A mountain above Obertraun in the Salzkammergut with almost no pisted terrain at all, and that is the point. Krippenstein is a freeride mountain, with marked routes rather than groomed runs.

The terrain is open limestone plateau with a substantial vertical, and it has a devoted following among Austrian off piste skiers. It is not a place for beginners or for people who want groomed cruising.

Avalanche awareness matters here more than at a conventional resort, and a guide is worth arranging. The Dachstein ice caves and the Five Fingers viewing platform are on the same mountain, and Hallstatt is ten minutes away.