NOW AND THEN

(HI)STORIES FROM THE ARLBERG

HOSPITALITY. SINCE 1959

OOOO

Welcome to the Alpine Sports Resort

Enjoy the winter

Rote Wand Inn

Zug church

Rote WandSchualhus

NEW:

Chairlift to the Balmalpe

Directly from the hotel doorstep to the White Ring and an additional 350 km of skiing

Rote WandHotel

Building A & B

Rote WandFamily

lodges C

Rote WandSuites

Building D

Walch’s Rote Wand Alpen Sport Resort

H H H H

6 buildings – connected underground by the Roter Gang corridor

Rote Wand peak2,706 m

Winter is returning to the Arlberg – and as every year, we are looking forward to sharing our

anticipation with you over the next few pages. We will be taking a look at the many exciting

new things coming this winter season as well as taking a look back once again. Back at the

entertaining stories and interesting facts surrounding the beginnings of skiing on the Arlberg,

the legendary horse-and-carriage rides to Zug and the old Schualhus in Zug where the

region’s gourmet culture has been setting a precedent since this summer.

Be inspired – and surprised!

Natascha and Joschi Walch

On the tracks of horse-drawn sleigh rides

Horse-drawn sleighs have a long-standing tradition in

Zug. During the 1930s, our grandfather earnt a little ext-

ra on top of his modest farming income by transporting

people in his horse and carriage.

In the past, it was often only possible to reach Lech Zürs by sleigh

– or on foot – in winter. There were no snow blowers. And in heavy

snowfall, a good horse was sent ahead which would be able to

“feel” the hard road beneath the deep snow – then more horses

were sent afterwards to flatten the snow. And finally a chain was

attached between two horses to flatten the route to the Rote

Wand.

At the end of the 1960s, the Walch family gave up their dairy

business and began focusing on breeding Noriker horses. In

1975, Josef Walch sen. was the first on the Arlberg to offer hor-

se-and-carriage rides – at that time using four sleighs pulled by

two horses each. Famous celebrities such as the Prince and Princess

of Monaco and King Hussein of Jordan, along with his wife Noor and

family, have also taken a horse-and-carriage ride with Josef

Walch sen. In the afternoon, guests wrapped up well and set

off pulled by two strong horses to try Mama Burgi’s famous apple

strudel. Or in the evening, for a fondue meal at the Rote Wand.

The combi-sleigh was the idea of Papa Walch as well. Using wheels

as well as blades, these sleighs were able to glide along the first

snow-free areas of the road in spring too.

Today, of course, Zug is easy to reach with a car. Despite this, or

perhaps because of it, a trip through the snowy village in a hor-

se-drawn sleigh is still a very special experience.

Fancy a trip back to the good old days?Even today, a horse-and-carriage ride is a romantic highlight on any winter

holiday in Lech-Zug. Our reception team would be happy to make a reservation

for you.

In 1959, Peter Alexan-der travelled past the Rote Wand in a hor-se-drawn sleigh. You can see the clip from the film “Peter schießt den Vogel ab” here!

Even the journey to Lech was completed in a horse-drawn sleigh – as shown here on the Fle-xen protection gallery.

Josef Walch sen. with Queen Noor and King Hussein of Jordan

Retain good things, create new things

The Rote Wand was certainly not built in a day. But despite this, or

perhaps because of it, the Alpine sports resort is one of the most

modern buildings around. Starting with the old inn, which you

enter first, the hotel offers unanticipated dimensions.

Since this summer*, there have been a total of six buildings, all

connected underground by the “Roter Gang” (red corridor).

Each building welcomes guests with the typical straight-lined ar-

chitecture of Vorarlberg. A subtly stylish interior and local materials

make it easy to come here and switch off.

*New: the Rote Wand Schualhus opposite.More about this on p. 14.

From classic cocktails to cuisine style mixo-logy – there is nothing the Rote Wand bar doesn’t have!

Just like in the past: the legendary fondue at the Rote Wand fondue lounge

Rote WandHotel restaurant fondue lounge

Rote WandDouble room

Rote WandFamily lodge

Rote Wand gallery room

The large sun terrace offers idyllic views of the Madloch.

The fireplace is already crackling away in the Rote Wand lounge.

Places where time stands still

Light, open and inviting – the spacious relaxa-tion area at the Red Spa. The “light at the end of the tunnel” is the entrance to our outdoor sauna.

Modern strength and enduran-ce equipment from Technogym is available for use in the Red Fitness gym.

