Austria
August 7 to 29, 2010
kundler klamm
kundler klamm - part 1
One of our main motivators in coming to the Kundler Klamm was to do the earthcache there. The following is part of the description from the earthcache website:
The small municipality Kundl lies in the Lower Inn Valley upon a alluvial fan, which was formed by the small river „Wildschöner Ache“ coming out of the „Kundler Ravine“.
Besides a ground moraine with normal extent, the lower layers surrounding Wildschönau and its river are of special geological interest. Above a basal ground moraine, which is mostly visible, lay voluminous drumlins formed by overriding ice. Looking at the formed dry valley one can image the mass of the debris. It’s presumable that there was a vast proglacial lake in the valley which was fostered by a limestone rock, preventing the drainage into the Inn Valley and formed the ravine we see today. The „Wildschönauer Ache“ flows through „Auffach“ in north direction.
Besides the earthcache and several traditional caches along the way, we also found lots of flowers and little critters living among the rocks. And of course lots of interesting rocks!
At the entrance to the Kundler ravine. This original bridge was opened on December 2nd 1914
for the 66th anniversary of the reign of Kaiser Franz Josef I.
Everyone is eager to get going but as Christopher points out, first we must find the geocache on the bridge!
Celebration after the geocache is found.
A little man made waterfall.
A stone archway along the way.
Danger of falling rocks... warnings not to go on the path during rain...
The signs aren't kidding either. The path was closed for a quite a while after a tourist was killed by a falling rock and the entire gorge had to be reinforced with additional safety netting.
Flooding can also be an issue.
On a beautiful day like today however the dangers are less recognizable,
especially as the path is so broad and flat that even a car can drive on it!.
Looking up however is a reminder that these rocks are very prone to coming loose!
A dangerous path? Well of course Rubby must check it out!
The kids wait on "safer" grounds. ;-)
Rubby!
Lots of pretty and interesting butterflies.
About one quarter of the way along we discover where the car had come from...
there's a little house and restaurant in here!
It's hard to capture the huge steep sides of the ravine on camera!
Looks like a little cave across the water.
People checking out the interesting rocks while awesome rock formations tower all around.
This wheelbarrow must have been sitting here for a while!
A recent rock slide has brought some interesting specimens (aka seats for the kids!) to the side of the path.
These conglomerate rocks would probably polish up really beautifully but alas,
Rubby could not be convinced to carry them in his backpack. ;-)
A beautiful butterfly and lots of flowers for it to enjoy.
A snake!
The kids were very excited and so was another little boy when the kids pointed the snake out to him.
The clouds are clearing and it's turning into a beautiful day.
The water looks pretty tame today.
An easy stroll through the ravine.
The rocks all look so pretty, especially when they're wet!
Along the path.
A memorial to a 38 year old woodcutter who died here in 1920.
Beautiful colours in the rocks along the way.
Mushrooms!
Samantha and Christopher stop to check out the cool roots on the tree.
An airplane flies overhead.
There was a geocache by this little wooden overhang on the path.
Found it!
A beautiful flower and some butterworts (insect eating plants) growing on the rocks.
The kids had fun playing a game of who could spot the next "Schnecke" first.
A daddy long-legs.
Lots of spiders in all the rock crevices and their webs covered the facade a little like the rock safety nets
(but maybe not quite as strong!).
More pretty flowers.
Watch out for that giant rock Rubby! (Luckily the Indiana Jones rock rolling scene did *not* happen!)
Little "mini-caves".
Samantha and Rubby pose for a picture.
next: Kundler Klamm - Part 2 »
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