Schladming mountain bike paradise: the best trails in summer

The 5 ski regions of Ski amadé are no longer just a centre of attraction for winter sports enthusiasts. Nature lovers and adventure-seekers are also drawn to the region in summer - whether to explore the surrounding area on foot or to let off steam on challenging mountain bike trails. In Ski amadé, Schladming has established itself as a top destination for mountain bikers who want to get their adrenaline pumping. But Ski amadé also offers a diverse summer experience for those who find themselves somewhere between these two extremes. Today I'm taking you to the exciting bike trails in Schladming.

For me as a sports enthusiast, going downhilling 1-2 times a year is simply a must. With the trails available, beginners are in very good hands. This time I explored the bike park in Schladming with a friend. We were travelling with our own mountain bikes, which are completely adequate for our purposes. The right protective equipment is also an absolute must. Without a (full-face) helmet, chest protector, elbow and knee protectors and gloves, you should never undertake such an endeavour. If you don't have all this, you can simply hire bikes and the necessary equipment from the bike shops. As with the ski slopes, the trails are categorised as blue (easy), red (medium) and black (difficult). For those who want to avoid the gondola for the ascent, the yellow trail is available for independent off-piste ascents.

We quickly pick up our day ticket at the ticket office and are already in the gondola for the first ascent. We decide to start with the blue trail to slowly feel our way up. And it really knocks our socks off. Perfectly shaped, no deep potholes, fast steep bends and lots of small and slightly larger ramps invite you to step on the gas. You don't have to take off on the ramps, but you easily can. A descent is 15 kilometres long and as a learner you can really feel it in your arms and hands. We loved the route so much that we had to do it twice more. We needed about an hour for one lap (ascent and descent).

From the gondola, other bikers on the more difficult trails caught our eye. Wide jumps, uneven conditions and riders with professional downhill bikes made us doubt that we would be able to ride the red trail, let alone the black one. Nevertheless, we overcame ourselves and ventured down the red trail. From this difficulty level upwards, a full-face helmet is mandatory.

Immediately after the entrance, we knew why. Large stones, roots, very rough track conditions and the occasional situation where you no longer have your tyres on the ground demanded everything from us. Fortunately, we had the opportunity to take several breaks, which were very important for us. There were also several opportunities to switch back to the easier trail. Nevertheless, we stayed on the trail and reached the finish without any further difficulties, which you can usually reach in winter via the finish slope of the Planai.

Already at the end of our tether but still motivated, we decided to finish off by racing the blue trail again, which we really enjoyed. You notice how you become more and more confident and brake less in some places and just let the bike run.

All in all, our trip was a mega success. We had a lot of fun and were able to improve our skills. The next trip to the bike park is sure to follow.