The Gastein valley is known for its top-freeriding-terrains!

The legendary Sportgastein is pure heaven for freeriders where pistes reach almost up to 2.700m and the backcountry is wide and open. (Wide and open in this context also truly means wide and open!)

In short: The mountains around the Gastein valley are high, imposing and beautiful. Once you have been to the Gastein valley, you will always want to come back! You would be doing a big mistake if you are missing out on a trip to this very special place in the Austrian mountains.

Who want to get a new feeling and a unforgettable trip should ask for the legendary north-tour.

Freeride for beginners – no problem with us!

Make a dream come true and go skiing on fresh powder snow – enjoy deep powder snow on slopes aside the masses. You can do it to – with FREERIDE-GASTEIN!

We offer:

• basic and sound training
• methodically targeted establishment of skiing techniques
• Consultation with material and equipment
• Tips und Tricks for everyone
• Snow and avalanche lore in theory and praxis

Freeride for experts – best with us!

Schareck, Ankogel, Sportgastein.  A spectacular district in the eastern Alps. Here individualists will get what their money’s worth

Let’s raise some dust – with FREERIDE-GASTEIN

We offer:

• Improvement of individual skiing technique
• Refreshing of snow and avalanche lore
• Unforgettable adventures and tours in the Nationalpark Hohe Tauern

Urgent plea to the rationality of Freeriders and participants of skiing tours!

The head of the mountain rescue service Bad Gastein, Roland Pfund, insistently appeals to the rationality of Freeriders and participants of skiing tours.

Please read carefully the notice: "What you should keep in mind..."

The mountain rescue service is asking the Freeriders /participants of skiing tours to avoid free range runs and to stay only on prepared and marked pistes if bad weather conditions and danger of avalanches are prevailing.
                                                       

IN THE CENTER OF THE HOHEN TAUERN YOU CAN FIND A FREERIDE-REGION THAT IS READY TO TAKE ON SOME OF THE GREAT AREAS OF THE ALPES. IN SPORTGASTEIN ALASKA-FEELING COMES UP WHEN THERE IS ENOUGH POWDER!

At the very end of the valley our little gem is hiding – only reachable by a mountain road and surrounded by 3000m peaks. The slightly longer way to Sportgastein is still worth it. Through the north-south orientation in the Hohen Tauern, this spot receives great amounts of snow from both directions, north and south every year. Rather unpleasant companions are strong winds; especially on ridges attention should be paid to snow drifts and slabs.

Those who can assess the jeopardy and find their way through the high alpine terrains – and Sportgastein is like that from its valley to the peaks – will have a lot of freeride fun. Beginners can find a few meters of powder now and then right next to the pistes. Whoever feels prepared should definitely try the Nord and Weißenbach. The Nord- run especially provides pure freeriding depending on the route selection – starting with slight hills, to small cliff drops to steep gorges for experts. You get back from the toll station to the valley station with buses or cabs. Weißenbach is recommended especially in spring time with typical firn. Wide slopes in the direction of the valley leave many opportunities. Almost all routes in Sportgastein are situated above the tree line and correspondingly the area is very spacious.

What freeriders should not forget: Next to Sportgastein there are a lot more possibilities to find powder snow alongside prepared pistes when you use the cable cars that link the area of Schlossalm-Angertal-Stubnerkogel. There you find good alternatives, if, for example, wind are too strong in Sportgastein. There you should have a look at the local fun park for freeskiers and snowboarders, that is always kept in shape at top-level. Conclusion: Who likes to have a preview of the powder-lines in Alaska found the right spot in Sportgastein. However, freeride beginners can also find easier terrains along the pistes.

For the desire for sufficient POWDER, some descriptions by Top Freeride und Ski-Tours in Gastein

Ski-Freeride in the region of the Gastein valley:

outdoor active

Ankogel cable cars Mallnitz - Radeggscharte Anlauftal

Beautiful 1600 m classic with high alpine character to the Anlauf valley.

Definitely a MUST for every mountaineer and freerider in Gastein:

"Auf Tour" contains many personal field reports of guests spiked with many photos. Here you can get a general idea who the snow and avalanche conditions are and as well find out how our tours in the Gastein mountain area are actually evaluated by our guests.

Jahreszahl und im Suchfeld Gastein oder dgl. eingeben und schon gibt es viele Ergebnisse. Tip! alle Jahreszahlen probieren, da hier unterschiedliche Ergebnisse erscheinen!

Die Fotos beschreiben die privaten Erfahrungen „Auf Tour“. Anhand von Bildern und in Textform werden die aktuellen Verhältnisse in Bezug auf Schnee, Lawinen und Tourenbedingungen in den heimischen Bergen beschrieben.

