Trail Check Southern Carinthia: What's New on the Petzen

It has been almost exactly eleven years since the 11.5 km long Flow Country Trail on the Petzen was officially opened. At that time, it was the only trail on the Austrian side of the Karawanken mountain ridge, winding down over 1,000 vertical meters. Over the years, the endless line has transformed into the beating heart of the region.
Today, the offerings on and around the 2,114 m high mountain massif look very different. For example, it has since been expanded to include the EWS trail, which was carved into the steep mountain slopes in 2018 as the final stage for the EWS World Series race. Freshly created, we want to begin this year’s visit with the latest highlights. Opened in 2025, the new trails Shakedown, Freeride, and Jump Trail are located in the lower section of the mountain.

One thing that remains the same then and now is one of our guides: Charly Falke. The unconventional free spirit is as much a part of the Petzen as the Flow Country Trail.
The jack-of-all-trades knows more stories than one could listen to during a two-month trip, let alone a two-day one. Among other roles, he is responsible for the weekly program of the Aktiv Card (see info box) and also knows every hidden trail the region around Feistritz ob Bleiburg and the charming Klopeiner See has to offer. The lake, considered the warmest bathing lake in Europe, also boasts drinking water quality.
Together with Manuel Krainz, project manager and Geopark guide of the Karawanken Geopark – the cross-border nature and cultural experience zone spanning over 1,067 km², where we find ourselves – he accompanies us on older, newer, and brand-new trails.

To get to the start of the new trio, you don't need to ride the gondola of the Petzen cable car; you don't even have to get off your bike. A dedicated tow lift within sight of the gondola station, the Quellenlift, pulls bikers up the mountain.
As some park users may already know, you don’t have to wrestle with the bar of a conventional tow lift. Instead, you can simply hook the so-called easyLOOP system onto the bike’s stem. It’s easy for everyone to manage, doesn’t scratch the frame, and even stabilizes the bike a bit while being pulled up.
The ride doesn’t take long either. It ascends about 150 vertical meters along the edge of the slope, which, in winter, is ideally covered in thick white snow but, in our case, luckily adorned in radiant green meadows.

At the top, after unhooking, you’ll find the Shakedown Trail to your right, which was also added to the bike park’s offerings this year. But more on that later—we’ll roll to the left first.
There, you can choose between the Freeride and Jump Trail. It’s recommended to start with the Freeride, as its difficulty level is significantly lower than that of the Jump Line. This is also confirmed by the signs, which indicate the trail as medium difficulty. If you want to smoothly navigate the features, you still need to stay sharp.
While the Flow Line generally gives you plenty of time and space to get into the rhythm of the rolling trail design, the Freeride Trail meanders through the forest with numerous curves and includes many smaller jumps—some of which are rolling doubles. So, you’ll regularly leave the ground even on the Freeride Trail, from the small transfer out of the first berm to a series of tables that invite you to try your first tricks.

That both the freeride and the jump trail sections were created under the supervision of master shaper Diddie Schneider is immediately noticeable. There are no jerky speed changes, no tedious counter climbs, and no dangerous kicks on the take-off ramps. Instead, you fluidly tackle one obstacle after another from start to finish.
One of the highlights is a larger drop, which you approach via a long wooden ramp. A sharp curve on the ramp dictates the speed, so there’s hardly any risk of landing too deep – even though the long, steep landing would be very forgiving.

Worth mentioning is the section where both trails merge shortly before the finish. There lies a supposed table, which on the right half is actually a double. Due to its construction, it’s neither visible nor easily rollable. No problem – as long as you know.

Past the carved Petzen bear, the trailhead is located a few meters below the mountain station – unmistakable thanks to the starting arch.
From here, it's all about holding on, navigating over roots, small stone slabs, loose dust or gravel – at least when it's not raining – heading downhill. In wet conditions, an additional level of difficulty naturally comes into play; we can only guess what kind of mud the ground will turn into then … and are grateful for not having to find out.

According to stories, during one of the EWS races under torrential conditions, a rider even managed to complete half the course with a flat front tire all the way down to the finish line. Considering the numerous drops and artificially created steps designed to prevent erosion, that was certainly no easy feat.
Moreover, the steps often lead into double and triple drops, which are actually meant to be jumped but add an extra layer of challenge due to their length … so maybe better to tackle them with a rolling drop?
Such questions about riding style and line choice arise constantly on the approximately five-kilometer-long trail, even though the width of the trail already imposes significant limitations.

Actually, the EWS track is an extension of the Thriller trail and shares some sections with it. The Thriller, in its entirety, might be classified as a touch more manageable, even though short sections keep appearing where you should carefully choose the right line.
Root carpets are more commonly found on the Thriller, as well as wider sections that allow for free line choice; also a few short counter-climbs where you want to avoid catching your pedals on obstacles.

The extra sections of the EWS, on the other hand, include a few steep parts, which you should approach neither too quickly nor too slowly. On my favorite section, you can't stop anyway; instead, you have to smoothly navigate through a long, flowing S-curve.

Everything is rideable on both trails – provided you have the necessary riding skills. If the latter is still being developed, the trails don’t really invite you to dip your toes in.
You’d probably have to push your bike a lot, which would be quite exhausting given the challenging gradients and the length of the trails – even though there are always exits and turn-offs leading to the Flow Country Trail.
Considering the disparity in difficulty levels between the blue flow trail and the black enduro trails, it seems clear that a red-classified natural descent from the mountain station to the valley would fit well into the menu to complete the Petzen offering.

Speaking of the menu: At several spots in the bike park, local and cross-border specialties are served.
And speaking of cross-border: Until the natural Missing Link is possibly realized on Petzen, the back side of the mountain, where it is called Peca, offers a worthy, albeit lift-free, alternative.

In other words: For everyone wanting to expand their horizons beyond the bike park, a border crossing into neighboring Slovenia is a great option.
Many bikers are now familiar with the Single Trail Park Jamnica; however, since we have already reported on it in the past, this time we are focusing on the mining town of Mežica. We’ve written about it before as well, because there you can explore the tunnels of the former lead and zinc mines by bike either on a leisurely, relatively flat path through the mountain or – for those seeking a wilder experience – on the Black-Hole-Trail, a black-rated trail deep into the mine, skimming past several abysses and … black holes.

In typical Charly Falke "Let's see where it takes us" fashion, this time we find ourselves exploring one of the many more or less legal, secret, or hidden possibilities in the forest or thicket: A Drog.
Built by the Žična Trail Crew, the only easy thing about this trail is the climb. It leads with a gentle gradient over asphalt and forest roads, climbing around 600 vertical meters to the starting point. Occasionally, you catch a picturesque view of the surrounding landscape; the rest of the time, you're well-protected from the blazing sun in the dense forest—assuming it’s shining.

The first 60 vertical meters of the connector trail lead through, among other things, a narrow gully, helping you warm up—and reminding you what it’s like to ride on and with the sometimes quite rustic, Slovenian "sugar trails" built into the forest.
Then the actual trail begins. If you want to pull the ripcord at this point, you can bypass A Drog on a wide path.