An evaluation shows where mountain sports enthusiasts get their money’s worth when hiking, winter sports, skiing, climbing, mountaineering and mountain biking
Out of the city, into nature: In the Alps, idyllic tranquillity, fresh mountain air, crystal-clear lakes and a unique panorama await. The diversity of the landscape guarantees an experience of nature, whether you prefer hiking, climbing, skiing or mountain biking. With an evaluation of data, the sports equipment supplier Keller Sport has looked around the five major Alpine countries to find out where outdoor enthusiasts and mountain sports enthusiasts can find particularly good conditions for outdoor fun in the Alps. The analysis looked at the tourist offer, assessed the attractiveness of the landscape on the basis of the highest peaks and national parks and shows where particularly good conditions for various mountain sports can be found.
Winter sports and skiing
The coming ski season is eagerly awaited. After the 2020/21 season was almost completely cancelled, many enthusiastic winter sports enthusiasts and also the tourism industry are hoping for an early start, an extra thick snow cover and, if possible, no incidents in connection with the coronavirus. What is certain is that the new season will be characterized by hygiene rules, 3G and mandatory masks. Austria in particular is broadly positioned in terms of tourism with around 16,000 overnight stays and 997 mountain huts. Germans in particular are hot for winter sports, the study shows.
Climbing and mountaineering
The most fearless alpine athletes are probably climbers and mountaineers by far. Hardly any slope is too steep, hardly any weather too bad when it comes to climbing up the peaks of Europe’s largest high mountain range. Probably the most famous Alpine panorama in the Swiss Alps, there are 191 peaks over 3,000 metres and 48 peaks over 4,000 metres (with 300 metres of prominence). In terms of numbers, however, Switzerland is surprisingly topped by the Italian Alps. They have 217 peaks over 3,000 meters and 38 peaks over 4,000 meters. One of the most famous mountain ranges in the Italian Alps are the Dolomites.
Wander
One of the most popular outdoor activities in the Alps is hiking. The selection of unique hiking routes is huge. The longest network of hiking trails can be found in the Italian Alps with a total of 60,000 kilometers, followed by Austria with 50,000 kilometers and France with 46,000 kilometers. Trend data, which were also analysed in the evaluation, show that Switzerland is the most popular Alpine country among hikers. A total of 287 mountain huts along the Swiss routes, which stretch through the Swiss Alps over a length of 22,000 kilometres, offer opportunities to rest.
Mountain biking
With the growing prevalence of bikes with electric motors, excursions along more challenging routes and trails are also becoming increasingly popular. The Alpine countries offer a wide variety of different routes, from adventurous and stony trails with jumps to long panoramic routes with plenty of resting opportunities. As the venue for the Tour de France, one would think that the French Alps offer particularly good conditions for mountain bikers. The evaluation confirms this assumption, at least in part. On a multi-day tour through the French Alps, 718 campsites, more than 17,000 other overnight accommodations and 159 mountain huts await you to stop and linger.
Result
The picturesque mountain worlds of the Alps offer outdoor fans such a multifaceted selection of possibilities as hardly any other region in Europe. Whether in Germany, Austria, Italy, France or Switzerland, all countries offer some form of action during the day and something to relax in the evening. In the overall evaluation of the study, the sports outfitter selects Italy as the “ultimate Alpine country”. The Italian Alpine regions offer the best conditions for an active holiday in the mountains, according to the explanation.