Mölltaler Gletscherbahn - Schlappenbergkees

Sought-after run, down the steep east side of the Schareck (3122m) to Sportgastein (1580m).

Sportgastein - Radhausberg

Interesting variation of the popular Kreuzkogel-Nord run. Lighter traffic due to the short ascent up the Radhausberg.

Tip! Mountains of Gasteins"peaks in snow"... by Leitner Christian ...

... wia sche ... GASTEIN IM BILD

Sportgastein - Salesenkogel

Steep variation of the popular Kreuzkogel-Nord run. Lighter traffic due to the short ascent up the Radhausberg.

Sportgastein - Weißenbachtal

Interestig terrain south of the Kreuzkogel. The spacious southern slopes offer great opportunities. Pay attention to the broken rocks in the middle part! The simple return path on a cross-country ski run enables several rides in a row.

Sportgastein - Kugelrinne

Beautiful, steep variation of the popular Kreuzkogel-Nord run. Broken rocks at 2400m can be circumscribed right or left.

Bad Gastein - Gipfelrinne am Stubnerkogel

Nice 300m gorge below the new rope bridge. Ideal for freeriders who like to be in the spotlight!

Nice reports from interesting forums!

Tip! Sportgastein – Highlight of a Gastein powder cure

Tip! Gastein – Enthusiasm follows skepticism

Tip! Twice the main crest of the Alps: above and below

Tip! Schareck – Ski-run to Sportgastein

Tip! Skiing tours and Free rides of Gastein Sportgastein - Kreuzkogel Nord

Sportgastein - Kreuzkogel Nord

Not just a run, but an imposing terrain with many variations

Bad Gastein - Hirschkar

Short and interesting ski-run to Hirschkar where you cross the middle station of the Stubnerkogel cable car.

Bad Hofgastein - Gr. Silberpfennig

Challenging skiing tour free range, 600hm ascent is rewarded with a more than 1300hm run!

Bad Hofgastein - Hohe Scharte Nord

A classic from the beginning of skiing history! Great 600hm are waiting for you in a slightly bumpy, treeless areal before you reach the skiing region on a forest track again.

Bad Hofgastein - Gondeltrasse Haitzingalm

You will have a 400hm-joy ride directly beneath the cable car which is easily accessible. There also is a a short return path to the middle station.

Dringender Appell an die Vernunft der Freerider und Skitourengeher!

Der Ortsstellenleiter der Bergrettung Bad Gastein, Roland Pfund möchte eindringlich an die Vernunft diverser Freerider und Skitourengeher appellieren.

Was man beachten sollte...

• Nie alleine freeriden gehen!
  Selbst wenn du nur wenige 100 Meter abseits der Piste verunglückst – mit viel Pech wirst du erst im Frühjahr gefunden.
  
• Verzichte bei schlechter Sicht und ungünstigen Verhältnissen aufs Powdern! Es macht [fast] keinen Spaß und ist absolut lebensgefährlich.
  
• Jeden Tag unbedingt den aktuellen[!] Lawinenlagebericht checken.
  
• Achte auf eine funktionelle Ausrüstung, die zum Freeriden taugt.
  
• Da dein Leben oder das deines besten Freundes von der Ausrüstung abhängen kann, gilt: Nur die beste Ausrüstung ist gut genug. Aber: Sie ist wertlos, wenn du nicht damit umgehen kannst!
  
• Beachte unbedingt die Warntafeln und Sperrungen wegen Lawinengefahr, da diese nur in den seltensten Fällen grundlos aufgestellt werden.
  Auch wenn Freerider von manchen Sicherheitsbeauftragten immer noch wie verrückte Selbstmörder behandelt werden, sollten wir trotzdem versuchen, uns an ihre Anweisungen zu halten. (Es ist nun mal deren Job, unvorsichtigen Touristen das Leben zu retten und dafür ständig angemacht zu werden.)
  
• Überlege dir immer vorher, mit wem du freeriden gehst. Grundsätzlich gilt: Der beste und erfahrenste Rider hat die Verantwortung für die schwächeren und weniger erfahrenen.
  
• Vor dem Einfahren in einen Hang oder eine Rinne schau zuerst, wer über dir ist und dich gefährden kann. Das gleiche gilt natürlich auch für Rider unter dir: erst fahren wenn niemand mehr da ist, der von einer eventuell abgehenden Lawine erfasst werden könnte.
  
• Steilhänge immer einzeln befahren.
  
• Beim Aufstieg in steilen Hängen große Abstände einhalten.

Die Bergrettung Bad Gastein bittet die Freerider und Skitourengeher bei Lawinengefahr, sowie schlechten Verhältnissen und Wetterbedingungen - Variantenabfahrten zu meiden, und sich ausschließlich auf markierten und gesicherten Pisten zu bewegen.