Field Journal

Austria Uncovered: St. Johann in Tirol
Written by Daniel Neilson with Tobias Büttel // Photography by Tobias Büttel & Mirja Geh
Produced in Partnership with Visit Austria

Summer is the time when you can experience the Tirolean mountains with all your senses and relax in the fresh Alpine air.

When the cowbells ring softly in the distance, when the sun makes the mountain lakes glisten, and the gentle scent of flowers unfolds, you know that summer has arrived in St. Johann in Tirol. In the towns of St. Johann in Tirol, Oberndorf, Kirchdorf, and Erpfendorf, there are endless opportunities for hiking, cycling, climbing, swimming, and family adventures.

Where the locals play: Tobias Büttel, outdoors and nature photographer

‘Conveniently situated between the rugged Wilder Kaiser, the lonely Loferer and Leoganger Steinberge mountains, and the varied Kitzbühel Alps, I’ve found St. Johann in Tirol to be the ideal base camp for mountain adventures.

‘My favourite playground is the nearby Wilder Kaiser massif. There is a variety of tours here, from easy to challenging, and countless photo opportunities. The demanding, less-visited peaks and rugged ridges of the massif, which are still accessible without climbing equipment, are particularly appealing to me. A good example of such a mountain is the Regalmwand. I enjoy the easy climbing sections just before the summit, and my efforts are rewarded by the wonderful view at the top: from the glaciated peaks of the main chain of the Alps that glisten in the sun in the distance to St. Johann, which lies in the green valley below. The best days are when there is thick high fog in the valley, and you can enjoy the spectacle from above the clouds. On days like this, my camera’s memory card fills up in no time at all.

‘Frequent companions and motifs on the tours are the chamois, which I watch with envy as they skilfully climb the steep walls. The shy black grouse are another reason why I am drawn to the area. During their mating season from April to June, my alarm clock often wakes me up long before sunrise. After a two-hour hike in the dark, I reach my hiding place – still well before dawn – to photograph the elusive birds.

‘After such an extensive photo session at sunrise, I am in desperate need of a good cup of coffee. For all the coffee addicts out there, I can recommend a coffee stop at BOMBA Coffee in St. Johann or at das kaff. in Kirchdorf.

‘The Wilder Kaiser can get quite busy during the holiday season. To find peace and solitude, I venture into the barren stone landscapes of the Loferer and Leoganger Steinberge, just 30 minutes away from town. These challenging summits often require longer ascents but reward you with marvellous views. Here, even in the best summer weather, you might not meet another soul.

‘If there is not enough time for extended mountain tours, then the 1,280m-high Gscheuerkopf is a favourite destination for me. Despite this summit’s low altitude, the steep and exposed ascent path offers a little thrill and an Alpine feeling – an ideal after-work hike in summer.’

Experience Lebensgefühl in St. Johann in Tirol

In St. Johann in Tirol region, the locals have their own term for finding happiness in nature: My Yapadu! Let them explain where to find your own ‘Yapadu’.

‘The picturesque villages of St. Johann in Tirol, Oberndorf, Kirchdorf, and Erpfendorf are located between the most important mountains in the Kitzbühel Alps: the Kitzbüheler Horn on one side and the striking Kaiser Mountains on the other. Because holiday happiness awaits visitors everywhere here, there is a term for it: My Yapadu!

‘The hiking area of the St. Johann in Tirol region covers breathtaking natural landscape in the middle of the Kitzbühel Alps. You can choose from more than 200km of easy hikes in the valley, challenging mountain tours, or tours with cable-car support. Among the mountains, you’ll find lush Alpine meadows, rustic huts, and clear mountain lakes.

‘You’ll also find more than 200km of cycle and mountain-bike trails across the St. Johann in Tirol region, alongside opportunities for skydiving, tandem paragliding, high-ropes courses, ballooning, via ferrata, canyoning, and rafting.’

Facts about St. Johann in Tirol region

200km of hiking trails
From long-distance paths to short family walks, and everything in between, you’ll find every level of walking route around St. Johann in Tirol. Rugged peaks, Alpine pasture, via ferrata, you’ll find it all here.

200km of cycle trails
St. Johann in Tirol is particularly known for its mountain biking routes and bike parks, but there are plenty of long, quiet roads and mountain passes to challenge the keen road cyclist.

The mountain railway
Directly out of St. Johann in Tirol, is a gondola that goes directly to the Harschbichl (1604m) directly beneath the Kitzbüheler Horn.

18 huts
Mountain huts are an integral part of any Alpine experience. There are 18 huts dotted around the landscape, each with its own charm and speciality. We’ve highlighted our favourites below.

St. Johann Card
The St. Johann Card is your personalised guest card, offering you many benefits and discounts across the St. Johann in Tirol region. You can get the cards from your host in St. Johann in Tirol, Oberndorf, Kirchdorf, or Erpfendorf.

Mountain Experiences

The Koasa Trail
The Koasa Trail – the Crown – is a long-distance hiking trail through the Wilder Kaiser Mountains and the Kitzbühel Alps. This five-day walk is designed so that each stage leads through one of the highlights of the area, including the Niederkaiser Ridge, the Kaiserbach Valley, the Teufelsgasse, the Griesbach Gorge, and the Eifersbach waterfall.

Kaiser Hoch 6
Alpine history was written among the mountains of the Wilder Kaiser. The six summits of Fleischbank, Predigtstuhl, Totenkirchl, Lärchegg, Elmauer Halt, and Karlspitz offer classic level 3 and 4 climbs on steep limestone. There are plenty of guides in the region.

