Schneeberg 28.9.2017
I follow Mario Hössl´s invitation to a walk on Schneeberg. So, I meet with Mario and Hans-Jürgen Pietsch at 7 a.m. in Puchberg near the Voka gallery, where we park two of our cars and take Mario´s car to drive to Losenheim.From there, we walk up the Fadensteig to the Fischerhütte, and down to the railway summit station for the way down.
We start at 7:08 shortly after sunrise.
Taking the ski piste for a short leg in the beginning ...
... followed by the forest gravel road ...
... to the top of the ski piste.
View back to Puchberg.
This is our goal.
Losenheim and Puchberg - in the backlight of the morning sun.
A first stop at the Edelweißhütte for a short drink.
The chairlift summit station.
Edelweißhütte and the view to Puchberg.
We have left the forest - a first view over the mist-covered Piesting valley.
Almreserlhaus on the Faden saddle.
Mario and Hans-Jürgen.
We now reach the region of the Alpine dwarf pines.
Puchberg in the dust.
Lucy was an extremely nice dog, joining us thoroughly. Only at a few higher steps I had to help her. Now in this exposed region she has to be taken on the lead. Picture by Hans-Jürgen Pietsch.
Arrived on the plateau, but still an hour or so to walk.
Clouds on the Rax ...
... and here too - creeping up the Breite Ries.
Swirling mist, but we don´t mind.
Chamois on Schneeberg are known to be not shy, they are used to walkers. They flee very late and only grudgingly.
Rests of snow cornices.
Chamois have waited for us ...
View down the Breite Ries ...
... and over the plateau. Not really excellent visibility today.
Impressive rock walls which I keep apart, because of Lucy, and I don´t want to take her on the lead.
At the skiing gateway to the Breite Ries.
View into the Breite Ries, with the Ries walls to the right.
Lucy has to keep close to me.
Panoramic view of the "gateway" to the Breite Ries. Click here or into the pictures for a larger display.
Only a short leg "round the corner" now ...
... and we are arrived on the Kaiserstein at 2.061 m asl.
Mario on Kaiserstein.
Another impressive view down the Breite Ries.
Swirling mist on the Klosterwappen.
Panoramic view from the Kaiserstein to Fischerhütte and Klosterwappen. Click here or into the pictures for a larger display.
The mist is changing a little bit, but roughly stays stationary - on the Klosterwappen, the true summit of the Schneeberg (2.075 m).
Der memorial stone on the Kaiserstein ...
... - in remembrance of the two Schneeberg ascents of the Austrian emperor Franz I. in 1805 and 1807.
Schneebergdörfl and Puchberg beneath the Breite Ries.
Last flowers - Austrian dwarf gentian (Gentianella austriaca).
Hans-Jürgen and Mario, two happy summiteers
Another smaller panoramic picture of and Klosterwappen. Click here or into the pictures for a larger display.
Now for an early lunch in the hut.
The descent from Fischerhütte, starting in the mist ...
View back to the Fischerhütte.
We didn´t meet other walkers on the Fadensteig; now, many walkers are coming up from the railway.
Still mist on the Klosterwappen.
Hackermulde in the sun and mist on the Klosterwappen. Click here or into the pictures for a larger display.
A bit lighter now.
Descending on larger snow patches.
After another short rest at the Damböck house we walk to the railway station. I have to catch the 1:15 p.m. train, to be down in time for afternoon work.
Close to the summit station now.
Mario and Hans-Jürgen branch off to the Elisabeth´s church. there, we meet Karl Tisch, the "Schneeberg-Koarl", engaged in taking photographs of the church - on behalf of Austria´s historical registry authority. At the moment, he is climbing the roof.
In the meantime, I take some pictures of Austrian dwarf gentians (Gentianella austriaca).
View down to Puchberg. A bit nervous, waiting for Koarl - at last, he appears from the church, 6 minutes before the departure of the train. For compensation, he organizes our tickets.
Nice chat in the train with Koarl, who however has to leave at Baumgartner. Thanks, Koarl, for accompanying and support.
