Gravel Biking in the Dachstein Salzkammergut

Rindbach near Ebensee, somewhere in the wild, rugged ravines at the northern foot of the Totes Gebirge. Behind us lies the enchanting Offensee, in front of us the magnificent Traunsee, and to the left and right rise the Eibenberg and the Erlakogel, the latter also known colloquially as the Sleeping Greek Woman due to its distinctive northwestern profile.
With the rock walls of the Zwercheck, the former provides the material from which our darkest fantasy adventures are made. The latter, with the Gasselhöhle, houses perhaps the most beautiful stalactite cave in the Northern Limestone Alps. And in between, a brook, lovely and clear at its mouth into the Traunsee, has formed a gorge that leaves us in constant amazement:
Not only would the spectacle that unfolds above the somewhat well-known Rindbach waterfall be well deserving of the title of natural monument, just like the cataract itself. It is also the second rock gorge of remarkable beauty and length, after the Offenseebach gorge, that we pass within a few kilometers. And this on a route that, at first glance, we might have dismissed as not worthwhile because it seemed too asphalt- and road-heavy. God, preserve ... or better yet: Salt Pirates, help!

Admittedly: As quickly as we had fixed our program for the two-day side trip to the southernmost corner of Upper Austria, we were just as skeptical about its actual suitability for gravel biking.
After all, the official tour description of the Hornspitz-Achter (24 km/870 m elevation gain) predicted steep climbs along with a sweaty pushing section - no fun with discipline-typical gear ratios, tire widths, and possibly even mounted luggage.
And the "relatively high" asphalt content of the second tour, 81 km/880 m elevation gain, as announced by the tourism association, much of it supposedly right next to the heavily trafficked B145, promised rather limited gravel fun.
But first, things turn out differently, and second, than one thinks!

Already the Hornspitz-Runde knew how to pleasantly surprise. Yes, its uphills generally belong to the steeper and rougher gravel spectrum at the beginning of the tour, which is what makes gravel biking fun. And indeed, it is necessary to conquer the mountain's summit via a nasty ski slope direct route, whose continuous 20-25% gradient pushes the limits of pedalability; especially since the beginning of this special test also greets you with deep, loose gravel.
However, this ordeal lasts only 700 meters in length and then eases for another 500 meters to a still sporty 15 to 20%, before the Gosaukamm and the Dachstein, the Plassen and the Gosautal, the Ramsau mountains and the Salzkammergut mountains, and even a corner of the Gosausee spread out before you with such force and suddenness that all efforts are instantly forgotten.
Not to mention the culinary and atmospheric delights at the Zeishofalm.

But first things first. Hornspitz-Achter, therefore, and thus starting in beautiful Gosau, at the parking lot of the sports center in Steinermühlenweg.
The magnificent backdrop of the wildly jagged Gosau Ridge with the many pointed church towers of the village placed in front of it initially at our backs, the GPX track briefly directed us to pedal down the valley towards the east - according to the official tour description on the main road. Those seeking tranquility can alternatively stay on the Gosaubach stream for just under a kilometer and then turn onto Stötzlgasse into Ramsaustraße.
Initially, this steep route led through the flower-decorated district still paved. Soon, however, the surface changed to somewhat coarse, bumpy gravel and the surroundings to forest. After the first two bends, the ground conditions and the incline became significantly tamer, and we calibrated our internal sensors for enjoyment.
How green the moss and ferns, still damp from the night rain, glowed! How intense the dark forest floor smelled of dead plant parts and fertile soil! And how immovable the mountains peeked over the treetops from the valley floor!

Thus, the good 300 meters of elevation gain of this first loop, advancing into the vicinity of the idyllic Iglmoosalm north of the Pass Gschütt Road, were soon completed.
We swiftly sped down to the B166 and an unpleasant, traffic-surrounded kilometer further into Salzburg (good news: For this section, a bypass through the forest was just built - not quite finished at the time of our visit). A few meters below the pass height, we finally turned left and thus south into the forest road, which, over the following 8.5 kilometers and 450 meters of elevation gain, conquers the 1,433-meter-high Hornspitz from the Rußbach side.

