Krippenstein, Mountain summit in Obertraun, Austria.
Krippenstein is a mountain summit in the Dachstein range near Obertraun, Austria, sitting at around 2,100 meters above sea level. From the top, you can see across a wide stretch of the surrounding Alps, the Hallstatt lake below, and the glaciers of the Dachstein massif.
The Dachstein massif, where Krippenstein sits, attracted early Alpine explorers in the 19th century, when organized ascents first made the area known to a wider public. Before that, the surrounding valleys had been home to farming and salt-mining communities for many centuries.
The "5fingers" viewing platform, shaped like an outstretched hand, juts out from the cliff edge and lets visitors look straight down into the valley below. It has become a gathering point where people stop, take photos, and stand face to face with the sheer drop beneath their feet.
A cable car runs from Obertraun up to the mountain, with stops at different levels so you can choose how high you want to go. In summer, marked trails lead across the plateau, and in winter the upper section is used for skiing.
Directly beneath the walking trails on Krippenstein lies a network of ice caves that stay below freezing all year, no matter the season. These caves rank among the largest accessible ice caves anywhere, and their entrance is only a short walk from the cable car stop.
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