May 14, 2026

A Long Via Ferrata Weekend in the Austrian Alps

Pavel Karásek and friends spent several days on iconic ferratas, mountain lakes and alpine terrain in the Salzkammergut region.

Austria (Salzkammergut)•Pavel Karásek & Urban Vertical Team

Via ferrata team in the Austrian Alps above alpine lakes

Overview

The Austrian Alps are one of those places people naturally return to. Monumental limestone walls, mountain lakes, canyons and excellent via ferrata infrastructure create perfect conditions for several active days in the mountains.

That was exactly the tone of our extended via ferrata weekend in Salzkammergut, where Pavel Karásek and friends traveled as a team of six in three climbing pairs.

Trip Story

Our base was JUFA Hotel Altaussee, ideally located below the Loser massif. Every morning started with a shared breakfast and route planning, while daytime was kept simple with light snacks carried in the backpack directly under the walls.

Evenings were about recovery in Altaussee, shared dinners and reflections on each ferrata line.

The itinerary combined different styles:

Postalmklamm canyon with ladders, wet rock and technical movement,
Sophie ferrata on Loser with views over Salzkammergut lakes,
Gams and Kucksnest ferratas in the Krippenstein area.

Highlights

Krippenstein delivered the strongest alpine mood: massive Dachstein walls, long exposed sections and traverses where the connection between movement performance and mountain environment becomes very clear.

The weekend was not only about climbing. After ferratas, a cold alpine lake provided perfect recovery, and part of the group also visited an ice cave, adding another memorable layer to the trip.

The final day ended on the Katrin ferrata above Bad Ischl. Sunny weather and a relaxed atmosphere were a clean finish to the whole weekend.

Across a few days, the group climbed about 1300 vertical meters of ferrata terrain. More important than numbers, though, were shared moments and time spent together in the mountains.