Traunstein

The Traunstein towers above the waters of Lake Traunsee as an unmistakable landmark. This massive limestone pyramid stands at the entrance to the Salzkammergut and is popularly known as its ‘guardian’. A closer look at the nature reserve on the Traunstein reveals just what a valuable habitat this mountain is.

The rock face of the 1,691-metre-high Traunstein may appear bare and barren from a distance. Nevertheless, the mountain is teeming with life, thanks to its varied forests, dwarf shrub heaths, scree and rock-crevice communities in the limestone, and mountain pine thickets. The peregrine falcon circles overhead here, whilst the sand martin and the wallcreeper are both found on the Traunstein. On the rocks, reptiles bask in the sunlight and find plenty of hiding places in the crevices and cracks. The Traunstein is also one of the most popular mountains amongst hikers and mountaineers in Upper Austria and is accessible via various routes, including the Naturfreundesteig, the Herndlersteig and the Mair Alm Steig.