360° winter moments in the Alps

On the Hannes Trinkl World Cup course, you can make your turns where international races are decided. 40 kilometres of pistes, modern lifts and descents up to 2,000 metres above sea level make Hinterstoder one of the sportiest ski mountains in Upper Austria. Wide carving slopes, challenging black pistes and sweeping views combine speed with a real mountain feeling.

The 1st Line ski adventure starts early in the morning at the valley station of the Wurzeralm in Spital or the Höss in Hinterstoder, even before regular skiing begins. The funicular railway takes you up, accompanied by coffee and brioche by the fire basket, before the first turns are made in the freshly prepared snow together with ski instructors. The tour ends with an Alpine breakfast in the mountain restaurant - a special winter moment for early risers.

When the Kalkalpen National Park comes to rest under a blanket of snow, a special time for guided winter hikes and snowshoe tours begins. From December to March, experienced rangers accompany you through forests and across alpine pastures, tell you about "life artists in the winter forest", invite you to family programmes or exclusive nature observations. Step by step, a world opens up in which tracks in the snow tell more than words.

From the centre of Hinterstoder, trail 201 leads you to the Schiederweiher pond in around 2.8 to 5.6 kilometres - easy to walk, family-friendly and with only a few metres of elevation gain. The winter hiking trail is one of the most popular routes in the region and combines exercise with an impressive mountain backdrop. On a clear day, the Große Priel is reflected in the water on the shore. A place that opens up vastness and draws the eye to the essentials.

When the town square of Steyr is bathed in warm light and the large Christmas tree lights up the historic backdrop, the Advent season begins in the town of Christkindl. The baroque church, the famous post office and lovingly designed nativity scenes in Christkindl, a place of pilgrimage, make it a place of living tradition. The Steyr nativity scene and the Niglou parade in Windischgarsten are part of the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Between mountain Advent, Alpine customs and regional delights, the pre-Christmas period in the 360° Alpine region unfolds its long-standing tradition - tangible, lively and close to the mountains.

On 1.2 kilometres and an altitude difference of around 200 metres, you hurtle down the snow-covered slope above Hinterstoder into the valley. The medium-difficulty natural toboggan run is open from December to March if there is enough snow - during the day and floodlit until 11 pm for atmospheric descents in the evening. The ascent is on foot or conveniently by toboggan taxi.

The snowshoe trail, which is around 4.6 kilometres long, starts at the top station of the funicular railway and leads in gentle loops through the snow-covered Wurzeralm. With only a few metres in altitude, the tour is ideal for beginners and connoisseurs. Step by step, the view of the surrounding mountains between Pyhrn and Priel opens up - calm, clear and wide. Snowshoeing in 360° Alpenland means experiencing winter away from the hustle and bustle and consciously savouring the tranquillity of the snow-covered landscape.

Right in the centre of Windischgarsten, the ice skating arena invites you to enjoy carefree laps on the ice. Whether you're taking your first steps on ice skates or making sweeping turns with friends - here you can combine exercise with fresh mountain air. The arena is open during the winter season and skates are available to hire on site. An uncomplicated winter moment between local life and mountain scenery for the whole family in 360° Alpenland.

In the centre of Hinterstoder, the Alpineum tells the story of the close connection between man and mountain. The modern exhibition ranges from the history of the Stodertal valley and alpinism in the Totes Gebirge to the development of skiing and the World Cup on the Höss. Interactive stations such as a downhill simulator and avalanche transceiver make alpine themes tangible - also for families.

When hooves break the snow and steam rises from the nostrils, winter becomes very quiet. A horse-drawn sleigh ride takes you through white meadows, along river valleys and into the mountains between Pyhrn and Priel. Wrapped in warm blankets, a moment of deceleration is created - close to nature, pristine and soothingly close.

In Bad Hall, thermal water has been valued as a source of strength for centuries. The Mediterrana thermal spa with panoramic whirlpools, bubble loungers and outdoor pools provides space to take a deep breath. In the Relaxium sauna world, different heat zones and relaxation areas in the greenery combine to create soothing relaxation - a quiet antidote to active winter days in the 360° Alpenland.