Oisberg

The Oisberg is a mountain in south-western Lower Austria, sometimes called Bauernboden. Its wooded ridge runs for nine kilometres from south-west to north-east, rising to 1405 metres at the Alpl in the north-east. Other summits along the main crest include the Glitzenkopf at 1328 metres and the Rotmauer at 1330 metres. A deep gorge, the Krenngraben, cuts into the western flank, separating a northern spur that ends at the Kothaufenberg. The Ybbs river flows past the mountain on three sides, while the Great Kripp saddle marks the boundary with the Friesling to the east. The mountain’s geology is marked by a syncline filled with Lunz Formation sediments. Dolomite and limestone from the Triassic period appear on the lower slopes, while the crest shows radiolarite and Cretaceous Schrambach sediments. Near Hollenstein a cave system includes the Kalkgrubenschacht and the Steinbach source, a karst spring whose flow can jump from 25 litres per second to over 10 000 litres per second after rain. In April 1984 two divers died during a dive in this source. Forests cover much of the Oisberg, criss-crossed by forest tracks used for logging. Only the eastern crest and the area north of it still hold alpine pastures, where the Annahütte alpine hut stands. The mountain’s slopes offer quiet walking routes and wide views over the Ybbs valley.