Ski & Snowboard Touring in Sportgastein.

Sportgastein sits at the head of the Gastein valley, on the edge of the Hohe Tauern National Park, with lifts reaching the Kreuzkogel at 2,686m. It's a small area compared to the big circuits, but its altitude and openness make it one of the best freeride spots in Salzburger Land.

Above the treeline, wide bowls and ridges fall away from the top in several directions, with steeper gullies and chutes for the right days. From the top lift, short tours reach quieter terrain, and longer tours lead into the high peaks of the national park.

The rest of the Gastein valley — Bad Gastein and Bad Hofgastein — adds a much larger ski area for bad-weather days.

Thanks to the altitude, the season usually runs from December into April. January to mid-March gives the best mix of depth and quality for freeride; spring brings corn and longer tours.

We don't publish snow depths or forecasts on this page — they go out of date within hours. These are the sources we check ourselves: Windy for wind, freezing levels and storm tracking, and the resort or regional forecast for snow detail. On a guided trip your guide checks them, plus the snow on the ground, every morning before any plan is set.

Windy — Sportgastein
Snow-Forecast — Sportgastein

Big, open slopes are exactly where avalanches run, and the area is easy to reach from the lifts. The official avalanche bulletin for this area is published by Lawinenwarndienst Salzburg (the official Salzburg avalanche warning service) — read it every day you go out, and read the whole thing, not just the danger level.

⚠ Conditions change fast — this is for planning only. Always check the live bulletin and consult a certified local guide before heading out.

When we ride here, the guide reads the bulletin every morning and picks terrain for the day. Beacon, shovel and probe are mandatory for all off-piste and touring days.

In Austria, mountain rescue is run by the Bergrettung Salzburg (and its sister organisations in the other provinces). Raise the alarm on the Austrian mountain rescue number 140 or the European emergency number 112. Coverage is good in the ski areas and patchy in the side valleys.

Travel and medical insurance with mountain rescue and helicopter cover is essential and is not included in our trips. We recommend Austrian Alpine Club (Alpenverein) membership, which includes mountain rescue cover.

Salzburg (SZG) is the nearest airport, with Munich (MUC) the bigger hub further away. Austria's rail network reaches deep into the Alps, so getting to Bad Gastein by train is realistic. Bad Gastein has a mainline railway station; Sportgastein is a short drive or ski bus further up the valley.

Most visitors stay in Bad Gastein or Bad Hofgastein, both spa towns with everything from pensions to grand hotels. We arrange accommodation for our trips unless agreed otherwise.

Rental is available in the valley. For touring, bring your own or ask us to arrange it, or use the DOWN demo if agreed in advance.

Bring: freeride or touring setup, beacon, shovel, probe, backpack, helmet (mandatory on our trips), goggles, layered clothing, spare gloves.

Austrian mountain huts are part of the experience: Kaspressknödel soup, Germknödel, Kaiserschmarrn and a Radler on the terrace. Down in the valley, most places do proper Austrian home cooking, and the Salzburg region has some excellent gastro-pubs.

The Gastein valley is famous for its thermal water — the Felsentherme in Bad Gastein and the Alpentherme in Bad Hofgastein are the perfect rest day. Bad Gastein's Belle Époque buildings around the waterfall are worth the walk.