LEOGANG - Mountain bikers hurried on a summer day to catch the last gondola up the mountain at one of Austria's top Alpine resorts, loading their bikes onto racks usually reserved for skis.
Leogang-Saalbach is one of many Alpine resorts betting on warm-weather activities, as rising temperatures and dwindling snow have pushed Austria to invest in alternatives to winter sports.
Bikers from all over Europe are flocking to the Salzburg region in western Austria to race down the steep slopes.
Since the pandemic, the economic significance of summer seasons has "slightly outweighed" winter seasons in the country, said Oliver Fritz, senior economist at the Austrian Institute of Economic Research (WIFO).
Bikers have also become the second largest group of summer tourists in Austria after hikers, according to a survey, rising from 22 percent before the pandemic to 27 percent in 2023.
According to a joint report by the weather services of Austria, Germany and Switzerland, last year's winter season in the Alps was "characterised by exceptionally mild temperatures", marking the second-warmest winter in Austria since records began in 1851.
Less snowy winters have threatened the existence of Austria's famed ski resorts.
"Climate change has caused tourist destinations to rethink and pick up on trends, such as mountain biking," said Martin Schnitzer, a sports economist at the University of Innsbruck.
Austria's government is aiming to meet the rising demand for legal mountain bike trails by formulating a plan to sign more contracts with landowners including forest owners, who currently restrict access.
Austria's rules, formulated nearly 50 years ago, include a default ban on biking across land unless the owner gives explicit approval.
Bikers can be fined up to 730 euros (about $800) for trespassing, but there have been disputes where claims have ballooned to "several thousand euros", said Rene Sendlhofer-Schag of Austria's Alpine Club, which is involved in the strategy.
The government will look to resorts like Leogang-Saalbach that have managed to become an all-year-round destination.
Its famous bike park -- which regularly hosts mountain biking world cup races -- was the first of its kind in Austria when it was established in 2001.
Austria hosts more than two dozen bike parks and trail centres.