Warscheneck

The Warscheneck is a rugged limestone massif in the Totes Gebirge range, its highest point reaching 2388 metres above sea level. The mountain stands in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria, with parts also belonging to Styria. Three alpine club huts and an extensive network of marked paths make the area accessible for walkers. A ski area operates near the Wurzeralm on the northern flanks. The massif drains largely underground through caves and shafts typical of karst landscapes.

The Warscheneck’s geology explains why it attracts geologists and cavers. Its Dachsteinkalk rocks date from the Triassic period, around 228 to 200 million years ago. Underground drainage feeds the Pießling-Ursprung spring, which discharges about 2200 litres of water every second. The massif contains 46 recorded caves, including the Pießling-Ursprung cave with its kilometre-long air-filled passages. Botanists come to study alpine flora such as the rare Echter Speik on the Speikwiese meadows.

Visitors find sweeping ridges and dramatic rock faces on all sides. The main crest runs from the Roßarsch peak westwards to the Toten Mann eastwards. The Linzer Haus hut sits on the Wurzeralm plateau, while the Dümlerhütte and Zellerhütte stand in high corries to the north. The Brunnsteiner See lies at 1422 metres, where the Teichl river begins. Above the tree line, open alpine pastures give way to bare limestone slabs and steep southern walls.