A pleasant water temperature in the heated outdoor pool with views of the famous Madloch descent

In the Red Beauty, you will be pampered using selected pro-ducts from Clarins, Susanne Kaufmann and Jessica Nails.

Hotel-Restaurant

NEW:LADIES’ SPA

The ultimate relaxation area for our female guests. With its

own relaxation room and private spa feel.

NEW:FAMILY SAUNAA sauna for all ages.

Private and hassle-free.

At the Red Spa, the 1.500 m2 well-being area at the Rote Wand, time

simply stands still for a few hours: time for you to relax, recharge

your batteries and simply be. Families with children can while away

the end of a day on the pistes in the new non-nude sauna for

families – including its own relaxation area. And for women who

prefer a ladies-only area, the newly extended Ladies’ Spa offers its

own sauna, steam bath and separate relaxation room!

The birthplace of alpine skiing

The first settlers came to the Arlberg in the 13th century. But at

that time, skiing was not an issue. The first skis were brought

to Langen by an engineer from Norway who came to the area

in 1885 to study the construction of the Arlberg railway. A short time

later, skiing became socially acceptable as a leisure activity rather

than purely for transportation purposes. This made the previously

inhospitable Arlberg region a particularly attractive place to visit all of

a sudden – all thanks to winter sports.

The Arlberg Ski Club

On 3 January 1901, six people set off on a journey from St. Anton to St.

Christoph for pleasure – on a ski tour. Once they arrived at their desti-

nation, “captivated by nature, motivated by sport”, they spontaneous-

ly decided to set up a ski club. And so the Arlberg Ski Club was born.

Three years later, on 5 January 1904, the first ski race took place. Over

100 years later, the Arlberg Ski Club has become one of the largest in

Europe and probably the most traditional in the world. Including the

resorts of Lech, Zürs, Stuben, St. Christoph and St. Anton, in 2013 it

encompassed 7,800 members from 56 countries. The founding mem-

bers: Carl and Adolf Schuler, Dr Adolf Rybizka, Oswald Trojer, Josef

Schneider, Ferdinand Beil, Dr F. Gerstel and Liesl Trojer.

The first holiday guests

Up until 1885, the mountain farmers of the Arlberg region lived solely

from agriculture, specifically the dairy trade and cattle rearing. Im-

proved transport connections in the form of the Arlbergbahn railway

(which was officially opened by Kaiser Franz Josef I in 1884) transpor-

ted the first holiday guests to pursue skiing as a new sport.

The first ski lifts on the Arlberg

Up until 1936, skiing on the Arlberg was a very strenuous leisure

activity which required a great deal of time and energy for the ascent.

The opening of the first ski lift in Zürs made it possible to enjoy the

descent through the white powder show without having to tackle the

strenuous ascent. This new luxury was very warmly received. The first

ski lift in Lech began operation in 1939.

Skis are not all the sameThe people of Scandinavia were the first to use skis which most resemble their

current form. But here too, skis have developed in different ways in different re-

gions. Skis for sports use were first developed in the 18th century in the Telemark

region – and even today they form the template for modern carving designs.

Around the end of the 19th century, skis first found their way to the snowy Arl-

berg – and the first pioneers began to conquer the trails and peaks impenetrab-

le in winter on skis.

Austria’s first ski lift began operation in Zürs.

An illustrious son of the Arlberg Ski Club: Hannes Schneider, the first skiing instructor of the Arlberg Ski Club

Austria’s first ski race on the Arlberg

The Arlberg Ski Club skiing instructors at the traditio-nal formation run

Women also succumbed to the charm of skiing as a sport.

Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow: a magnificent winter

sports paradise

Ski in – ski out:A starting point for the Whi-te Ring can be found right on the doorstep of the Rote Wand.

Arlberg Powder

Spring firn snow

With its 350 km of secured pistes and additional 200 km of deep-

snow and off-piste descents in the high Alpine region, the Lech

Zürs ski resort is one of the most beautiful and varied in Europe

– and some even say in the whole world! The legendary White Ring

is probably the most famous route. It runs past the Rote Wand

from Zug via Oberlech to Lech and from there via Zürs back to

Zug. The Auenfeld-Jet also links the ski resorts of Lech Zürs and

Warth-Schröcken. The Arlberg and Hochtannberg region together

form the largest ski resort in Vorarlberg – with natural snow and

unlimited skiing until well into spring. The new connection is in-

cluded in the Ski Arlberg ski pass.

