Summer in Saalbach

Saalbach Hinterglemm is world famous as one of the greatest ski resorts in the Alps, but as the snow melts in early spring it is transformed in to a Mecca for summer mountain sports too, with the lush valley surrounded by the beautiful Pinzgau Grass Mountains, themselves surrounded by the summits of the Kitzbühel Alps and the Hohe Tauern, altogether offering a breath-taking panorama.

Mountain bikers, hikers and trail runners will all find their El Dorado here with hundreds of kilometres of trails for all levels of ability and experience and for each activity. There are also dozens of fast, comfortable gondola to whisk you up to the top of the slopes if you prefer the downhill, to uphill.

Mountain Biking, Cycling and eMTB

Mountain bikers have more than 400 km of marked trails of every type imaginable here including countless single trails, downhill tracks and bike park elements for beginners and pros alike.

The newer discipline of eMTB is already well developed in Saalbach Hinterglemm here too with plenty of charging stations ready on the mountain, the rental shops fully stocked with the latest and coolest bikes to hire and all mountain bike paths and trails are, of course, accessible to e-bikers without restriction.

© saalbach.com / Nathan Hughes

Hiking and Mountain Restaurants

Hikers too have hundreds of kilometres of marked trails to explore, from a short 20-minute stroll in the alpine meadows to long challenging distance hike. Whether short or long there’s a choice of 40 mountain huts in which to take a break and enjoy some refreshments and scrumptious homemade, local cuisine.

You can enjoy everything from local Pinzgau cuisine to fine dining in these traditional establishments. Opt for a traditional “Jaus’n” snack break perhaps with a tasty treat like the famous  Pinzgau “Kasnocken” (cheese dumplings) or perhaps something meatier like bacon dumplings or maybe some ribs, which are very popular with the locals.

If you’re a serious hiker, the Saalbach Hiking Challenge takes in three long-distance hiking trails with a total of 64 kilometres (40 miles) and 3,800 metres of uphill elevation. A trophy is awarded to those who complete the Challenge by completing the Pinzgau Walk, the Seven Summits and the Home of Lässig Walk.

For active families, the Kids’ Hiking Challenge takes you to the Educational Hiking Trail, the Motor Skills Path, the Schattberg mountain middle summit, the Treetop Trail and the Fairytale Forest. A ‘Golden Clown’ award awaits children who complete it (a clown is the resort’s symbol).

Trail Running

If you like to move your feet more quickly then trail running is for you and Saalbach Hinterglemm offers runners a choice of speed, marathon and endurance trails, again designed so that there’s something for every taste from complete beginners to the most experienced pro.

Detailed trail descriptions, including GPS-enabled tracks, are available for download on the interactive hiking, cycling and trail running map on saalbach.com.

© saalbach.com / Daniel Roos

New This Summer

The latest fast, comfortable new lift unveiled in the valley is the Kohlmaisbahn gondola, complete with large cabins each able to hold up to 10 people, that provides quick access to Kohlmais mountain from Saalbach.

A new 2.8-kilometre-long Panorama Trail II up on the Kohlmais mountain is being completed for this summer to tie in with the new lift, running from the Panorama Alm mountain pasture to the middle station of the Kohlmaisbahn lift and also completing the connecting routes from the summit to the valley.

Can’t Beat It: the Joker Card

With the JOKER CARD, guests have access to a whole number of concessions around Saalbach Hinterglemm. It includes, among other things, free use of the mountain lifts and thus also the offers around the mountain summits, from the cycling routes to the themed hiking trails. Sports fans can look forward to free use of the tennis courts and the outdoor pool. Guided hiking tours are also included.

© saalbach.com / Mirja Geh

Events in Saalbach Hinterglemm This Summer

3 – 7 July: GlemmRide Bike Festival

Saalbach Hinterglemm’s annual bike and party gathering brings international stars from the mountain biking scene together for the elite FMB Gold Slopestyle, showing off their best tricks on the unique course on the Reiterkogel mountain. Around 50 trade exhibitors are also in the resort to present the latest kit. It’s all accompanied by awesome DJ sounds and live acts providing a great atmosphere across the five days.

26 – 28 July: Lake of Charity

This fun charity event combines plenty of sports activities, water fun and acoustic live acts. Originally thought up spontaneously by three friends nearly a decade ago, it now attracts people from all over and has so far raised more than €380,000 for families and children in need in the local region.

9 – 11 August: Hinterglemm Farmers’ Market

Running for almost four decades and themed around the local culture, the annual Farmer’s Market sees both locals and visitors enticed by a variety of exhibitions, traditional handicraft work and culinary delicacies over the three days. Different bands and even traditional local orchestras perform and the main highlight is always the big parade with festive floats.

5 – 8 September: World Games of Mountainbiking

The international mountain biking elite will be in Saalbach Hinterglemm for the 21st time, racing on five different tracks, compete for the “World Games Champions” title. More than 1,000 participants from over 20 countries are expected to show up and compete then party hard afterwards in this action-packed weekend for bikers and visitors alike.

© saalbach.com / Klemens König

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Featured Image © saalbach.com Daniel-Roos