Austria - E-biking in Gastein - the Kogel Alm Ride

A new Hut on a cold wet October day.

Cow of the day in Dorfgastein 

It was a pretty cold 0ne today so I decided to stay low. The KogerAlm is right at the end of the valley but is only at 1400m. To get there it's nice cruise on ECO down to Dorfgastein and then a left turn under the Road and Railway to Underberg. Through Underberg and join a signposted route around the right flank of the mountain. It's quite a rough track and fairly steep. There is a turning off left to the Amoser Alm, another hut worth visiting, but I carried on up my trail. There's a good aerial view of the stone quarry across the road on the right. It looks like they are creating a marble staircase for a giant!

Low cloud on this cool October day

It's a pretty deserted area but I passed another hut that looks like an Alm but it is now just for private hire. I think that is where I cycled before. I needed to wind upwards for a few more turns before reaching the top of the hill and coasting down to my destination. The Kogeralm faces North towards the Salzach valley so the views can be spectacular. Not today though as the cloud was masking the hills. It's quite a substantial building built in 2011 to replace a previous Alm that burned down. More like a Farmhouse than a traditional Alm.
It has a large outside terrace but there was no way I was sitting on it today. I tied up Sparky and headed inside. Two people were sitting at a table cutting up potatoes and there was a waiter/farmer  behind the bar. They were surprised to see me and asked if I was cold. I wasn't but I was glad to be inside the cosy warm room.

Nice hot soup - freshly made Gamms suppe.

There were no other guests as I ordered my Beer and freshly made Soup.  The waiter was decanting a clear liquid into a bottle. I asked him if it was schnapps, it was - and he kindly gave me a sample glass. Very warming. It was a good soup, I could hear the Lady in the kitchen making it and she served it to the staff as well. It definitely stuck to my ribs. Anyway, I was well wrapped up for the ride down and at least the initial short uphill combined with the schnapps meant I was centrally heated for the bumpy ride down to the valley and the pedal home. The Kogel Alm closes in October and will open again in May or June depending on the snow. It's not the prettiest of rides but it is worth going for a spin up there.

A cosy room

Not a pretty hut on the outside but has sleeping accommodation for guests