â Your most frequently asked questions â answered in a nutshell
Since we opened, weâve received lots of questions about hiking â especially from people who are new to it or didnât grow up in the mountains. Most of them are from international guests, and we totally get it â alpine hiking can be a bit different! This little guide is based on our experiences over the past few years. Itâs more practical than funny â but we promise, itâs worth the read.
đ If youâre already familiar with terms like elevation gain, microspikes, or mountain rescue memberships, you might not need this post đ
đ Before you set off â do you have a plan?
- Check the weather! Always check the forecast in the morning â and keep an eye on it during the hike too. Mountain weather can change quickly.
2. Bring a rain jacket & warm clothing. Even if itâs warm when you start, the summit can be 10°C colder and much windier. Functional clothing helps â especially when youâre sweating on the way up.
3. See snow on the Rax? That means itâs cold and slippery up there. Donât go with just running shoes and a T-shirt. Microspikes are a must in that case. (Yes, if the top looks white, it is snow đ)
4. Pack a headlamp! Especially from late autumn through winter â it gets dark early.
5. Know the emergency number: 140 Thatâs mountain rescue. Already a member of the Alpine Club? Or thinking of supporting mountain rescue? âĄïž Itâs just âŹ32 per year and covers you, your partner, and kids under 18. Info (choose Reichenau;)): bergrettung-nw.at
6. Essentials in your backpack: Emergency blanket, water, snacks â always.
7. Phone charged? Cold weather drains batteries faster â keep an eye on it.
8. Install a hiking app. We use mapy.cz, but there are many good ones. A helpful addition to careful tour planning. Or grab a map from our café!
9. This isnât flat terrain. Please stay on marked trails. If youâve gone off-track â turn back and find the path again.
10. Elevation gain â what is that? 10 km with 100 m ascent is very different from 10 km with 1,000 m ascent. Just for reference: the walk to the nearest supermarket here includes 80 m of uphill đ The Rax summit is at 2,007 m, Schneeberg reaches 2,076 m.
đ By the way:
These are just 10 of the (literally) hundreds of questions weâve been asked! Got something else on your mind? Drop us a message â weâre happy to add your question to the list!