MTB Transalp Miniseries: Episode 2 - from the Seidlalm to the Gastein Valley

No, they don't take the Streif, even though the famous ski run passes right by the Seidlalm hut door. After all, they want to head further south. So the boys follow the gravel mountain road over the 1888 metre high Schabergkogel, which delights with an easy trail descent on its eastern side. The subsequent descent along the ridge crest of the Geierkogel (1853 metres) is a trickier challenge: The trail takes tight turns and features scree and rocky steps. After the Lochalm, a gravel ramp piles up to warm up, then the gravel serpentines down to Zell am See put the brakes in a headlock for 900 metres. Welcome to the Großglockner region.

South of Lake Zell, the Hohe Tauern National Park now casts its shadow ahead. Straight ahead, the Großglockner road now stares southwards, but this busy road is of course not an option on a mountain bike. The Transalp crew would rather roll along the Salzach river for a few kilometres and then sneak up to the main ridge massif from the east in the next but one notch: the route climbs gently into the Gastein valley. However, the declared overnight destination is the Stubnerhof, which towers a good distance above the valley. So just before Bad Gastein, the boys have to grit their teeth and push up a few steep metres at the end of a long day.

Here is a short preview of the second and supposedly easiest stage of the entire Tour:

The dates of the 2nd stage: From the Seidlalm to Bad Hofgastein

Length: 76.4 kilometres
Uphill: 900 metres in altitude
Downhill: 1690 metres of descent
Difficulty: medium
Broadcast: Monday, 31 October, 6 p.m.

The second stage is long, but with only 900 metres in altitude, it is one of the easiest. At least in terms of the bare figures. In reality, however, the weather took things up a notch and increased the level of difficulty. That's a good thing, because the transition to the killer stage on day three won't be too tough - maybe.

All stage episodes - every two days at 6 pm on YouTube

Stage 1: From Chiemsee to the Seidlalm in the Kitzbühel Alps
75 kilometres and 1800 metres in altitude - the first material problems

Stage 3 From the Gastein Valley up the Hohe Tauern
21 kilometres, 1500 metres in altitude
Broadcast: Wednesday, 2.11.

Stage 4: from the Hagener Hütte to the Lienz Dolomites
66 kilometres, 2100 vertical metres
Broadcast: Friday, 4.11.

Stage 5: From the Anna Schutzhaus to the Rattendorfer Alm
70 kilometres, 1600 metres in altitude
Broadcast: Sunday, 6.11.

Stage 6: from the Rattendorfer Alm to Udine
100 kilometres, 550 metres in altitude
Broadcast: Tuesday, 8.11.

Stage 7: from Udine to the Adriatic Sea near Bibione
60 kilometres, 50 metres in altitude
Broadcast: Thursday, 10.11.

Transalp by mountain bike: Portrait of the filmmaker Peter Baumeister

Peter Baumeister (29) grew up in Penzberg in Upper Bavaria. He has been exploring the mountains on his doorstep on his hardtail for as long as he can remember. As he got older, his touring radius increased and took him not only to the Alps, but also to the Caucasus, the Andes and the Himalayas. After studying business administration in Munich, he set off alone on his longest European tour: from Penzberg to Portugal. He not only had to cross the Alps, but also the Pyrenees. The current South Tyrolean by choice taught himself how to film and edit his tour videos.