Getting to the top under your own steam

A ski tour on theMehlsack (2,651 m)

Mehlsack peak, 2,651 m

Mehlsack peak, 2,651 m

Escarpment via cliffs

Summit slope

In the ‚Täli‘(not visible)

The sunshine greets visitors shortly after the steep section du-ring the transition to the “Täli”

The summit cross with views of the Mohnenfluh

The last part of the summit slope

The summit in sight!Shortly after the start with views of the exten-sive northern slope

Northern slope

to Zug

Anyone with a desire to conquer the white slopes like people

did in the past will find a paradise of ski touring right here

on the Arlberg. The Mehlsack is the classic for ski touring

in the Zug region. Put on the climbing skins on the doorstep of the

Rote Wand and set off for a skiing adventure like those of the past!

The Mehlsack offers two different ascents for ski tourers. Ascent 1:

With an ascent of 1,100 m to conquer, the tour across the northern

slope is ideal for sporty types. It starts out from the Zug tollbooth.

From here, skiers follow the cross-country trail to the Sägemühle.

Then, the route turns off right and follows a series of hairpin bends

up the relatively long northern slope. Following a bend to the left,

the trail then runs via the saddle and along the tracks via flatter

ground up to the summit.

Ascent 2: The second ascent leads via the Stierlochjoch. The route

can be curtailed with the Madloch lift. Anyone wishing to get there

on foot should start out from the valley station of the Zugerbahn

chairlift and follow the wide path along the Stierlochbach. At the

Stierlochalpe, the route bears left and then leads up to the Stier-

lochjoch. To the north-west, the lower slopes of the Spullerschaf-

berg follow a very steep ascent up to the saddle and then continue

across the northern slope to the final ascent up to the Mehlsack.

The rapid descent either follows a classic trail via the northern slo-

pe or takes another short ascent up the Spullerschafberg and, via

the Zugertal valley, leads back to the Rote Wand.

Tip:Simply let reception know if you would like to do this or

another ski tour. We can organise an experienced guide

and, if required, the necessary equipment for you!

Altitude difference 1,140 mTime required approx. 4.0 hours

Always take:Sensor, avalanche transceiverand avalanche shovel!

Fondue Bourguignonne

The Fondue Bourguignonne involves frying tender pieces of beef fillet in hot oil. This makes the fondue somewhat meatier and

also gives it a more intense flavour – the hot fat with its delici-ous roasted aromas really brings out the flavour of the meat.

Original cheese fondue

The cheese fondue originally comes from the West Alps. However, the cheese for our fondue has not travelled so far: we source the cheese used in our fondue from the region. But one thing is for certain: the cheese fondue at the Rote Wand is every bit as good

as the Swiss original!

Vegetarian fondue

No meat? No problem! You don’t have to go without the pleasure of a fondue at the Rote Wand, even if you prefer a vegetarian meal. By the way: many a committed “carnivore” has lost their

appetite for meat when faced with this large selection of fresh vegetables!

Zug fish fondue

The Zug fish fondue is also a popular choice. Its special feature: we only serve local species of fish such as trout, rainbow trout and arctic char. Fresh from the Zug fishpond right opposite

our establishment, subject to availability depending on the day’s catch.

Fondue Chinoise

The Fondue Chinoise is the queen of the fondues – the beef fillet or veal cooked slowly in

the spicy bouillon melts on the tongue like butter. A successful and no less tasty alternative is available in the form of a fish or vegetable fondue for those who

prefer not to eat meat.

50 years ago, gourmet pioneer Josef Walch sen. brought the fondue to the Arlberg. Royal-ty and many other famous faces have enjoyed a special fondue treat at least once during their winter holidays at the Rote Wand inn in Lech. This is a tradition which we still lovingly continue today – and lots of different versions are now available! We serve the legendary Rote Wand Fondue Bourguignonne or Chinoise to our hotel guests at the hotel restaurant on Sundays.

Of course, you can also enjoy a fondue of your choice in our cosy fondue lounge during the remaining evenings of the week during the winter season. We kindly ask that you book in advance.

Mon to Sat 6 to 10 p.m. (during the winter season), please book at reception.

Feeling good in the fondue lounge

Chocolate fondue

If only everything in life were that easy – the best Bludenz milk chocolate, fresh fruit and melt-in-your-mouth

sponge fingers – that’s all it takes to make this tempting, delica-tely melting dessert.

SCHUALHUSROTE WAND

J A U S E S T U B A | K U C H I K L U B

Regionaler Genussmacht Schule

A school building with a story to tell

Surrounded by the region’s wild beauty, the Walser people (the

first settlers on the Arlberg) led a life characterised by a focus

on the most important elements. The building which houses

the carefully renovated Rote Wand Schualhus was built in 1780 and

has been used as an alpine dairy and a school building. Both at the

same time. Today, the timetable at the Rote Wand Schualhus is all

about local cuisine. For all those seeking a quality gourmet treat.

