I'm flying into Munich next week to catch the last few days of the lifts being open in Austria and the two choices seem to be Kitzbuhel or Saalbach?
I'm not a downhill nutter, but would like to do a lot of lift-assisted XC/singletrack/easy DH/freeride.

Has anybody been to either? I'm not after an answer on which to go to, but would like to know what people thought about riding at either?

Cheers

Phil

I've skied Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang and it's a fantastic huge area. I'd love to ride there. The parks look fun too and if the apres bike is half as good as teh apres ski it'll be brill. It would get my vote.

I went to saalbach a couple of years ago.
If you wanted to do some xc singletrack type stuff it would be worth trying a guide as the maps aren't particularly good and we found it difficult to locate that type of riding where bikes were actually allowed on (youre not supposed to ride on the main walking tracks). Did manage to find a couple of really good rooty single track type trails though and i am sure there would be loads more.

The bike parks aren't massive but are easy to get to.

Leogang is the better one and just over the valley from Saalbach. Its easy to get to by using the lift from Saalbach then a 20/30 min fire road ride to the top of the Leogang lift. From the top of there there is a good but moderately technical dh trail running down the RH side of the lift. i found it to be awesome in the dry but very tough in the wet as it is very rooty and pretty steep. Then from the middle lift station there are a few tracks down to the bottom. The official DH track is quite technical.the FR is good fun and is all rollable. and there is an easy wider track also with a few very small jumps. At the bottom are dirt jumps and north shore type stuff. Some is big some is good for practice.

Hinterglemm again is a 10 min ride up the valley on the road. There is the Adidas FR park. There are a few trails here but they are slightly easier than Leogang.

And there is another DH trail in Saalbach but this was not open when we were there so can't comment.

as for nightlife it was dead when we went but it was just before the main summer season. There are loads of places to eat though both at Saalbach and Hinterglemm.

Hope this helps and sorry if i have gone on!
Simon

Phil,

I live just round the corner from Kitzbuhel in the Alpbachtal valley. I am working next week but if you want to join me for a 3ish hour evening ride then let me know.

No lifts though, but some great singletrack suitable for XC riders.. i.e. no armour needed..If it puts the downhill in perspective, I ride a hardtail.

If your staying in Kitzbuhel you will need some transport to get here.

Dave

I am just back from Nassfeld – I'm by no means an expert on alpine riding but there seemed to be plenty of opportunities there…

I have the pleasure of working in the area for a few weeks each year. Usually get the day pass for the Saalbach / Hinterglemm lifts & get a "map" (more like pictorial…) from the bike shop in Hinterglemm, though this year the lift to the Leogang side was not running, my day out started with a run or two up from Hinterglemm to drop back down the Blue line or Addidas Freeride runs, the go down to Saalbach, get the lift up the South side of the valley to "Sky Rest" where the newish X-line run is. (I have whizzed down the X-line but it's a bit OTT for my XC stylee bike).The best option I found here was to climd up to Westgipfel Hutte then lovely DH ST to Hacklbergalm (good Kaiserbalm?? – chopped pancakes here)Cross valley to Huberalm then some mental fast fireroads back to Hinterglemm – get back to lift & do it again. If the lift toward the Leogang side is working there's some superb ST from the top of the lift at Kohlmaiskopf to Schonleiten Hutte, then drop down to the runs down into Leogang, get the lift back up & do it again. Have fun & take plenty of brake pads