The Trail Route
Are you getting exicted?
We can understand it perfectly and if you still need some help to make a decision, we would like to give you a glimpse of the route.
We have divided our description into the most important geographical regions and they should whet your appetite for the trail.
The final track will be sent one month before the event. Remember that you can choose between two different routes.
Route A with 400km and 8000hm and route B with 250km and 5000hm.
We want to guide you as much as possible on gravel and forest roads, there are some paths and trail, maximum S1, so well suited for a gravel bike if you have the right gearing. Otherwise we clearly recommend a mountain bike, the climbs are sometimes longer.
There are also asphalt stretches, but most of them are away from main roads, many “farm roads” and cycle paths.
So do not hesitate! Register now for the event!
Route A
Route B
Start / Finish:
Sankt Gilgen and the Wolfgangsee region (Salzburg, Oberösterreich)
Sankt Gilgen and the Wolfgangsee region (Salzburg, Oberösterreich)
The start line will be at the beautiful lake “Wolfgangsee” in the small city of Sankt Gilgen. Located at the foot of the Zwölferhorn mountain, a ride to the top with the cable car is a unique experience, especially at sunset.
From Sankt Gilgen you could make a longer walking tour to the town of Sankt Wolfgang with the famous hotel “Das weiße Rössl” and its old, well-maintained houses and e.g. return by boat.
Salzkammergut (Oberösterreich, Steiermark)
The first kilometers take you on unpaved gravel roads along the lake and offer you a good possibility to warm up.
In front of you, you will see the gorgeous panorama of the Schafberg mountain.
Passing Strobl, which is at the other end of the lake, there are first opportunities for a coffee stop.
The next highlight after riding along the river Ischl with some uphills is the imperial Bad Ischl, loved by Kaiserin Sissi and the first Salt towns along the trail. A good possibility for a stop to have the next coffee in one of the famous Cafés Zauner or Elisabeth.
After Bad Ischl the first challenging uphill leads you along forest roads to the Ewige Wand, where you ride through a path beaten in the wall with incredible panoramic views to Bad Goisern.
The decision to pass the Hallstätter See on the left side was done because of the traffic on the other side. Along the lake you have a good view to Hallstatt, world heritage site and next salt town, but you won’t pass through the town. That’s why we recommend to make the detour of a view kilometers from Obertraun to visit one of the most famous villages. You might meet some Asian or Chinese people there as a copy of Hallstatt was re-build in China, as it seems they like the style a lot. But the unique location between the lake and the mountains can’t be copied as well as the lovely locals with their special dialect.
Salzkammergut (Oberösterreich, Steiermark)
The first kilometers on unpaved gravel roads along the lake offers you a good possibility to warm up.
In front of you, you see the gorgeous panorama of the Schafberg Mountain
Passing Strobl, which is at the other end of the lake, there are first opportunities for a coffee stop.
The next highlights after riding along the river “Ischl” with some uphills, is the “imperial” Bad Ischl, loved by “Kaiserin Sissi” and the first Salt towns along the trail. A good possibility for a stop to have the next coffee in one of the famous Cafés Zauner or Elisabeth.
After Bad Ischl the first challenging uphill along forest roads lead you to the “Ewige Wand”, where you ride through a path beaten in the wall with incredible panoramic views to Bad Goisern.
The decision to pass the Hallstätter See on the left side was done because of the traffic on the other side. Along the lake you have a good view to Hallstatt, world heritage site and next Salt town, but you don’t pass through the town. That’s why we recommend, to make a detour of a view kilometers from Obertraun to visit one of the most famous villages, maybe you meet some Asian, Chinese people there. A copy of Hallstatt is re-build in China, as it seems they like the style a lot. But the unique location between the lake and the mountains can’t be copied as well as the lovely locals with their special dialect.
Ennstal (Steiermark) and the mountain regions of Salzburg
Cycling along a valley brings you into the next province, Styria and you will recognize how the style of the houses changes. But don’t underestimate the number of uphills before you reach the next lake, Altaussee, which is situated between high stone walls and the famous Loser mountain.
Heading south, you will soon catch sight of the majestic shape of the Grimming mountain. In Bad Mitterndorf you bike under the ski jumping facility and come into the small village Pürgg, the “Kripperl of Steiermark” (crib of Styria) where you feel like nothing changed within hundred years.
Along the river Enns you can enjoy the good gravel roads with up- and downhills.
Not far away from our path is Schladming, world-famous for the host of the World Ski Championships in 1982 and 2013. We ride up to the next famous winter sports location, Ramsau, with beautiful view to the Dachstein mountain.
Now you have to decide you path forward, as the trail splits shortly after Ramsau. While route B leads you back following parts of the Dachstein route to Sankt Gilgen, route A brings you to the top of the Rossbrand mountain (1.770m) with another 800 high meters uphill before you can enjoy the downhill towards Altenmarkt, already situated in the province of Salzburg.
Pongau, Pinzgau, Bayern, Salzburg
Sankt Johann – Maria Alm – Saalfelden, Bad Reichenhall, Salzburg (Salzburg, Bavaria/Germany)
Route A continues to Sankt Johann, uphill to the small villages of Sankt Veit and Goldegg with beautiful views of the Hochkönig mountain, the next highlight on the mountain front. Entering the Pinzgau, the area is now more alpine and you have to ride the next long ascent of 700 high meters in one piece. After Saalfelden, following the bike path in the Saalach valley, you will find the steepest ascent to the Hirschbichl, where you can get a refill in the restaurant there. Now you have to pass the border to Germany into the Berchtesgadener Land with its national park and the Watzmann mountain. Nice trails, unpaved roads and old sole pathes lead you to Bad Reichenhall and back along the legendary Untersberg to Austria and the town of Salzburg, next world heritage site.
The last part of the trail will take you through the outskirts of the alps area: smaller mountains, rollingg hills, passing a beautiful canyon and more lakes. But don’t underestimate the ascents before the last downhill brings you back to Sankt Gilgen, where a chilled beer can be enjoyed after the finish line as well as a well-deserved jump into the lake.
Pongau, Pinzgau, Bayern, Salzburg
Sankt Johann – Maria Alm – Saalfelden, Bad Reichenhall, Salzburg (Salzburg, Bavaria/Germany)
Route A continues to Sankt Johann, uphill to the small villages of Sankt Veit and Goldegg with beautiful views of the Hochkönig mountain, the next highlight on the mountain front. Entering the Pinzgau, the area is now more alpine and you have to ride the next long ascent of 700 high meters in one piece. After Saalfelden, following the bike path in the Saalach valley, you will find the steepest ascent to the Hirschbichl, where you can get a refill in the restaurant there. Now you have to pass the border to Germany into the Berchtesgadener Land with its national park and the Watzmann mountain. Nice trails, unpaved roads and old sole pathes lead you to Bad Reichenhall and back along the legendary Untersberg to Austria and the town of Salzburg, next world heritage site.
The last part of the trail will take you through the outskirts of the alps area: smaller mountains, rollingg hills, passing a beautiful canyon and more lakes. But don’t underestimate the ascents before the last downhill brings you back to Sankt Gilgen, where a chilled beer can be enjoyed after the finish line as well as a well-deserved jump into the lake.