Hiking boots laced, packed lunch prepared and rucksack shouldered: on Friday 22 September 2023 it was back up the mountain for the annual two-day technicians' hike.
Fourteen Gottwald colleagues set off early in the morning for the Gesäuse National Park. Fortified with bacon and cheese pastries from Bäckerei Obruca, they started out from Hohentauern towards the summit. The goal for day one: over the Kleiner Bösenstein (2,395 m) to the Großer Hengst and then on to the Edelrautehütte for a meal and a night's rest.
The first few kilometres were relatively flat, through the mountain scenery of the Gesäuse. Then things got seriously hard on the calves, with a climb of more than 1,000 metres in altitude ahead.
Although the weather forecast promised nothing good, the hardy walkers reached the summit without getting caught in the rain. And while the predicted shower never appeared, they did have the conditions to contend with: the wind made the walk along the ridge harder going and blew so fiercely about their ears that even their windproof jackets were put to the test.
The Gottwald team – as determined as ever – trudged tirelessly into the wind towards the summit. After more than five hours of walking they finally reached the Großer Hengst (2,159 m). With slightly tousled hair and burning calves, the first of the group arrived at the Edelrautehütte around 4 p.m. Once their energy reserves had been replenished by a hearty mountain-hut meal and an enormous pan of Kaiserschmarrn, the appetite for card games and team games was well and truly awakened. It took a good few rounds and several entertaining hours before the whole party gradually fell into bed – a thoroughly enjoyable evening !
The next day the Gottwald colleagues were served breakfast before a short ascent over the Hauseck (1,982 m) to the Scheibelsee. The originally planned circuit over the Großer Bösenstein was dropped because of poor visibility and forecast rain. The descent back to Hohentauern was followed by the crowning finale: lunch together at the Alpenhotel Lanz. With full stomachs and tired legs, the Gottwald team headed back to Melk.
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