Via Ferrata Kitzbüheler Horn
There are two via ferrata routes on the Kitzbüheler Horn. Beginners can get a feel for the sport on a practice route before taking on the more committing routes that summit the mountain. And the views over the Wilder Kaiser and to the Loferer and Leoganger Steinberge may even make you forget the very big drop below you.

Action Mountain Harschbichl
With the tagline ‘One mountain, an incredible number of possibilities!’ Action Mountain Harschbichl certainly has a lot to live up to, but it genuinely does. You’ll find mountain-bike singletrack, via ferrata, the Hornpark tree-top adventure park, tandem paragliding, gondola rides, mountain cart trails, and even archery. But perhaps the highlight is the Horn summit mountain trail.

Cycle Adventures

Cycling is big news in St. Johann in Tirol. As part of the weekly programme, weekly guided bike tours take place from the end of May until the end of September. Guided tours are partly free or have reduced prices with the St. Johann Card.

Once around Wilder Kaiser
The 80km Kaiserradrunde passes through the villages that skirt the magnificent Wilder Kaiser massif, through farming hamlets and past lakes, along idyllic gravel paths, and via mountain huts for refreshment.

Harschbichl Trails
The Harschbichl Trails have carefully crafted trails with banked turns, jumps such as tables, doubles, shark fins, and a drop. The trails lead from the middle station of the Harschbichlbahn down to the valley station.

ObernDorf Trails
This purpose-built bike park has four different trails for all levels, a skill area, and transport with the bike T-bar lift. The technical Black Uphill Trail has switchbacks, large rocks, steps, and plenty of obstacles.

Mountain Huts

Stanglalm
Needless to say, the views of the Wilder Kaiser, Tauern, and the Kitzbühel Alps are jaw-dropping. It’s hard to think of better views to enjoy with the house speciality of strudel.

Bacheralm
This rustic hut in the middle of the Kitzbühel Alps is one of the loveliest and oldest in the area. It’s been in the same hands for years. Don’t miss the refreshing home-made lemonade.

Angerer Alm
The Angerer Alm is a typical Tirolean inn by day, but by evening it is a gourmet restaurant with the best-stocked (and highest-quality) wine cellar in the area, with more than 6,000 from 400 wineries.

Prostalm
Conviviality is the vibe of Prostalm. It is located on a plateau on the Leerberg at 1,180m. The best way to get there is along the Teufelsgasse, the Devil’s Lane hiking trail. The guest garden offers a magnificent view of the Wilder Kaiser and the Prostkogel. Landlady Katrin serves regional beer, cheese, bacon, and sausages.

Angerlalm
This small family-run hut is the perfect place to stop after hiking the Jägersteig trail from the Griesbachklamm gorge. It offers expansive views of the Steinplatte and the Loferer Steinberge.

Hiking Routes

Lärchegg
This hard and technical route starts in pristine Kaiserbachtal valley, at the foot of the Wilder Kaiser’s northern walls. It climbs switchbacks up to the rock walls of Lärchegg, before following an exposed but signposted path to the summit. Parts of the trail are secured with steel cables for protection.

Wilder Kaiser Crossing
This hard 13.2km trail, climbing 1,217m across the Wilder Kaiser, is one of the best walks anywhere in the Alps. Put aside a good nine hours to cross the massif and climb up to Kleines Törl at 2,100m. Chamois can dislodge rocks; consider wearing a helmet.

Schneebichl – Ranggenalm
This 12.8km trail climbs up to 1,466m. The trail starts through the forest before climbing over the Schneebichl to the Obere Scheibenbichlalm for a break. The trail then bounces past mountain pines and through Alpine meadows down to the Vordere Ranggenalm (don’t miss their cheese).

Teufelsgasse – ‘Devil’s Lane’
The Teufelsgasse, or Devil’s Lane, is a path through narrow rock splits – secured with ropes or cables – on the Leerberg plateau. Legend has it (as it always does), that the Devil hewed this maze into the rock to lead sinful souls astray. If you make it out, the trail continues through sunny pastures to Prostalm for a much-needed beer.

Horn Summit Mountain Trail
This 6.2km walk follows a panoramic circular route around the summit of the Kitzbüheler Horn. The starting point for the tour is the Harschbichl mountain station at 1,604m, and from there it climbs along a steep, exposed path to the rocky summit of the Kitzbüheler Horn and Horngipfel at 1,990m.

St. Johann in Tirol events for 2024

Lang & Klang in St. Johann in Tirol
‘Lang’ means longer shopping and ‘Klang’ is the entertainment, along with lots of music in the inns and on the big stage. Held every Wednesday from July to September in St. Johann in Tirol.

Mountains Aflame (June 22nd, 2024)
The summer solstice is celebrated in the mountains in the St. Johann in Tirol region with hundreds of bonfires across the mountains, including at the summits of the Wilder Kaiser, Kalkstein, Loferer and Leoganger Steinberge, and the Kitzbüheler Horn.

St. Johann Dumpling Festival (September 21st, 2024)
Did someone say ‘dumpling festival’? The 42nd annual Knödelfest, held on September 21st, 2024, boasts a ‘595m-long dumpling table’ and will serve more than 26,000 dumplings. Unmissable.

St. Johann’s weekly market
Fresh fruit, vegetables, locally produced bacon and cheeses, speciality poultry, fresh fish, and many other treats from the region – and from across Tirol – can be found every Friday at the weekly market in St. Johann in Tirol.

For more information, visit www.austria.info and follow @kitzalpen
Produced in Partnership with Visit Austria // @visitaustria