Ski Touring in Lungau, Austria: Piste Touring, Guided Tours and the Preber
Ski touring in Lungau comes in two forms: piste touring in the ski resorts, where each resort sets its own rules, and countless tours in open terrain. For piste touring, Grosseck-Speiereck with its dedicated touring evenings is the place to start. In open terrain, the Preber, Gstoder, Gumma and Große Kesselspitze are the classics. For every tour off the piste: avalanche gear is mandatory, and beginners go with a mountain guide.
This guide does not describe routes step by step. It shows where piste touring is allowed, which tours are popular in Lungau and what you need to know before you set off. The starting point is our apartment in Tamsweg, right in the middle of the touring area.
Can you ski tour on the pistes in Lungau?
Each ski resort decides whether and when you may skin up its pistes, and the rules change from season to season. Always check the resort's current page. According to the Lungau tourist board, ski touring is banned in all resorts after 5 pm because the pistes are being groomed. The exception is the official touring evenings at Grosseck-Speiereck.
| Resort | Piste touring | Current rules |
|---|---|---|
| Grosseck-Speiereck | allowed in season under piste rules, with touring evenings | grosseck-speiereck.at |
| Obertauern | skinning up the pistes was banned most recently | obertauern.com |
| Katschberg-Aineck | most recently banned while the lifts are running | katschberg.at |
| Fanningberg | most recently restricted, parking at car park P2 only | fanningberg.info |
"Most recently" means as of last season. The resort's own information always takes precedence.
Evening ski touring at Grosseck-Speiereck: Wednesday and Friday
Grosseck-Speiereck, 15 minutes from our apartment, is the most touring-friendly resort in Lungau. In season you may skin up under the piste rules. On top of that there are two official touring evenings: Wednesdays at the Grosseckbahn in Mauterndorf and Fridays at the Sonnbahn in St. Michael, until 8.30 pm according to the tourist board. On all other evenings the pistes are closed for grooming.
The classics: Grosseck from the Mauterndorf valley station, about 890 m of ascent and roughly two hours up, and Speiereck from St. Michael, about 1,220 m of ascent. Current times and hut opening in the evening are on the resort's website.
Piste touring rules
- Skin up only at the edge of the piste, in single file, never across it.
- Never enter closed pistes or pistes being groomed. The winch cables of the grooming machines are deadly.
- Only at permitted times and on the marked routes.
- Park only in the designated car parks.
- After dark, wear a headlamp and reflective clothing.
The Austrian Alpine Club summarises the full recommendations under "Pistenskitouren: sicher und fair".
Ski touring in open terrain: only with experience or a guide
Away from the pistes, Lungau offers countless touring options, from gentle alpine ridges to serious high tours in the Niedere Tauern. They require knowledge of avalanche safety and navigation in the terrain. We do not recommend open-terrain tours for beginners without experience on their own. The best solution is a mountain guide who adapts the tour, conditions and pace to the group.
Avalanche gear and the Salzburg avalanche report
Avalanche gear is mandatory on every tour off the piste, even the simplest tour through the forest. That means:
- avalanche transceiver, switched on and checked
- avalanche shovel and probe
- first aid kit and a charged phone
Before every tour, check the Salzburg avalanche report, also available in the Land Salzburg app. Gear alone does not protect you; you need to practise with it. That is exactly what the transceiver courses of local guides and ski schools train.
Popular ski tours in Lungau
These four tours are among the best known in Lungau. The figures are guide values from touring portals, not a route description. Conditions and avalanche danger decide anew every day.
| Tour | Summit | Start | Ascent | Time up | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preber | 2,740 m | Prebersee, approx. 1,515 m | approx. 1,230 m | 3 to 4 h | 2 of 6 |
| Gstoder | 2,140 m | Seetal near Tamsweg, approx. 1,230 m | approx. 920 m | 2.5 to 3 h | 2 of 6 |
| Gumma | 2,316 m | Lessach, approx. 1,180 m | approx. 1,140 m | just under 3 h | 2 of 6 |
| Große Kesselspitze | 2,361 m | car park on the B99 south of Obertauern, approx. 1,410 m | approx. 950 m | approx. 2.5 h | 3 of 6 |
Guide values according to tourentipp.com, scale 1 to 6.
Gstoder and Gumma are known for moderate slopes, although the Gumma ridge reaches 35 degrees in places. The Große Kesselspitze is more demanding: the forest road right at the start crosses an avalanche path.
Ski touring the Preber from Prebersee
The Preber (2,740 m) is Lungau's classic ski tour and lies right on Tamsweg's doorstep. The start is at Prebersee by Gasthof Ludlalm. The ascent covers about 1,230 m and takes roughly three to four hours; the season usually runs from December to April, with spring snow later on.
- Parking: the Prebersee car parks fill up early on sunny weekends, and roadside parking is prohibited. Start early.
- Summit: the summit area is often wind-scoured and hard, and many people walk the last metres.
- Avalanches: the Preberrinne gully is rarely, but genuinely, avalanche-prone, and the big slopes are critical when the avalanche situation is tense.
The Preber is not technically difficult, but it is a long tour in open terrain. Without touring experience, go with a mountain guide.
Mountain guides, courses and touring ski rental in Lungau
Guided ski tours, avalanche courses and freetouring are offered by, among others, IFMGA mountain guide Klaus Gruber from St. Michael (bergfuehrer-lungau.at). The Firn Sepp ski school in St. Margarethen runs beginner tours of 400 to 700 m of ascent, including transceiver training (firnsepp.com).
Touring skis, skins, boots and avalanche sets can be rented, for example, at Sportfex in St. Michael (sportfex.at). Firn Sepp also rents gear on site.
If you prefer skinny skis in winter, see our guide to cross-country skiing in Lungau. For downhill skiers: skiing in Lungau with the LUNGO Ski Pass.
Frequently asked questions
Is piste touring allowed in Lungau?
Each resort sets its own rules. Grosseck-Speiereck allows piste touring in season under the piste rules and offers touring evenings. In Obertauern and at Katschberg, skinning up the pistes was banned most recently. The resort's current page always takes precedence.
When are the touring evenings at Grosseck-Speiereck?
Wednesdays at the Grosseckbahn in Mauterndorf and Fridays at the Sonnbahn in St. Michael, until 8.30 pm according to the tourist board. The pistes are closed on other evenings.
Is the Preber suitable for beginners?
The Preber is not technically difficult, but it is a long open-terrain tour with about 1,230 m of ascent and avalanche slopes. Without touring experience, only go with a mountain guide.
Do I need avalanche gear?
Yes, on every tour off the piste, even easy tours through the forest: transceiver, shovel and probe, plus a first aid kit and phone.
Where can I find the avalanche report for Lungau?
From the Salzburg avalanche warning service at lawine.salzburg.at and in the Land Salzburg app.
Where can I rent touring skis in Lungau?
For example at Sportfex in St. Michael or at the Firn Sepp ski school in St. Margarethen, both with avalanche sets too.
Your touring base in Tamsweg
Our 60 m² apartment for 2 to 3 guests sits right in the touring area: Prebersee, Seetal and Lessach a short drive away, Grosseck-Speiereck in 15 minutes. With a lockable ski room, covered parking and a washer-dryer. More about the apartment
Check availabilityAll information without guarantee. Ski touring is at your own risk. Check resort rules, avalanche danger and conditions before every tour.