Dachstein Krippenstein

The Krippenstein cable cars, above Obertraun, and the Dachstein caves: the Giant Ice Cave, the Mammut Cave and the Koppenbrüllerhöhle. Up top it runs the 5fingers viewpoint.

Who they are

The Krippenstein facilities are operated by Dachstein Tourismus AG under the Bergbahnen Dachstein Salzkammergut brand, headquartered at Winkl 34, in Obertraun, on the shore of Lake Hallstatt. The whole area forms part of the Hallstatt-Dachstein/Salzkammergut cultural landscape, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997. The company brings together in one offer the cable car, the visitable caves and the summit viewpoints, and in winter a ski and freeride area. Its website does not give the year the company was founded.

What it offers and when

The cable car climbs from the valley, in Obertraun, in three stages. The first reaches the intermediate station of Schönbergalm, from where the cave tours leave. The second continues to the Krippenstein mountain station, where the 5fingers viewpoint is, a platform cantilevered over the void with views of Lake Hallstatt, and the Welterbespirale, a spiral viewpoint with a 360-degree view. The third goes down to the Gjaidalm, the starting point of routes across the Dachstein plateau. In the summit area there is also the "Dachstein shark", a sculpture that the company promotes as an attraction for families.

The 2026 summer season runs from 1 May to 1 November, with the cable car open daily; the Giant Ice Cave opens on the same dates and the Mammut Cave from 9 May to 1 November. In winter the caves close and the Krippenstein is devoted to skiing, freeride, snowshoeing, ski touring, ice climbing and paragliding; the 2026-2027 winter season starts on 19 December 2026.

The caves

The two main caves are reached on foot from Schönbergalm in 15 or 20 minutes. The Giant Ice Cave is visited with a guide in about 50 minutes, at about 2 °C below zero, with stairs and a narrow passage to the upper level; you need sturdy footwear and warm clothing. Tours are in German and English, and the free Hearonymus app offers the route as audio. In the Mammut Cave, the guided tour also lasts about 50 minutes, at about 3 °C, and covers nearly a kilometre of the more than 70 explored, reached by a 550-metre themed trail. The company presents both caves as suitable for children of any age. The third, the Koppenbrüllerhöhle, is advertised with the slogan "roaring waters"; the website gives little detail about it.

Tickets and contact

Cable car and cave tickets, and combined ones adding both, are sold in the online shop at a discount compared with the ticket office. For long stays there is the Naturally 365 Ticket, which includes six summer cable cars. The company does not publish rules for dogs or specific family discounts on its home page; prices are on the tickets page. It can be reached on +43 50 140 and at [email protected]. The website is in German and English.