Skiurlaub Tirol – Exploring Austria’s Hiking Trail by Ski or Foot
June 21, 2009 - If you love a good skiurlaub and walking is also one of your favorite activities then Tirol, Austria is the perfect place for you. The Austrians culture has always been ingrained with walking through the mountains as part of their lifestyle which in turn has developed into a pastime for locals and visitors alike. This is why exploring the many hiking trails in the Tirol area of Austria by foot or ski is one of the more enjoyable yet less known activities in Tirol.
Walking in Austria is a very good way to connect you with nature. The Tirol region offers many trails that are well mapped to help you navigate them. A map is not necessary though since most trails are abundant with red-white-red stripped signs conveniently placed on tree trunks to indicate the each path.
Today, many areas have followed the lead of the Tirol region and now mark their trails according to difficulty. This system is the same as the one used for cross-country skiing trails, where blue indicates an easy trail, red for moderate difficulty, and black for difficult. Moderate trails are often narrow and quite steep, and you need to be physically fit for black trails, which are very demanding and may require some climbing. Interesting, right…
Are looking for trails in Tirol, remember that you have the local tourist office in Austria. There you can find, walking maps, details guides and other useful measures to follow for a better pleasant exploring on foot. Since, most of the best trails are further into the mountains, away from towns, cable car ride, are available to go up the mountain, if that's where your chosen trail begins.
Going for a walk in Austria is the same as anywhere –be prepared. Take water and enough food for the day. Keep in mind that weather can change, check the local weather forecast before you leave your hotel room from St Johanner Hof Hotel. Carrying extra clothing will be helpful for a cold or wet ride out. Carry a mobile phone, in case needed for an emergency assistance. Or let the front desk where you’ll be keen your activities.
If you're going on a multi-day hike, then you need to find out about the location and availability of the various Alpine huts that are dotted around the slopes. All the usual hiking courtesies apply, and it's particularly important that you carry your rubbish with you. Don't try and bury it, because this disturbs the ground, promotes erosion, and it's likely it will be dug up again by an animal who may suffer ill effects as a consequence.
You can spend some time reading up about the several areas where walking is popular at this lovely place, so that you can do decide exactly which way you would like to go. For more information about Tirol please feel free to ask the St. Johann Hoff Hotel Reception desk.
Allison Kim is a published professional traveler who has seen over 30 countries and lived in 5 of them. She currently resides in London with her cat. You can learn more about Ms. Kim by visiting her travel website at: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog/allie87/1/tpod.html
