Sledding is an amazing and popular pastime for many living in and around Innsbruck.

It’s good exercise, you can do it at your own pace and
except the one-off cost of buying or renting a sled or ‘Rodel’ it’s absolutely free.

Sledding is not bound to any operating hours, puts you in touch with nature and,
after a long hike, you can even reward yourself with some good food and drinks at
one of the many alps.

The good thing is that there is always a track suited for you.
An extensive list of tracks can be found here.

Whether you’re looking for a short track, a long one, a steep or flat one, one where
there’s no oncoming traffic going up, or even one that lights up at night –
Innsbruck’s tracks have you covered. There are even tracks
you can reach by lift and some where you don’t even need to pull your sled up yourself.
Simply rent one at the top and return it at the bottom.

Even if the trails are not lit many still chose to hike them at night.
If that interests you make sure you have adequate equipment e.g. a torch and warm clothes.
Also check if the alp at the top is open by the time you arrive or pack
enough supplies like snacks and hot tea.

Before you head out please be aware that sledding is more dangerous than it appears
and there are quite a few injuries and even fatalities every year.
No need to be alarmed though, just keep the following in mind:

To stay safe make sure to always check for oncoming traffic.
Some tracks have one path for the ascend and a different one to sled down
but mostly the hike up and the ride down take place on the same track.
That being said please always keep an eye out for oncoming traffic and,
especially before turns, make sure you can stop before hitting anyone.
Also keep an eye out for distracted children in the middle of the path as well as dogs.

Often you will see people with helmets and even spine-protectors hiking up.
Although it might seem like overkill at first, you will soon notice that some sleds
have quite the top speed and, especially on icy tracks, can be challenging to handle.

As we enjoy the higher speeds ourselves we don’t want to discourage you
from going fast. We do however ask you to please keep in mind that the trees right
next to the path are only one of the things you want to avoid hitting.

Stick to a speed you can handle and feel confident at, wear adequate protection
and you’ll have a blast. If there’s some elements you are missing
here’s a list of rentals that can sort you out.

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