Around Lech and Zürs runs a classic ski circuit of 22 kilometres with 5,500 metres of altitude gain. Here's how to get around Der Weisse Ring – and what to see along the way, from James Turrell's light room to car-free Oberlech.
In this story · 5 sections
Lech am Arlberg in Vorarlberg is a small village at just under 1,450 metres, on the river Lech and surrounded by high, treeless slopes. Together with its neighbour Zürs, it is one of the most exclusive ski resorts in Austria, with small family hotels, low-rise buildings and a strong tradition of limiting growth. Lech and Zürs are part of Ski Arlberg, which since 2013 has linked them with St. Anton, St. Christoph, Stuben, Warth and Schröcken.
According to the resort, Ski Arlberg has over 300 kilometres of groomed pistes and more than 200 kilometres of ungroomed freeride terrain. Since the 2016–17 season, the Flexenbahn cable car has connected the eastern and western parts. But the most famous day in Lech needs no new lift at all: Der Weisse Ring.
Der Weisse Ring in figures
- Length
- 22 km
- Total vertical
- 5,500 m
- Runs and lifts
- 5 runs, 5 lifts
- Ski Arlberg, groomed pistes
- More than 300 km
- Skyspace Lech
- Opened September 2018, 1,780 m
01The circuit in numbers
Der Weisse Ring is a ski circuit around Lech and Zürs, 22 kilometres long, with five runs, five lifts, one ungroomed descent and a total of 5,500 vertical metres. It is usually skied starting from Lech. An experienced skier can complete it in a few hours, but it's better to take the whole day and stop along the way.
Every winter a race is also held on the circuit, Der Weisse Ring – das Rennen, in which skiers start in groups and compete to get round fastest. Race day is a celebration in the village, and it's worth checking the date before booking if you want the circuit to yourself.
02Morning: Lech to Zürs
Start in the centre of Lech and take the cable car up to the Rüfikopf, above the village. From here the run descends towards Zürs, with views over the Flexen Pass and the surrounding peaks. Zürs is even smaller than Lech, with a handful of hotels along the pass road and lifts on both sides of the village.
In Zürs you continue up towards the Seekopf and the Zürser See, one of the quietest areas on the circuit. Mid-morning the light is at its best here, and the runs are wide and even.
03Midday: Madloch and Zug
The wildest part of the circuit is the Madloch, where a lift takes you up towards a pass and a long descent runs down towards the village of Zug. This is the part of Der Weisse Ring that feels most like backcountry, with large, open slopes and few people. In Zug you'll find some of the area's most popular lunch spots in old wooden houses.
04Afternoon: Oberlech and Skyspace
From Zug you head back up towards Oberlech, the village on the slope above Lech that is car-free in winter. The hotels here are right by the pistes, and luggage and goods are moved through a system of tunnels beneath the village.
A short walk from Oberlech, at Alpe Tannegg above the Schlosskopfbahn, lies Skyspace Lech, a work by the American light artist James Turrell. It opened in September 2018 at 1,780 metres and is reached through a 15-metre tunnel. Inside the round room you see the sky through an opening in the ceiling, and the light changes with the time of day. The architecture was created in collaboration with Baumschlager Eberle. It is one of the most unusual art experiences in the Alps.
05Staying in Lech
Lech is known for its family-run hotels, often in their second or third generation, and for the village having kept to a small scale. There are no high-rises, and many guests come back the same week every year. Book early: the most sought-after weeks fill up well in advance.
More destinations can be found among metromode.co's destinations. With Metro Mode Camera you can ask about every peak along the route.
