News from Wieshof
Spring in the Rauris Valley
After an eventful winter and a sunny ski season, nature awakens to new life – everywhere things start to sprout and bloom.
We are taking a short break and will be closed until May 28, 2025, before we welcome many guests and friends again with fresh energy and great joy.
The “Explorer Highlights” in June:
- On June 21, 2025, in Bucheben at the Bodenhaus: the annual stallion drive of the Grieswies cooperative takes place. Here, the impressive Noriker stallions engage in impressive battles for the position of lead stallion before they collectively move into the “Alpine summer”.
- Every year on June 28: the Pinzgauer pilgrimage from the Rauriser Seidlwinkltal to Heiligen Blut in Carinthia. This traditional pilgrimage is a very special event that one should definitely experience at least once.
Spring skiing & ski tours in the Rauris Valley
Three-thousand-meter peaks such as the Hohe Sonnblick (3,106 m) with Europe’s highest, permanent weather station at the summit, the neighboring Hocharn – at 3,254 m the highest peak in the Goldberg group, and the Schareck are just as attractive as the somewhat more leisurely Kolmkarspitz or the Silberpfennig …
A prerequisite for a ski tour in open terrain is to deal with the dangers of winter, to plan the tour taking into account the weather, snow and avalanche situation and to equip yourself accordingly.
Stallion Boost
June 21, 2025
At the annual stallion drive at Alpengasthof Bodenhaus, Noriker stallions fight under supervision for the role of the lead stallion. Then the animals are driven to the Grieswiesalm for around 100 days of “summer freshness”. Spectacular for the spectators, necessary for the animals to be able to spend a peaceful alpine summer.
Glockner pilgrimage
June 28, 2025
Every year, thousands of pilgrims make the pilgrimage to Peter and Paul on June 28 from the Seidlwinkl Valley in Rauris in SalzburgerLand via the Grossglockner High Alpine Road to Heiligenblut in Carinthia.
The Glockner pilgrimage is Salzburg’s largest pilgrimage and can be traced back to the 15th century. The
Pinzgau pilgrimage
goes back to a vow made towards the end of the Middle Ages, in which the pilgrims asked for protection from the plague and wolves. Nowadays, thousands of pilgrims take part in the pilgrimage from the Rauriser Seidlwinkltal or Fusch on the Glocknerstrasse to Heiligenblut.
Walking on old paths….
In the Rauriser Seidlwinkltal, the valley of pilgrims and mules, you will learn a lot of interesting facts about the Rauriser spring water on the water information trail. The path leads from the Fleckweide car park past the Gollehenalm, the Palfneralm, the mighty Spritzbach waterfall to the more than 500-year-old Tauernhaus.
In 2015, Rauris was elected Water COMMUNITY 2015 in SalzburgerLand with the Neptun Water Prize. More than 300 natural springs, 60 of which have been opened up, drinking water fountains along the hiking trails, impressive waterfalls, water playgrounds, the water information trail and the Rauriser UrQuell: the abundance of water in the Raurisertal, the “Valley of Springs”, is impressive.
Image: TVB Rauris
Kings of the skies – REAL. Majestic
“What the hell is flying there …?” In the Kruml Valley, the “Valley of the Vultures”, the kings of the air circle: golden eagles, griffon vultures and bearded vultures can be seen here with a little luck and binoculars in the wild.
Alone or together with the national park ranger on one of the excursions, these animals are fascinating and wonderful to look at!
During the birds of prey show on the Hochalm , you get very close to falcons, owls and eagles.
Cool, fresh water – there is enough of it in the Rauris Valley
With the hot temperatures that this summer offers us, one is happy when – like us – it cools off nicely at night and during the day one can cool off in one of the more than 300 natural springs, mountain streams or rushing waterfalls.
Here are our very personal “cooling spots” for hot days in the Rauris Valley:
- Rauriser original source
- Kitzlockklamm in Taxenbach – Rauris
- Waterfall path in Kolm Saigurn
- “Summererpark” water playground
You can find all further information here …
Ski opening 2024/2025
On 13.12.2024 it’s that time again – the Rauriser Hochalmbahnen start the winter season!
The Rauriser Hochalmbahnen ski area in Salzburger Land is a real insider tip for anyone who wants to enjoy skiing far away from mass tourism. Particularly family- and beginner-friendly, it offers safe, clear slopes and is therefore ideal for a relaxed day of skiing.
The summit lift takes you comfortably to an altitude of 2,175 m, where a breathtaking view of the mountains of the Hohe Tauern National Park and an incomparable feeling of freedom await you.
A warm, dedicated team, fair prices and special family discounts round off the offer and make a day’s skiing in Rauris affordable and very special. Whether beginner or pro – thanks to the variety of slopes, everyone will find the right winter experience here.
Fasting hiking week
… the next dates for fasting at the Hotel-Garni Wieshof:15.06.-22.06.2024 Fasting with Beate “Ready for the mountains?”
