Since the merger of Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang in Salzburger Land with Fieberbrunn in Tyrol, the ski area has entered the premier league of freeride destinations. Despite the relatively low top-out height of 2096 m, there are still several zones within the ski area which offer excellent opportunities for exploring the sidecountry. On the Saalbach side, the Asitzkogel and Zwölferkogel are the first ports of call. However, the best slopes for freeriders are undoubtedly in Fieberbrunn. In fact, the ski resort has become home to a proper freeride scene over the last few years. Fieberbrunn is now a fixture on the Freeride World Tour – the world’s top freeride competition. Currently, this status is unmatched anywhere else in Austria.
Freeride parks
The so-called “freeride parks” are a very special feature here. One is located by the Asitzmuldenbahn (no. 55) in Leogang and the other on the Lärchfilzkogel (no. F2) in Fieberbrunn. In these parks, obstacles and kickers are integrated into the natural terrain, ensuring plenty of fun in the deep stuff.
Plenty of ungroomed ski routes on offer in Fieberbrunn
In addition to the freeride parks, there are a range of ski routes on offer, a whole host of which are in Fieberbrunn. These are not groomed for several days after fresh snowfall. The most picturesque routes are undoubtedly on the Lärchfilzkogel, or starting from the mountain station of the Hochhörndl chairlift. Up here, the three routes F33, F34 and F35 all offer different options for exploring safe backcountry conditions. All these routes converge once again at the bottom by the TirolS Bahn lift. For committed freeride fans this is only the tip of the iceberg. They prefer to take the cable car before earning their turns on foot on the legendary “north faces” Marokker and Wildseeloder. The latter peak is also the starting point for the Freeride World Tour events. However, these tours should only be attempted with suitable safety equipment, such as an LVS device, probe, shovel and avalanche airbag. In addition, we recommend seeking support from one of the numerous freeride schools in the area (e.g. Freeridebase). These schools offer regular guided tours and safety courses where skiers can learn how to use their equipment properly. At the Streuböden valley station in Fieberbrunn there is also a freeride checkpoint with an avalanche warning system. In the years ahead, the operators of the ski area are planning to further expand the freeride options available.
Treeless terrain in Saalbach and Hinterglemm
While the freeride pros hit the slopes in Fieberbrunn, it is easy to forget that there are also other freeride options available on the other side of the mountain. Particularly the area around the Zwölferkogel and Reichkendlkopf offers plenty of opportunities for taking to the deep stuff. The upper section of both peaks is largely free of trees.
Overall, the options for riding in powder are really extremely wide-ranging here. The only point deduction stems from the relatively low altitude of the slopes.