Stoneman Taurista – Your Bike Adventure in Salzburg

June marks the start of the high season for mountain biking in Austria. It also signals the kick-off of the Stoneman Taurista, the Austrian version of the famous Stoneman MTB challenge, one of the most impressive mountain bike events in the Alpine republic of Austria/Switzerland. Like the Stoneman Dolomiti, the original Italian Stoneman event, this Austrian route across the High Tauern Mountain Range was created by former MTB World Cup winner Roland Stauder – and is equally as impressive. Covering a total of 123 kilometres and 4500 metres of vertical gain, you’ll soon discover breathtaking panoramas, rich alpine meadows and rustic mountain huts, alongside flowy downhill routes and sweaty climbs against the impressive backdrop of Salzburg and the Tauern Mountains. And as with every Stoneman, you can choose where you’ll start along the route as well as when to begin your adventure, allowing you to enjoy the experience without any competitive stress. 

To understand why the Stoneman Taurista is one of the best MTB tours in Austria, you simply need to see the route. The villages of Flachau, Wagrain-Kleinarl, Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, Radstadt, Forstau and Obertauern form the backdrop for this extraordinary mountain bike adventure – and it’s no accident that they are all amongst the most famous mountain bike destinations in this part of the Alps. One example: Directly on the outskirts of Altenmarkt awaits a climb up the 1768-metre-high Rossbrand, following a steady trail up past the tree line to the summit. There you’ll be greeted by an overwhelming panorama of more than 150 striking alpine peaks, including the Dachstein and the Grossglockner. Of course, this is not the only time that the Stoneman Taurista will lead to such airy heights: The Hochgründeck (1827 metres) and the Oberhütte (1876 metres) are two more long climbs along the route that are perfect for mountain goats.

As the long climbing sections show, the Stoneman Taurista is anything but easy. However, it's not just the many meters of altitude you’ll collect on your Stoneman MTB tour that make it challenging, but also the technical riding requirements. Trail ratings mostly range from S0 to S2, which makes proficiency in basic mountain biking techniques absolutely necessary. This is all the more valid considering that several S3 and two longer hike-a-bike sections are included in the route. You should therefore not underestimate potential difficulty when planning, made all the harder by the high-alpine terrain. Understanding the route is important and its challenges should be carefully considered when selecting the best goal for you and your Stoneman Austria experience.

Of course, as with every Stoneman event, you can win the coveted Stoneman trophy, which was personally designed by Roland Stauder. This is especially sought-after for Stoneman Taurista since the trophy’s stone comes from the Tauern Mountains. Which trophy you can secure for yourself depends on the speed at which you complete the MTB route: gold for a single day, silver for two days, bronze for three days. We only recommend gold for extremely fit and technically savvy riders. Silver is ideal for ambitious and well-trained mountain bikers while the bronze variant is perfect for those with less time for training. But even with bronze, due to the high elevation, you should have a certain base fitness level, and because of the exposed nature of the route, MTB experience, skills and knowledge of how to stay safe. After all, one thing is certain: you don’t want to have to call mountain rescue! And while you should always carry their emergency number, just in case, most undesired surprises can be avoided with a bit of planning and preparation. 

Good preparation includes choosing the right mountain bike. The perfect Stoneman MTB is one which allows you to navigate challenging alpine mountain bike terrain comfortably and confidently. At BIKE24 you will find a wide selection of appropriate mountain bikes for all-mountain that are ideal for this type of riding. The same applies to the rest of your equipment. Appropriate apparel is an absolute must at Stoneman Taurista; after all, the weather can shift at high altitudes surprisingly quickly. For emergencies, we also recommend carrying puncture repair tools with patches and replacement tubes as well as a first-aid kit. After all, you’ll often find yourself quite far removed from civilization. You should also think about what to bring along in terms of sports nutrition. It never hurts to carry a couple of extra bars and gels in your backpack compared to what you originally had planned. That way, you’ll stay ready if hunger creeps in and surprises you out on the trail.

Incidentally, one of the advantages of Stoneman Taurista is just how easy it is to travel and find accommodation. Flachau is centrally located in the Northern Alps and is convenient to reach both from Germany and Austria. As a tourism region, this area also offers plenty of accommodation along the route, many of which are being prepared in cooperation with the Flachau Tourism Board especially for Stoneman riders. Not for nothing, "MTB Flachau" and "MTB Obertauern" are common terms which are now firmly associated with the respective regions. 

All information about the Stoneman-Taurista accommodations can be found alongside other helpful planning and route info on the Stoneman Taurista website, all waiting to help #YouRockStoneman!