The Schualhus Jausestuba

The notion of taking a break was made especially for places such as

this: either in the small, exquisite restaurant or outside – the cosy

yet exclusive ambience of the Jausestuba on the ground floor of the

Schualhus is the perfect place to relax and unwind. On warm days,

the new village square with small tables is the ideal spot to enjoy a

morning snack, midday meal or afternoon treat. A little snack for a big

treat – that’s the motto here!

We only serve the best the local farmers have to offer. From yoghurt

straight from the farm served with compote and granola to the local

speciality of “Riebelschmarrn” with apple sauce or goulash with bread

dumplings, you can enjoy all types of delicacies, sweet or savoury,

between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Home-made lemonade, iced tea, fruit

juices and many a good drop of wine from the Rote Wand’s very own

wine cellar and distilleries from the Vorarlberg region complete the

range on offer.

And if you would like to take home a culinary souvenir for yourself or

a loved one, you will find what you are looking for with our home-ma-

de treats at the Schualhus.

SCHUALHUSROTE WAND

J A U S E S T U B A | K U C H I K L U B

Exclusive. For special occasions.The entire ground floor at the Schualhus is available for private use. Enjoy a

special occasion as a couple or for up to 25 guests in the exclusive ambience of

our Schualhus Jausestuba.

Bookable with a minimum spend deal.Please contact the reception at the Rote Wand for details.

12-16 courses, 16 seats.Welcome to the

Chef ’s Table

At the Chef’s Table at the Rote Wand Schualhus, a regional flavour

experience awaits which is truly unrivalled, even on the Arlberg. Here

you can experience up close how star chef Manuel Grabner and his

team bring out the very nature of the region’s excellent basic ingre-

dients of the season in the authentic atmosphere on the top floor of

the Rote Wand Schualhus. Pure delight, top quality – reduced to the

key elements, on your palate. See for yourself!

Advanced bookings only. Meet at the day bar of the Rote Wand from

Mondays to Saturdays at 7.30 p.m. for an aperitif.

Themed cookery classes in the cookery workshopIn a small group, Manuel Grabner himself demonstrates how regional delights

come into being. Over a glass of good wine, the group gather to cook several

courses, ask questions and experience first-hand how seasonal, regional and

quite simply brilliant dishes are made. Please contact the reception at the Rote

Wand for details, dates and to reserve your place on the course.

Fancy a little taster? Scan the code and experience the Chef’s Table, live!

Summer at the Rote Wand Alpine Sports Resort, too, is almost too beauti-

ful to be believed. Our “Mountain Summer” all-inclusive package includes

everything to make your summer holiday perfect: breakfast, lunch, an

afternoon snack, a 5-course gourmet evening meal and use of the Red Spa,

fitness studio and child-care facilities at the Red Kids’ Club. We would like

to invite you to visit us in summer and explore the fantastic mountains of

Arlberg afresh with our hiking guide.

Summer holiday,all inclusive

A golfing holiday of the highest level

Learn to climb in the climbing garden

A balancing act up in the air on Arlberg’s via ferrata

All around Lake Spullersee

From summer 2016, Austria’s highest-altitude golf course will be opening in the breathtaking Zugertal valley at an altitude of 1,500 m above sea level. Just a stone’s throw

from the Rote Wand!

From July 2016, visitors will be able to tee off in the breath taking Zugertal

valley at 1,500 m above sea level, just a few steps from the hotel – at Aust-

ria’s highest-altitude golf course.

The brand-new 9-hole course blends seamlessly into the high alpine

landscape as if it has always been there – and is probably the only area of

even terrain in the entire Arlberg region. It promises to offer the optimal

golfing fun for beginners and experienced golfers alike.

The Lech Golf Cup will be taking place from 9 to 10 July 2016. Lech guest

tournaments will also be held every Thursday afternoon. For more infor-

mation, see www.golf-arlberg.at or ask at reception.

GOLFCLUB

ARLBERGKLOSTERTAL

HOSPITALITY SINCE 1959.

UUUU

Alpen Sport ResortGasthof & Hotel Rote Wand

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A-6764 Lech-Zug am ArlbergT +43(0)5583-3435-0

F +43(0)5583-3435-40gasthof@rotewand.com

www.rotewand.com

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by Marcothe sports store in Zug

+43(0)5583-3435-662

Photo credits:Adolf BereuterMarie Luise HungerLisa MathisLech Zürs TourismusSepp MallaunHans Wiesenhofer