In thunder rumbling, heavy rain, and whipping wind, we enjoyed a rare symbiosis of friendly, relaxed service, hearty excellent cuisine, perfectly timed logistics, and lovingly playful decoration. Or in other words: This is how you wait out a storm!

And so, afterward, we could roll back to the start, completely full and satisfied, as well as dry, on well-maintained, relatively flat forest roads – not without a final panoramic view of Gamsfeld, Wilder Jäger, Kalmberg, Plassen, the entire flat, green valley floor, and of course, King Dachstein plus Gosaukamm.

A restful night along with a cozy breakfast later, we felt prepared for the second part of the gravel adventure.
With its historical buildings – the restaurant and living area of the listed house dates back to 1517 – the Landhotel Agathawirt, a hostel specialized in catering to cyclists, had perfectly set the mood for what was to come. After all, we wanted to follow the Salzpiraten-Runde to trace the footsteps of mysterious pirates who allegedly roamed the Traunsee many hundreds of years ago or, depending on the legal perspective, fought a battle for freedom and faith.
Nothing is certain from the story presented in a documentary TV production. Only a chapel inscription in Traunkirchen points to a "hideaway for pagan pirates." Much is imaginable. Most likely, locals, ever resistant, fought against the salt monopoly of various authorities and collected tolls in their own way.

One must know or recall: As sometimes the only preservation method for food, salt held an immensely significant place in (pre)historic times. Even more so in today's Salzkammergut, poor in other natural resources, as Hallstatt houses the oldest salt mine in the world. Its "White Gold" was shipped via the Traun to the Danube and from there throughout Europe.
And along this very Traun, accompanied by the rustling leaves of the venerable "Kaisereiche zu St. Agatha" in the garden of our accommodation, we set off eagerly and curiously.

And then: Offensee. Color grading, next level. A symphony of turquoise and petrol and steel blue and green, cloaked in forest, embraced by mountains.
Even a giant like the later following Traunsee with its 1,691 m high stone guardian has its charm. But this small mountain lake, which can be circled on a wide forest path, accessible from three sides and with pleasantly warm water, has a very special flair. Especially on the southern shore, where the team of the Jausenstation Seeau provides for the physical well-being of bathing, hiking, and cycling guests with creative cuisine.

Entirely without water accompaniment, we only had to manage without it on the dead straight final road of the forest railway (see info box: Of Nuns and Trains) when we went for exactly 800 meters into "alpine terrain" to the Fahrnau hunting lodge.
What we thought was a Komoot exaggeration during map study turned out to be true at the latest when the initial root carpet transitioned into increasingly higher and more exposed rock steps, and we found ourselves in the middle of a genuine trail.

Comforting: This pushing section is so short that it doesn't weigh much, even with potential luggage. Additionally reassuring: The passage is so unrideable—especially with a gravel bike and likely with a mountain bike over significant parts—that hiking would be the order of the day even in the original opposite direction.
However, surprising: This section, along with ancient MTB routes like Fahrnau-Offensee and the Almsee connection, is also included in the relatively fresh BergeSeen eTrail on the royal stage (Grünau im Almtal – Steinbach am Attersee, 77 km/2,037 m elevation) and that uphill. We ask ourselves, how does the typically not-so-young clientele of this multi-day offering manage to haul their 25-kilo behemoths up here?

However, the aforementioned target group seems to be much tougher than we thought ...
We are back in the Rindbach Gorge, just before the open curve, where the scenery with small stone walls, summer heat, buzzing insects, and a view of a deep riverbed below, along with a huge rake that looks like a historic stone arch bridge from afar, will strikingly remind us of southern France.
Only: We know nothing about this enchanting spot above Ebensee yet. We are still separated by Mordor from the end of the gorge, from Lake Traunsee, from the bathing spot in the Rindbach recreation area, from the ice cream cup at Maislinger, from the fine dinner at Agathawirt. The rock walls still rise as if they were the gates of hell.

Will there be an escape for us from this realm of darkness? We doubt it. And yet: Hope lives. For just now, the forest road spits out a few older e-bikers coming up from below, all of whom seem quite unfazed and in good spirits as they continue to pedal towards us, as if nothing had happened.
Alright, then off to Mordor with us!