Economy Of Grossarl

Small and medium-sized companies have gathered in the Salzburg town of Großarl, especially in the fields of building construction, earthworks, and woodwork. Being employers for the locals, these companies are essential.

Großarl places a lot of emphasis on tourism; by 2020, 237 businesses will have offered about 4,650 beds. Particularly in winter skiing and summer hiking, the town is renowned for its tourism-oriented strategy. About 400 kilometers of well designated hiking routes in the Grossarltal accommodate hikers of all skill levels. Fishing, climbing and mountain biking on 140 kilometers of marked routes are among summertime activities. Features of the Grossarl recreational centre include an adventure playground, beach volleyball court, mini golf, tennis courts, football pitch and multipurpose pitch. The Großarler Ache is paved for cycling from the Landsteg Bridge to the end of the valley.

In winter, the Großarltal adds to a vast skiing area as a part of Ski amadé. There are over 80 km of slopes with different lifts in the Großarltal-Dorfgastein ski region. Ninety percent of the slopes in the area have good technical snow cover. In addition, there are 35 km of winter hiking routes, 25 km of cross-country ski trails, a toboggan run, an ice skating rink, curling and horse-drawn sleigh excursions. Tourers, cross-country skiers and winter hikers are drawn to the valley, which includes the Hüttschlag national park settlement.

With over 40 maintained mountain huts, Großarl has the largest number of alpine huts in the state of Salzburg. Großarl has been dubbed “The Valley of Alpine Pastures” for this richness. Operating from mid-June to mid-September, the alpine pastures provide trekkers with locally produced goods like bread, butter, cheese, bacon, sausage and schnapps.

There is just one primary school now, having replaced the previous two (VS Großarl, VS Au). A polytechnic school is part of secondary education.

Traffic-wise, Großarl is reached from St. Johann/Pongau by the Tauernautobahn A10 and the B311. Großarltal is traversed by the L109 state road, and although Großarl does not have a station on the Austrian railway network, a bus service links it to St. Johann/Pongau. Significantly, the community is not much affected by the transit traffic that crosses the Alps, which leads to a moderate amount of traffic in Großarltal.

Tourism

Since Grossarl is a well-liked summer and winter holiday spot, tourism is one of the mainstays of the local economy. Hiking, skiing, bicycling, climbing, fishing, and many more activities are available at Grossarl for tourists of all ages and interests.

Summer

Summertime in Grossarltal is hiking season. There are around 400 kilometer of well designated hiking routes, ranging in difficulty from beginner to challenging. Hikers may take in the peace and natural beauty of the valley at picturesque vantage points, waterfalls, lakes, and alpine pastures. Among Grossarl’s most well-liked hiking spots are:

Schuhflicker, a 2,214 m high mountain that offers a panoramic view of the Großarltal and the surrounding peaks.
Tappenkarsee, the largest mountain lake in the Eastern Alps, located at an altitude of 1,762 m.
Kreealm, a traditional alpine hut that serves homemade delicacies and hosts cultural events.

Fishing in the Großarler Ache river and the mountain lakes, climbing on the via ferrata routes and the climbing garden, and mountain biking on the about 140 kilometers of marked mountain bike tracks are other sports available in Grossarl. A football pitch, multipurpose pitch, beach volleyball court, mini golf, tennis courts, adventure playground and outdoor swimming pool are further features of the recreational facility. From the Landsteg Bridge to the end of the valley, a mostly gravel cycling path follows the banks of the Großarler Ache.

Winter

Together with the Großarltal-Dorfgastein ski area in the Fulseck and Kreuzkogel region, the Großarltal is a member of Ski amadé, the biggest ski resort association in Austria. It boasts over 80 kilometers of pistes, five gondolas, eight chair lifts, and four drag lifts. Technical snowmaking of around 90% of the slopes guarantees consistent snow conditions all year round. The region spans the Kreuzkogel, rising from 885 m close to Großarl to 2027 m, where Dorfgastein is connected to the Gasteinertal. About 29,000 persons may be transported in one hour. Numerous events held in Grossarl annually are arranged by the Salzburg State Ski Association.

For those who enjoy winter activities, there are also about 25 km of traditional and skating cross-country ski paths, 35 km of groomed winter hiking trails, a lighted, traffic-free toboggan run, an ice skating rink, curling and horse-drawn sleigh rides. Furthermore accessible are ski trips and snowshoe walks outside of the Großarltal-Dorfgastein ski region.

Because it provides access to the Hohe Tauern National Park, the valley region—which includes the national park settlement of Hüttschlag—is especially appealing to tourers, cross-country skiers, and winter hikers.

Alpine Pastures

The Großarltal has roughly forty cottages that are run by managers. Within the state of Salzburg, this is the largest density of maintained alpine pastures. “The Valley of Alpine Pastures” is the moniker given to the Großarltal by its abundance of farmed alpine pastures. Between mid-June and mid-September is when most of the alpine pastures open. The dairymen sell hikers their own bread, butter, cheese, bacon, sausage and schnapps. Forest roads or hiking routes both lead to the alpine meadows.

Famous alpine meadows in Grossarl include:

Bichlalm, the oldest alpine pasture in the valley, dating back to the 12th century. It is located at an altitude of 1,735 m and offers a stunning view of the Großarltal.
Loosbühelalm, the largest alpine pasture in the valley, with a capacity of 200 guests. It is situated at an altitude of 1,769 m and has a chapel and a cheese dairy.
Ellmaualm, a cozy alpine hut that serves organic products from its own farm. It is located at an altitude of 1,794 m and has a petting zoo and a playground.

Education

With a number of schools and other establishments that meet the requirements and interests of the pupils, Grossarl has an advanced educational system. The Grossarl schools are:

Kindergarten, a preschool that offers care and education for children aged 3 to 6 years.
Elementary School, a primary school that teaches students from grades 1 to 4. Since 2018, there has only been one elementary school in Grossarl, as the former VS Au was merged with the VS Großarl.
Dr. Laireiter Secondary School, a lower secondary school that teaches students from grades 5 to 8. It offers general education as well as vocational orientation and preparation.
Polytechnic School, an upper secondary school that teaches students from grade 9. It offers practical training and specialization in various fields, such as tourism, engineering, commerce, and agriculture.

Traffic

Both by car and public transportation, Grossarl is quite accessible. Getting to Grossarl can be done mostly by:

Coming from Vienna, Munich, Salzburg or Villach along the Tauernautobahn A10 to the Bischofshofen exit. Then continue on the B311 to St. Johann/Pongau and from there on Großarler Landesstraße (L109) to Großarl.
Coming from Graz or Klagenfurt along the A2 to the Altenmarkt exit. Then continue on the B320 to Radstadt and from there on the B163 to St. Johann/Pongau and then on the L109 to Großarl.

A boulder tumbled into the Liechtenstein Gorge near the deep view on May 27, 2017, at around 5 p.m., from the abutment of a bridge on the L109. Following damage to footbridges in the canyon, hikers were guided out of the gorge using emergency steps while the state road was stopped for inspections.

Through the Großarltal is state route L 109. The railway network of Austria does not finish at Grossarl. Still, a bus departs St. Johann/Pongau for Großarl every hour. There is just a minor amount of traffic in the Großarltal since transit traffic across the Alps has little effect on the neighborhood.