Austria is well known for skiing, but there are also other ways to spend time in it's beautiful mountains. One of them is sled riding… and I don't mean going down from a small hill in the age of 5… In some areas next to the skiing slopes also sledging tracks are located, where people of all ages race down on (mostly) rented sleds. Some of the tracks are not only long, but they're also opened and illuminated until late night.
The main idea is to gather friends around, spend some time in the fresh mountain air and make a nice trip out of it. For some it's all about racing, winning and pushing the adrenaline to it's limits, but I personally enjoy it much more by taking it easy…
This exciting and playful activity happens to be actually quite dangerous. Each year over 4.000 accidents happen in Austria caused by sled riding.
Like at any other slope, there are usually huts with traditional austrian food, where people can take a rest, eat a snack or a dinner to refuel the energy.
I can definitely recommend sledging as a skiing or snowboarding alternative (it's much easier, but still requires some muscle work!), however better take a helmet with you, 'cause you know… safety first!
