Start of the Salzburg hiking season: tips

Huge, imposing, but also terrifying – mountains seem magical, pristine and untouchable. Avid alpinists are always looking for this charm of the unknown. But what draws us to the summit and why do we expose ourselves to a sometimes fatal risk?

“As soon as I’m on the road, my head becomes clear. I go to a summit, and when I come down again, I’m a different person,” said extreme mountaineer Peter Habeler, who first climbed Mount Everest without additional oxygen in 1978 became known: “Long walking, extensive hiking – that is balm for soul and body. On the mountain I feel strength and warmth.” Climbing the mountains is passion, adventure and an individual experience. One of the pioneers of the alpine style, Hermann Buhl, described mountaineering as “more than a sport. It is a passion.”

Fascinating mountain peaks

We have been fascinated by these stone colossi since time immemorial, which once apparently grew up out of the earth at random. Sugared in the white snow, they unfold their full magic, especially in winter.

In the beginning, adventurers from all over the world competed for the first ascent of the dreaded and most remote peaks. In his book “Fascination Mountain – The History of Alpinism”, for example, Peter Grupp plausibly proves that as early as the second half of the 18th century, the sporting challenge drove people to the mountains.

Niche becomes a sport

Today it is a sport in its own right, mountain hiking has long since become a popular sport and ski tours are becoming increasingly popular. A hobby that can become an addiction.

“The mountain. It’s just there, imposing, massive, linear. It remains imperturbable, dominant. I have no choice but to submit to it. If I want to stay alive, I have to be on my guard and respect it” , said the French alpinist Catherine Destivelle, who was the first woman to master a climbing route with difficulty 8a +.

Mountains stormed during Corona

Although all the peaks in the Salzburger Land have long been climbed, people’s longing for the mountains just doesn’t stop. Opposite SALZBURG24 Uta Philipp (61) from Saalfelden (Pinzgau) describes her experiences from “the area that is not comparable to anything in the world”. Born in Germany, she has lived in Salzburg since 2007, and the keen touring enthusiast and passionate outdoor athlete knows the Saalfelden area as well as the back of her hand. The mother of two and grandmother of three has also written a book about the fascination of the mountains, as has a ski tour guide for the Hohe Tauern.

SALZBURG24: How often are you on the mountain?

Uta Philipp: In the meantime I’ve become a fair-weather alpinist (laughs). I used to be on the mountain almost every day, four times a week I can do it now.

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Has the longing for mountains increased during Corona?

Of course, urban evacuation is a huge issue. The city or a rather small apartment can be quite restrictive. In the country everything is simply much more open and free – even during Corona. Of course, problems can also arise when more people are out and about in nature.

How can an awareness for a sustainable mountain experience be created?

My impression is that most people are willing to learn. Especially since everyone made mistakes at the beginning – including me. Only now is the finger pointed at it. Maybe we should just be out and about in nature like animals.

What make hikes and tours in the Salzburg region so special?

The area is like nothing in the world. With the Hohe Tauern, the mountains around Kitzbühel, the Pinzgauer Grasberge and Steinberge mountains, there is an incredible variety in a comparatively very small area. Pretty much all outdoor activities are possible here – whether in winter or summer.

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The demand for ski tours and mountain biking is increasing rapidly. And the two sports aren’t all that different. Descending a beautiful trail can feel just like freeriding in fresh powder. But when it comes to mountain bike trails, there is still a lot of catching up to do in Austria.

Why do we fundamentally long for the mountains?

We humans are no longer hunters and gatherers these days. Basically, thanks to progress, society has become more comfortable. And that’s why some of us are looking for this supposedly lost charm and, above all, freedom.

And what exactly is this attraction?

Life as a part and in harmony with nature. The sight of a gigantic rock face is simply enormous – you feel small and somehow insignificant. And being out and about on my own and camping with my mountain friends gives me an indescribable feeling of happiness. You are left to yourself and your comrades. There is something original about it and something very special.

And how does the hobby become an addiction?

I think the longing is inside you and needs to be freed. As a child I climbed every rock and when I went to Munich to study in 1978, I immediately stormed the first Bavarian summit.

How do you balance the experience with risk and adventure?

That is probably the core question of alpinism (laughs). Everyone has to decide for themselves and objectively assess the dangers. The risk is always there – even on a hike.

SALZBURG24 / Naderer

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“Avalanches don’t recognize a professional or a beginner”

Avalanche accidents divide hearts – the white masses of snow often cause a shit storm. In the podcast with an experienced Salzburg mountain rescuer, we answer questions about responsibility and risk …

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Can you give tips to parents who want to take their children with them on a hike?

The hike should always be designed with the children in mind. It’s not about getting there as quickly as possible. It is better to take your time to collect leaves together or to balance over a stream. At least that’s how I did it with my children and both are now enthusiastic mountaineers – each in their own way.

Don’t you worry when your little ones scramble on the mountains?

Of course, as a mother, you’re scared and worried. But you have to be able to trust.

What tips can you give beginners?

Beginners who undertake their first hikes will find what they are looking for on the Pinzgauer Grasberge, in the Glemmtal and around Kitzbühel. That’s wonderful at the beginning.

For climbing beginners, I recommend the via ferratas in Weißbach bei Lofer (Pinzgau): These can be reached from the valley and have several levels of difficulty – from beginners to advanced to difficult routes.

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Beginners in ski touring – or those returning to the sport – will find their happiness on nature trails in Dienten (Pinzgau) and in Mühlbach am Hochkönig (Pongau). The Marbach heights (Pinzgau) are also well suited for this. Advanced users then search for routes themselves, for example with the help of Internet communities.

What is often done wrong?

Some just don’t get information, although it’s as simple now as it was when I started out. Changes in the weather have suddenly surprised many. You should also know your own abilities and not overestimate them. And the footwear is unfortunately still an issue: I’ve seen women with ballerinas on the mountain just because there was a sign saying “To the summit 20 minutes”.

And which peak are you going to storm next? How do you plan tours?

In the morning I look out the window and then look at the webcams. Before the start of the tour, I sometimes change the tour to the opposite summit when the weather or general conditions are better. Such spontaneity is only possible if you know the area very well. Safety always comes first.

Thank you for the interview.

In our thematic focus, we first had a Flachgau mountain rescuer in the S24 podcast, in order to then report on the laborious work of the avalanche warning system. The fascination of the mountains is now the conclusion of the small series.

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