten off the train to really enjoy it. It looks unreal.

Rainbow.

Once I arrived in Sankt Anton am Arlberg, it was obvious it was a ski town. I can only imagine what it's like in the winter. I went to look for a bus that would take me close to the guesthouse I was staying in. No such luck. I kept walking hoping I would come across one, but I ended up walking the entire way. I guess the buses are on break and waiting until winter to resume service. It's usually not a big deal to walk but it was about 1.5 miles and included hills. It was a good reminder to not buy anything new. Yeah right. That probably won't last long.

I finally arrived at the address but it was all quiet. The entrance was unclear as there were multiple buildings. I spent more than 15 minutes trying various doors (locked and unlocked), calling out 'hello', and circling the area. Finally, one door I tried had an answer to my call. Apparently the switch I thought was a light, was a doorbell. Noted. I was a little frustrated at this point but the woman was nice and friendly, so I got over it quickly. 

After handing off my laundry, I headed back into town to explore a little and get dinner. The walk was a little far, as explained earlier, so this would be my one trip out for the evening. The one great thing about small towns is that everyone says hi to you. It's very welcoming, especially from children. I do wonder if it's obvious I'm a tourist. I know I blend in here more than in other parts of the world. Of course, once I speak, I it's obvious I'm not a local. 

Pfarrkirche St. Anton und Mariahilf.

I got dinner at one of the few places open, and relaxed for a bit. I was looking forward to a couple of low-key days full of beautiful scenery. Especially since the place I was staying in was someone's home, and it was nice and cozy. 

The following morning, I enjoyed a delicious breakfast at the time that I had requested. So accommodating. I love it. Later in the morning, I went for a hike. I wasn't entirely sure where to go since there were so many options, but the women at the guesthouse recommended going to Verwallsee, a lake in the woods. So I packed my backpack, and headed out.

I walked through town to some pretty great views.

Fall leaves

Rosanna River.

I made my way into the forest and walked along the Rosanna River for a while.

Covered bridge.

Saw the trees turning colors.

Green and yellow.

And about 3 hours later, I made it to Verwallsee. The views were pretty, but the lake was a bit smaller than I expected. It was more like a reservoir to be honest. The hike was very nice though, and after doing a lap around Verwallsee, I headed back. Unfortunately the lodge near the lake wasn't open. So no beer on this hike. And I had to pee. I would have squatted, but it was too cold, and I was near water. I remember you shouldn't do your business near water sources. I think it could have been fine. But I hiked back quickly nonetheless.

Verwallsee.

I had another low key evening with some wine at the guesthouse. Plans were made for the upcoming days. Since my next stop wasn't too far, I decided to do some more hiking the next day before leaving town.

I headed out right after breakfast and it was a beautiful day for a hike. I first went straight back from the guesthouse and made my way up to the Munteck viewpoint. The blue skies helped the views for sure. After an hour, and 123 flights according to my Fitbit, I made it to the top. The snowy peaks and the valleys down below were gorgeous.

Snow.

The Tyrolean Alps.

I made it.

Mountain towns.

I got a little taste of snow on the first part of my hike but I was about to get some more. I headed back down the mountain and across to another mountain. This time I hiked up to Gampen, and got some slightly different views of the valley. I also saw first hand what the skiers go down in the winter. To say it would be slightly scary would be an understatement.

More snow.

Made it to 1850 meters.

Endless peaks.

After reaching the top, and taking a few photos, I needed to head back. Of course it was the long way back. You can't just go down any way you want down a mountain. You have to follow the path. Even if it's going in the opposite direction that you need to go in. Because of the snow, I did slip a few times. But I did not fall. It was a little more muddy here than snowy, so I preferred to not fall on my butt. I took my time, but I had to make it back to the guesthouse to pack up my stuff and get to the train station. I made it back with plenty of time and my host gave me a ride, which was super helpful. I got my ticket and was soon on my way. 

Schaan, Liechtenstein was my next stop, and it was a brand new country for me. I was excited to go check it out.