Vertical Extreme & 6H Challenge

The races Vertical Extreme & 6H Challenge on August 16, 2026 are mountain runs finishing at the Schattberg East Summit. A total of 1,000 vertical meters over 3.3 km must be conquered. More extreme? In the 6H Challenge, participants run the Vertical Extreme course as many times as possible within six hours, collecting as many vertical meters as they can!

Here you can find all the information about the Saalbach Trail & Skyrace.

The Vertical Extreme, part of the Saalbach Trail & Skyrace, is a mountain sprint starting at the Schattberg X-Press valley station and finishing at the Schattberg East Summit at 2,018 meters above sea level. Trail runners in Saalbach conquer over 1,000 vertical meters across just 3.3 kilometers. This is made possible by a route that follows directly along the ski slope — the legendary Schattberg Nord No. 1.

For those seeking an even greater challenge, the 6H Challenge is highly recommended. In this event, trail runners complete the Vertical Extreme course as many times as possible within six hours. Recovery between uphill runs takes place in the gondola, as participants float back down to the valley with the Schattberg X-Press. The goal is to accumulate as many vertical meters as possible — the stopwatch restarts only once runners cross the finish line each time.