Rock Climbing
Thrilling mountain adventures for all ages
Overhanging rockfaces and spectacular routes – Ramsau am Dachstein is widely considered the best rock climbing area in Austria.
The southern faces of the Dachsten Massif is home to many via ferrata (climbing routes with steel handholds and footholds as well as a steel rope anchored into the rockface for safety) and rock climbing pitches ranging from easy climbs for beginners to alpine classics. Whatever the difficulty rating, climbers will always be rewarded for their efforts with fabulous views of the Czech Republic to the north and as far as the Triglav Mountains in Slovenia in the south. From the Skywalk in Dachstein the peaks of the Planai, Schladming, the Hauser Kaibling, the Reiteralm and the Niedere Tauern seem almost close enough to touch.
The main rock climbing area is to be found above the top station of the Dachstein glacier cable car on the Hunerkogel at 2700 metres above sea level. There, a wide range of via ferrata and sport climbing pitches criss-cross the Dachstein Massif and offer something for everyone, from families to experienced alpinists.
The Ultimate Challenge
Route with longest vertical drop in Austria
"Anna" and "Johann" in Ramsau are famous beyond the region as the ultimate challenge for fans of this sport combining the thrill of rock climbing with the safety of a fixed rope. The names stand for the two via ferrata climbing routes with the longest vertical drop in Austria.
"Anna" starts at 1800 metres above sea level and leads up to the top of the Dachstein Massif at 2996 metres – a total of almost 1200 vertical metres of climbing.
It includes 700 metres of steel rope and 250 iron footholds. However, a word of warning! Due to its length and ascent this via ferrata is only recommended for experienced climbers.
Courses & Certificates
Learn the right technique to scale the heights
For visitors with little or no experience on via ferratas or those who want to work on their technique the tourism board in Ramsau offers rock climbing courses for children, youths and adults, some of which conclude with a certificate confirming the skills learnt. Fully qualified climbing instructors from Ramsau are on hand to show you how its done and give you tips and advice. Climbing courses include:
- introduction to safety equipment and how to check it before climbing
- weather forecasting and evaluating the difficulty of climbing routes
- planning the climb and safety tips
- preventing climbing accidents
- dealing with bad weather and dangerous situations
- correct technique and tactics for via ferrata climbing
- climbing a via ferrata fixed-rope climbing route
- personal tips and tricks from the mountain guides
The Forest Park
High-rope adventure on Rittisberg mountain
The Forest Park is a high-rope adventure area where visitors of all ages can test their nerves on a series of challenges up to 15 metres above the valley floor.
As they make their way from tree to tree, children, teenagers and adults will have to combine courage with a good sense of balance. In total there are four different courses, of which two feature sections up to 15 metres above the ground. The ultimate adrenaline kick in Ramsau am Dachstein!
Tip! The Forest Park is just a six-minute drive from the Rittis Alpin Chalets and is a great way to prepare for some of the region's via ferrata.
