Schmitten: Mountain and Winter Experiences on the Schmittenhöhe

If you are looking for accommodation in Schmitten, the right location depends primarily on which aspects of your stay you want to make use of: trails and viewpoints on the Schmittenhöhe, winter activities, culture, or activities for children. The hiking season on the Schmittenhöhe lasts all year round. During the winter months, guided snowshoe and winter hikes are offered there. The location of individual accommodations does not automatically mean that they are connected to a mountain station, a trailhead, or a specific winter activity.

Starting Points, Trails and Cable Cars

The Schmittenhöhebahn is a modern aerial tramway that operates from May to October to a mountain station at just under 2,000 metres above sea level. From the Schmittenhöhe, you can see Lake Zell, the town of Zell am See and up to 30 peaks over 3,000 metres high. The “Kaiserblick” panoramic platform is also located at the mountain station. Its footbridge, partially fitted with a glass floor, extends 30 metres over the precipice. For a hike with different trail sections, the Schmittenhöhe panoramic hiking trail is a clearly described route. It starts at the car park of the Schmittenhöhebahn in the Schmittental valley and reaches the summit of the Schmittenhöhe via the Höhenpromenade. On the descent, the trail leads through the Pinzgauer Spaziergang, the Kettingalm and the Pfaffenkendelsteig into the valley. The Höhenpromenade itself is approximately 2.5 kilometres long and takes about 1.5 hours. Along the trail, there are Viscopes, information boards about the local animal and plant life, viewing platforms and play stations. There are also specific starting points for winter activities. The winter hiking trail on the Schmittenhöhe leads from the mountain station of the trassXpress over the Schmittenhöhe summit to the Sonnkogel. Guided snowshoe and winter hikes are offered during the winter months. Mountain bikers start the mountain bike route at the valley station of the Schmittenhöhebahn. Bicycles can be transported on the Schmittenhöhebahn and the trassXpress.

Art, History and Views of the Valley

The 4 Lakes Art Hike leads from the summit of the Schmittenhöhe along three reservoirs and Lake Zell down into the valley. On the Schmittenhöhe, it combines mountain scenery and works of art in a single route. Since 1995, 23 oversized objects and sculptures have been created on the Schmittenhöhe as part of “Art on the Mountain”. “Art on the Mountain” is an open-air art space described as the largest in Europe. There is also an exhibition on the 90-year history of the Schmittenhöhe at the mountain station of the Schmittenhöhebahn. In Zell am See, the Sisi Circular Trail is dedicated to the former Austrian empress. These attractions complement the mountain trails with cultural stops, meaning you do not have to focus your stay exclusively on sporting activities.

Activities for Children and Further Activities

For children between six and twelve years old, the “Schmidolin’s Fire Chair” practice course offers an opportunity to gain their first experiences. The “Mystical Forest” adventure trail comprises eight creative sensory stations in nature. The E-Motocross Park on the Schmittenhöhe is located at the mountain station of the areitXpress. Tandem flights from the Schmittenhöhe are possible without any special prior experience. For refreshments, there are 20 restaurants and mountain huts on the Schmittenhöhe. This allows mountain trails, views, culture and various activities to be combined with a range of dining options. If you are specifically looking for a hotel for an alpine skiing holiday, you should consider winter hiking and snowshoe activities separately from information about pistes, specific lift connections or snow reliability. For an additional comparison of locations, you can also look at Bruckberg.

For the higher-level travel overview: Zell am See.