Losenheim 18.12.2013

A constant High means: sun and high temperatures on the mountains, mist and frost in the valleys. http://www.Schneeberg.tv shows me this morning, that the mist reaches up to about 900 m, but the valley bottom of Losenheim seems to be free. The temperature dispplay as follows: Losenheim (831 m) -6 °C, Edelweißhütte (1.248 m) +8 °C !!! This is an extreme difference, I can´t remember it having been so high.

Shortly before Losenheim, the mist  clears and a bit of Schneeberg can be seen.

At the very bottom of the dale near the cable lift, there is another kind of mist: the snow guns are on.

View back to the ruin Losenheim

Hoarfrost on the trees near the upper end of the misty zone.

They splash a lot of the wet stuff.

A bit more up at the chair lift, I start my walk. The artificial snow crystals are producing a colored halo around the sun, reminding me on a cirumzenithal arch - but artificial.

Luckily, the artificial pond is constantly refilled.

Skiing would be difficult here without artificial snow ...

 ...  like here on the second piste called Langwiesabfahrt - They don´t seem to have enough water for the second, a bit flatter piste.

I walk up the southern slope opposite to Schneeberg and view down - over natural and artificial fog.

Walking mostly through the forest ...

A bit more up a large grassland - Click here or into the picture for a larger pnaoramic display.

A little bit down the slope there is no more snow - except in the shadow of the trees.

A bit more up (and down once more) I reach the Mamauwiese, ...

 ... a large grassland at an altitude of about 950 - 1000 m.

The opposite view from the top of the grassland is dominated by Schneeberg - with the wooded ridge of Dürre Leit´n in front, leading up to the Fadensattel.

I continue my walk at the upper end of the Mamauwiese to get a short glimpse over the Schoberalm and to the perfect cone-shaped Schober (1.213 m).

Back at the bottom of the Mamauwiese ...

 ... I re-enter the forest.

This beck has its source on the Mamauwiese.

Back near Losenheim.

The snow guns are still spitting (you must not call this "firing")

The ruin has been privately restaurated during the last years.

Once more the snow guns near the cable lift ...

 ... and the castle of Losenheim with the fishing pond.

I have to stop several times on the drive back to take pictures of the wonderful views.

View in the direction of Sonnleiten

Losenheim castle, with the Fadensattel in behind

A bit more down, the view from Sonnleiten to Puchberg.

View back to the Schneeberg

The Himberg behind Puchberg still is in the clouds, and so is the rest of the drive over the Grünbach saddle and till Winzendorf. This heavy temperature inversion needs strong winds to resolve.

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