A Dutchman turns the Saalach into an adventure

HERE TO STAY

In one of the most beautiful white water areas in Austria, Dion Adams provides thrilling, first hand experiences.

To be sure, he is a passionate “director“ of trendy sports, but one thing is an overriding priority for him: a considerate approach to nature.  Carefully, almost reverentially, he admits his clientele to this river; dives quietly into gorges with safety equipment and a neoprene suit; glides joyfully and silently through the crystal clear mountain water; abseils, jumps, climbs, slides and enjoys the tumult and waves as well as the spray with all his senses on rafting tours.  In a canoe or kayak he sails through rapids and along the popular world championship slalom course of the Saalach. “Here you have everything from A to Z that you could ever dream of,“  enthuses Dion Adams, the outdoor adventure provider.

The lifeline of the local inhabitants as an adventure destination is “still a bit of a secret“, finds the 45 year old, who guides his guests to hidden treasures such as the “Auer Loch“, the “Mayrberg-“ and the “Innersbachklamm“. A magic world of rock and raging water opens up in the “Seisenbergklamm“ says this man, who animatedly narrates, “We tiny humans look down into the foaming water between 30 metre towering rockfaces. The sun forces its way through, what an amazing feeling!“ The dutchman finds the constrasting landscapes in the region most alluring – wild and peaceful so close to each other. He grew up in Nordbrabant province, around 1000 kilometres away, in Goirle, which has 23000 inhabitants. He often used to hike through the expansive heathlands with his parents, a teacher and a civil servant, and brother.  “I still miss my family and the sea“, says the qualified sports’ scientist, who actually wanted to teach  at grammar school. He came to the Salzburger Saalachtal for the first time as a 17 year old ski instructor – and after that came back again and again. Nowadays he leads the ski school project “Bergzeit“ with Georg Herbst in winter. In the summer he runs his business “Base Camp“ in Hallenstein near Lofer. Palms decorate the terrace there; rustic shingles adorn the bar. A 300 year old spice and herb trunk, which came from Dutch sailors, stands at the entrance to the camp. After the tours the guests sit in it with Dion Adams and his five employees and recall their impressions of the day with the qualified guides.

Time for a refreshment in the white waters