Rötelseehöhle

The Rötelseehöhle is a cave in the limestone cliffs of the Rötelstein above Traunsee in Upper Austria. It lies on the western slope of the mountain, 600 metres above sea level, and extends 391 metres into the rock with a vertical drop of 53 metres. Several underground lakes are linked by siphons deep inside the mountain. The cave is protected as a natural monument. Inside, the entrance opens into a spacious chamber where a gentle scree slope leads down to the Rötelsee. The lake sits 6 to 9 metres below the entrance floor, covering about 150 to 160 square metres. Its depth varies from nearly 4 metres at normal levels to over 7 metres during floods. A lehm bank appears on the northern shore when water is low, while the ceiling there rises to more than 15 metres. A narrow 20-metre passage continues northeast from the lake, once equipped with iron girders anchored in the rock. Beyond the lake a wooden walkway once extended halfway along the passage, but the onward route is underwater and accessible only to cave divers. The trail to the cave starts at the village of Karbach, winding through the rugged foothills of the Rötelstein.