21.09.-28.09. & 28.09.-05.10.2024 Fasting hike with Susanne We fast according to the method of Dr. Buchiger / Dr. Lützner Rest, movement and the extensive renunciation of food are the sources from which man can draw a lot of new energy in our fasting week for healthy people. Morning walks in nature and intensive relaxation phases in the afternoon, fresh juices and delicious vegetable broth get the cell cleansing processes going and a wonderful feeling of well-being in the body in just a few days.Ice climbing in the Rauris Valley
Ice cold and vertical are the challenges that ice climbers face in the Rauris Valley, at the end of the Kolm Saigurn valley.
The ” Ice Arena Kolm Saigurn ” offers interesting routes for beginners and professionals: At the Barbara waterfall, the main waterfall in Kolm Saigurn, and at 13 other ice falls, ice climbers try their hand at icy routes. The ice arena is particularly popular due to the short ascents and descents – around 50% of the ice falls can be reached in a maximum of 15 minutes on foot. The 13 m high ice tower at the Naturfreundehaus is ideal for beginners.
As one of the most rewarding ice climbing areas in SalzburgerLand , the Rauris Valley offers
“Eisarena Kolm Saigurn” numerous other possibilities in the ice in the Hüttwinkltal and in Wörth.
Image: TVB Rauris
It’s autumn…
Nature is beautifully colored and calm returns to the Rauris Valley. Our excursions with the national park ranchers are particularly exciting at this time of the year:
Watch eagles and vultures in the Krumltal , hike through the centuries-old Rauris jungle or watch the deer rut. Experience the nature of the national park up close and learn a lot of interesting facts about the Hohe Tauern National Park , its flora and fauna, its formation and the Rauris Valley. Nature enthusiasts discover the Hohe Tauern National Park on the guided national park excursions.
REAL nature experience
With 1,856 km², the Hohe Tauern National Park is the largest protected area in the Alps, extends over the three federal states of Salzburg, Tyrol and Carinthia and was the first national park in Austria to be established in the 1980s. A real experience of nature in the mountains – on your summer and winter holidays – guaranteed!
The Rauris Valley in SalzburgerLand, one of the largest national park communities, is known as the “secret jewel of the Hohe Tauern National Park”. Here you will encounter so many treasures and peculiarities that one can even speak of a “national park world of its own”: pretty much everything that can be discovered in the 1,800 km² Hohe Tauern National Park can be found in a “small space” in the Rauris Valley. Starting with cultural and historical peculiarities such as gold mining and the seam trade via glaciers and mighty waterfalls to natural history highlights such as the mineral treasures of the Tauern window and the large birds of prey.
Finally the time has come …
… our new rooms are ready.
We look forward to the new winter season and hope that you enjoy the innovations as much as we do.
Waldalm gondola lift: at full speed …
… preparations are underway for the upcoming winter season in the Rauriser Hochalmbahnen family ski area. Actually since May 2016, when construction began on the new Waldalm 10-seater gondola lift , which will go into operation with the start of the season on December 16.
A milestone in the construction of the new Waldalmbahn – immediately after delivery of the up to 20 meter high supports by helicopter – was the first test drive last week. The remaining gondolas are in the “train station” and are ready for use. After the last tests, things get serious: On December 16, 2016, at the same time as the start of the family ski area’s season, the latest generation of the 10-person gondola will start its first winter season.
The ski area is guaranteed to have snow not only because of the natural altitude – the slopes extend from 950 to 2,175 meters above sea level – but also because of the modern snow-making systems. 37 snow cannons, 8 lances and 16 men are on duty to make snow.
Autumn time = time for something new
Since our summer guests left on October 9th, the craftsmen have been hand in hand at the Wieshof. The windows of our guest rooms have all been swapped. At the moment the painters and floor layers are busy and all work should be finished by the beginning of December.
3 of our double rooms “Wieshof Standard” are then called “Wieshof Comfort”.
The floor will be changed in 6 rooms and a further 2 double rooms will have a new bathroom. We are really looking forward to showing you our innovations.
Herbs, wild & medicinal plants
This is the motto of this year’s Harvest Festival, which has now also found its way into the Rauris Valley.
Numerous workshops, excursions and cookery courses are offered in the Rauris Valley under the Bauernherbst motto – from “Natural pharmacy for body, mind and soul” to “Wild herb cuisine”.
Harvest time
From the end of August to the beginning of November, when the harvest time has begun in the fields and the cows return to the valley from their alpine summer, locals and guests celebrate the harvest season. In 73 places in SalzburgerLand around 2,000 Harvest Festival events take place at this time of year, where people sit together, taste, make music and celebrate.
New hiking destination – Mitterasten-Alm
The Mitterastenalm is not only in a particularly beautiful spot, but also offers a territory for hikers, trail runners and all sports enthusiasts!
It starts at Alpengasthof Bodenhaus, from there on the Knappenwanderweg towards the head of the Kolm Saigurn valley. From the Lenzanger car park, you can either choose the alpine hiking trail to the pass-through alpine pastures, or you can extend the loop over the Ammererhof.
The family high-altitude hiking trail leads from there to the Mitterastenalm, where buttermilk with berries or a fortifying ‘Sport-Weisse’ await. Return to the starting point via the Rauriser Urquell, a water power place in the middle of the forest. Difference in altitude: approx. 600 m.
