Steep, stony, narrow — and scary. The hiking trail to the Rinnenspitze, a 9,900-foot peak in the Austrian Alps, was more than we anticipated. We had set out for an uphill trek, but this seemed more like serious mountain climbing. The last section of the trail over rock was rigged with cable to grab so we wouldn’t fall off the precarious precipice. But what to do with our feet? The rocks teeter-tottered as we stepped on them. In mountain lingo, this is called rock scrambling. It seemed more like rock roulette.

We instantly forgot our fear and aching feet as we reached the summit and savored the thrill of success. Ranges of craggy peaks, some streaked with white patches of glacier, were all around. It seemed we were on top of the world, which was how we felt.

For many years my husband and I lived in Germany and often ventured to Austria for summer adventure, especially hiking and bicycling, and even summer glacier skiing. Austria’s mountain lakes and rivers also offer outdoor adventure: sailing, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, fishing. Golfers can swing their clubs on courses surrounded by spectacular scenery. Those on horseback enjoy superb trails with super vistas.

Our trek to the Rinnenspitze was part of a weekend excursion: one day to that peak and the following day to the Asperer Turm, elevation 9,688 feet. We spent the night at the Franz Senn Hut. For a mountain hut, this one was first class, with running hot and cold water, indoor toilets, even showers. Most huts are Spartan abodes and can be an adventure in themselves — dorms lined with bunks or Matratzenlager (mattress camps) with mattresses on raised planks, where each hiker gets a section, a pillow and a blanket. At the Franz Senn Hut, we had the luxury of a semi-private room.

Evenings in huts are jovial. After a dinner of hearty mountain fare everyone sits around long tables, exchanging tales of adventure and often linking arms and singing. There’s usually a guitar on hand and someone in the crowd who can strum favorite tunes.

Our hike to the Asperer Turm took us along a surging stream and up a long valley where clusters of cows lazily munched on grass. The trail climbed higher, skirting the edges of dirty glaciers, then into rocks and gravel. The adrenaline shifted into high gear as we navigated the final skinny paths with treacherous drop-offs. Again, the reward was the amazing panorama from the peak. During the entire six-hour round-trip hike, we saw only four other hikers. We felt as if the mountain kingdom was ours alone.

Austria has 25,000 miles of hiking trails for all skill levels and 241 mountain huts. The not-so-fit can ride to the tops of many mountains in chairlifts or mountain trains, walk around, take the obligatory photos, then walk or ride back down. The more ambitious can strap on a backpack, as we did, and set off for a day or a week or longer. The super adventurous can explore the wild and dangerous terrain of glaciers and pinnacles that are accessible only after strenuous climbs with ropes and ice axes. For those not wanting to venture into the heights on their own, mountain communities offer a range of guided hikes.

“Hiking and mountaineering are good — good for the body, the heart, the mind,” said famous mountain climber Peter Habeler, who now runs a mountaineering school in Austria and was our guide on the Eagle Trail, a 173-mile route in the Tyrolean Alps near Innsbruck.

We began our hike with a ride on a cable car, then followed an easy trail that offered gorgeous views of the Achensee, Tyrol’s largest mountain lake. We hiked past cozy mountain huts and under grandiose peaks. Habeler reminded us that hiking is not speeding: “It’s a good counterpart to today’s fast life — fast cars, fast everything. It’s a good way to see and find new horizons.”

Bicycling also leads to new horizons. Austria has 6,250 miles of marked routes for pedaling, mainly on paved bike paths or less-traveled roads. Our first experience on Austrian trails was a three-and-a-half-day excursion on the 175-mile Salzkammergut route east of Salzburg. We loaded our hybrid bikes onto a cable car to reach the first night’s hotel at the top of a mountain. Along the route, we boarded a boat with our bikes to cross a lake, and we toured the summer residence of Emperor Franz Joseph, an ice cave and a Baroque church. We took time to explore some of the towns along the way — Bad Ischl, St. Wolfgang and Hallstatt — all dominated by onion-domed churches.

