Schladming

Schladming is fast becoming a magnet for snowboarders, providing a lively base for visiting the connected local mountains. Dachstein is an all year-round resort, with summer riding on the Dachstein Glacier, and is home to the Burton Superpark. The riding is spread out over a number of areas which offer basic intermediate terrain, and perfect beginner stuff.

Schladming is not a hardcore or advanced rider’s destination, but that’s not to say there aren’t any testing runs. The four mountains Planai, Hauser Kaibling, Hochwurzen and Reiteralm make up the local area. The Hauser Kaibling mountain has lots of intermediate terrain, with a series of long reds that are ideal for carvers. There are excellent novice trails, with the option to ride a long blue all the way down to the base at the village of Haus, just up the road from Schladming.

Hochwurzen, which rises up to 1,850m, has lots of trees for freeriders to drop through, and a number of reds at the top that base out into simple blues, with easy runs back to Schladming. Theres also a small well shaped park from Christmas time onwards which is floodlit at night.

The Planai Mountain holds the main trails and is reached from the edge of Schladming by gondola. Planai’s runs offer something for everyone, with some interesting intermediate freeriding terrain. The Reiteralm area is much the same as Hochwurzen and although it has a bigger riding area, it’s less convenient for Schladming. Snow cover is pretty good with snowmaking facilities 90% of the Planai and Hochwurzen pistes. The lift pass covers the entire Ski Amade region, 865km of pistes.