Winter Enjoyment away from the Pistes and Ski Trails

Snowshoeing & Winter Hiking

If your search for true hiking happiness continues even in winter, here in the Schladming-Dachstein Region, with around 300 kilometers of winter hiking paths and snowshoeing trails to choose from, you are sure to find what you are looking for. As you hike along nicely maintained paths, trudge through the wintry forests or around frozen lakes, you will see a very special side of this region, a region which has many surprises in store. Especially beautiful: a winter hike along the shores of the Steirischer Bodensee or through the magically mystical Talbachklamm just outside Schladming. The Stoderzinken near Gröbming is best explored on snowshoes. From its summit, it affords magnificent views of Ennstal and the surrounding mountains. At the Planneralm on the other hand, you are greeted by the total silence of winter as you ascend past snow-blanketed fields of mountain pine to the top of the remote Jochspitze. An absolute recommendation for all who wish to hike or snowshoe in the region this winter, is the Winter Hiking Ticket. This ticket offers you inexpensive lift rides on seven ski mountains in the region, putting you within easy reach of the starting points for a number of attractive winter hiking trails and snowshoe tours.

Ski Touring

Fans of ski touring and freeriding are sure to be thrilled by the mountain world of the Schladming-Dachstein Region. You can choose from more than 40 different routes and all levels of difficulty – whether simple beginner tours or genuine challenges even for veteran alpinists, there is something for everyone. Aside from the ski-touring areas in the Schladminger Tauern, Sölktäler Nature Park is particularly well known for its wealth of ski-touring destinations. That said, the Planneralm and

Riesneralm in Grimming-Donnersbachtal also await with numerous touring and freeride routes. One extraordinary experience is a traverse of the Dachstein glacier, which is possible as of February and shows you a whole different face of this UNESCO World Heritage landmark. For rookie ski tourers as well as those who prefer not to venture out into open terrain, the ski mountains of Schladming-Dachstein also provide an ideal setting for carefree ski-touring experiences – with no danger of avalanches whatsoever. On the Planai, the Hochwurzen and the Galsterberg, there are actually separate tracks right next to the pistes for ski tourers to use during their ascent. The Riesneralm offers weekly ski-touring evenings when tourers also have the pistes all to themselves.

Ice Skating

Yearning to zoom across the ice on a pair of blades and feel the cold breeze in your face? Even this is possible in the Schladming-Dachstein Region. Our five ice rinks are certain to captivate you with an array of highlights. The ice rink in Schladming, for example, which only opened this last winter, offers you a beautifully smooth 200-meter track where you can glide over the ice with extra-long strides. In Haus im Ennstal, Öblarn and Gröbming, you also have the opportunity to zoom across the ice. The biggest area of natural ice in the region is the Putterersee outside Aigen im Ennstal, a lake which freezes over completely in winter. Regardless of where you decide to showcase your figure-skating skills, there is definitely no shortage of opportunities in the Schladming-Dachstein Region.

Sleigh Rides

If you would love to experience very special moments amid the snowy winter countryside of the Schladming-Dachstein Region, you should definitely take a romantic ride on a horse-drawn sleigh. In Ramsau am Dachstein alone, famous for the biggest horse population in Styria, 25 different providers will give you the chance of a lifetime see this region at its most beautiful. Snuggly bundled up in warm blankets, passengers can simply lean back in the sleigh, relax and enjoy nature, whilst the magnificent mountain panorama slowly glides past you like a fairytale and the carriage driver shares the occasional anecdote or two.

Fatbiking

In summer, the Schladming-Dachstein Region is a top destination for all fans of two-wheeling. In winter, too, there is absolutely no reason for bikers to forego their beloved sport. Made possible by fatbikes, which, as the name implies, are outfitted with ultra-wide balloon-like tires. They trundle effortlessly through the snow, ensuring that the fatbikes can be controlled easily, even in the snowiest of conditions. If you would like to explore the region by fatbike, the Schladming-Dachstein Region is certain to have a tour that will grab your attention right away: From E-fatbike tours for casual winter cyclists to action-packed downhill courses for the “pros”, here, everything is possible.