Description

This is a great ride, with some remarkably peaceful sections and some really fast riding too.

Best of all it's accessed using a cable car so the vertical metres descended far outweighs the metres climbed. Start out at the top of the Penkenbahn cable car which originates right in the middle of Mayrhofen.

Climb very briefly and then make a long, descending traverse around a wooded hillside and down to the top station of the Horbergeralm lift.

In winter this lift sits in a busy valley, full of skiers and snowboarders but in summer the valley is quiet and peaceful.

Right next to the lift station are the Kressbrunn am Horberg and Eisberghütte restaurants, and several other lift stations too. Head west and climb steadily up to and then past the Tappenalm and Grillhofalm huts.

After passing the Grillhofalm the climb gets much steeper and it's frankly a tough grind up to the Penken peak.

Fortunately there are a series of wonderful huts at which to refresh yourself once the climb is done! To descend, head down a good jeep track which heads east and zig zags down the hillside beneath the second section of the Finkenbergbahn gondola.

The jeep track is rough initially and there are some fun little shortcuts to ride down too. Eventually the jeep track smoothes out and becomes extremely rip-able! As you get closer to the valley bottom the track becomes a road.

Upon reaching Finkenberg village, head back along the main road to Mayrhofen.