Dachstein Glacier

The Dachstein Gletscher (glacier) is one of the last remaining glaciers in the Eastern Alps, and it is retreating measurably year by year. At the upper station of the Dachstein Gletscherbahn cable car at 2,700 meters, three attractions sit side by side: the Sky Walk glass viewing platform extending over a 250-meter drop, the “Stairway to Nothingness” suspension bridge, and the Eispalast (Ice Palace), an artificially carved grotto inside the glacial ice. The combination of altitude, void, and ice makes this one of the most dramatic alpine experiences in Austria. Access from Ramsau am Dachstein by cable car; Ramsau is reached from Schladming by car or bus. Plan a full half-day. Bring warm layers regardless of valley temperatures. The glacier has been here for millennia. Book sooner rather than later.