On sections of the Tauern bike route south of Salzburg, we pedaled for three days with our gear in panniers. The route starts in the Hohe Tauern National Park, an area of snow-capped mountains and glaciers, and continues north through Salzburg to Passau on the German border. There are more uphills on this route, but since most trains in Austria accommodate bicycles, you can hop on a train to bypass the killer climbs.

The Mozart bike route leads past places prominent in the composer’s life in both Austria and Germany. We started in Salzburg and pedaled for four days, covering much of the 250-mile circuitous route. The scenery — mountains, lakes and undulating valleys — is stunning. Only a few short sections require granny-gear pedaling. The Mozart sites, especially those in Salzburg, paint a fascinating picture of Austria’s famous composer. If we had more time, we would have joined Fraulein Maria’s Bicycle Tour in Salzburg, which visits the main locations from The Sound of Music.

The best known of Austria’s bike routes is no doubt the Danube route. It starts in Germany at the source of the river, following its course through Austria into Budapest. The section through Austria, which begins at the German border town of Passau, leads 210 miles across the country to Vienna. We’ve cycled the German section but have yet to pedal the route through Austria, which friends say is easy, scenic riding.

For those who like to ride in the rough, Austria has marked routes for mountain bikers. The Montafon area in western Austria has some 500 miles of mountain biking trails marked with 600 signs along the route in different colors indicating levels of difficulty.

Rental bikes of all kinds are easy to find in towns along the cycle routes. As with hiking, you can set out on your own or join a group with a guide; you can haul your gear or book a package with luggage transfer.

Austria’s 9,000 lakes — not to mention countless rivers and mountain streams — offer plenty of water adventure. Sailing, swimming, kite surfing, even scuba diving, are a joy in the crystal-clear lakes. Rivers and streams let you experience the power of nature and the thrill of rapids from a kayak, canoe or raft. Most Austrian rapids are Class II or III (exciting but not dangerous), although some are the more challenging Class IV and V.

It’s best to join a group with an instructor or guide on the surging rivers. You get outfitted with a wet suit, boots, spray jacket, vest and helmet, as well as your own paddles. The raft trips are action-packed. As the roar of the rapids gets closer, your anxiety increases. The raft dips and soars; and you’re thrown forwards, backwards, to the side. You’re likely to get soaked, but you’re sure to enjoy the exhilaration and the surrounding scenery.

Not enough time on the slopes in winter? Austria has eight ski areas with summer skiing on glaciers, including Kaprun, Hintertux and Stubai, where you step off the cable car at 9,000-plus feet into sunshine, not blasts of icy winter wind that threaten to send you over the cliff. Swap heavy parkas, gloves and hats for T-shirts and shorts — even a bathing suit, if you’re sure not to fall.

The skiing is usually easy to intermediate. The ambience is laid-back, more beach than mountain, with virtually no lift lines. Ski days end at about 1 p.m. when the strong sun turns the snow into slush. Time for sunbathing and sipping a beer in a lounge chair. Or head down the slope for a swim in a mountain lake.

One afternoon after skiing in Kaprun, I took to the saddle and visited a riding stable in the lakeside town of Zell am See for several hours of riding with majestic scenery all around. Austria has excellent facilities for riding, and not just for short jaunts. Day-long excursions through centuries-old forests and small traditional villages can be arranged, as well as journeys of several days, astride a Lipizzaner or a Haflinger mountain horse.

Golf is not my sport, but s
ome say Austria offers “the most beautiful golf in Europe.” The country’s 152 courses are all noted for high standards, whether they’re just outside Vienna or are surrounded by tall mountain peaks.

Info To Go

International flights to Vienna, Zürich and Munich provide access to regions in Austria. Connecting flights to Innsbruck and Salzburg are
available. Travel within the country by train is excellent; for more flexibility, consider a rental car. Visit www.austria.info.