Snowfall In Bad Gastein

Snowfall In Bad Gastein, Austria

It just started at 9AM on 1st Oct 2011. The raindrops changed to snow flakes floating in slow motion towards the ground and in just 1 hour Bad Gastein became white.This was the first snow fall of the season.Snow means the beginning of the Skiing season when the whole area comes to life.Skiers from all over Europe flock to the snow covered slopes and the Chairlifts and  Cable Cars run 24 hours every day and the Bars,restaurants, pubs,discos and the only Casino have the cash registers ringing continuously.

First Seasonal Snowfall, Bad Gastein

 We took a cab and went to the Stubnerkogel Cable Car to ride up to the mountain top. The whole area was covered with snow and the slopes which were earlier brown were now absolutely white.For people coming from tropical countries where there is no snow at all, standing in the cool breeze and snow flakes  floating all around is indeed a thrilling experience.  

Car Park of Stubnerkogelbahn Base Station

The cable cars were covered with fresh snow and we could not see much.The snow on the cable cars was increasing the weight also and had to be regularly cleaned.Since there were few tourists the cable car system was stopped.But as the number of tourists increased additional cars were pressed into service and the system was running continuously.

Cable Cars in Snow,Bad Gastein

The tall pine trees which on our earlier trip were standing tall and high were now bent with the weight  of the snow.The tourists in Bad Gastein were enjoying the snowfall and there was a group of American Tourists from New Jersey who wanted to go hiking in the snow all the way up from the mid point. But the staff did not allow them,probably they felt it was not safe.

Snow Laden Pines,Bad Gastein

We reached Stubnerkogel and there was nothing but snow all around. This time in the restaurant ,instead of the staple Stiegl Beer , Hot Chocolate was the most favoured drink  being enjoyed with Hot Apple Strudel and  whipped cream.The staff in the summit restaurant were not at all busy and were suggesting various dishes to beat the cold.

Snow Over Stubnerkogelbahn Summit Station

The snow on the ground was almost a foot thick and walking with shoes required some effort and it was slippery too. Since the snow as still falling the fresh snow as very soft and not at all slippery.

Thick Snow At Stubnerkogel Summit

After an hour of freezing we decided to go down  to Bad Gastein .The attendants of the cable car wiped the snow off the cable car windows and then we could get a clear view outside.

Interesting Video Of Cable Car Station In Snow

It did not last long -fresh snow accumulated again. It was snowing continuously at the top with a strong wind also blowing resulting in the cars swaying from side to side. Probably they cleared the snow to reduce the weight of the Cable cars also. 

Inside the Cable Car

We reached Bad Gastein and promptly headed for the Chinese restaurant across the Bahnof , for an excellent meal, hearty  both in terms of taste and the price. It was our last day in Bad Gastein and everybody congratulated us for seeing the first snowfall of the season.

China Restaurant Bad Gastein

Located in the city centre the China serves good Chinese food but is different from what it tastes in China or Hongkong. Probable it has been adapted for the tourists who come for skiing. 

Inside China Restaurant, Bad Gastein

China is tastefully  decorated on the inside and view outside is equally good-typically Alpine.

Snow Covered Alps From China Restaurant

Sharkfin Soup At The China Restaurant-Bad Gastein

Bad Gastein- Water of life

Our guide told us that the statue was part of the First Hydroelectric Power Plant built in Bad Gastein. I still feel either he did not understand the question or we did not understand his answer.

Try imagining a world  and a life where there is no treatment for simple diseases which we today treat without a second thought. Do you know Mozart died from Asthama at the age of 35. If he had lived another 25 years how many more of his genius compositions would we have had with us today. At that time the cure for disease was bleeding. Mozart's doctors just bled him and made him all the more weak till he just succumbed to the disease or the treatment we will never know. Another treatment was water treatment and Bad Gastein because of its hot springs became famous for water treatment.

Outside was the public bath where we gathered our breath. Near the Common Bath was a statue of a lady taking a shower and we presumed that it was so. 

The signboard outside the only surviving old Water Treatment Clinic. Our German speaking guide took out the keys and opened the creaking gate and invited us to enter and have a look. It was extremely hot and humid and we had to bend almost double to walk in. The good wife had no such problem and briskly and brightly entered and examined all the nooks and crannies taking photographs with her new Nokia. I rushed out because of claustrophobia,heat and humidity.

The baths were always located adjascent to a Church. We have a picture of the church close to which the Bath and the clinic were located.                Bad Gasteins one and only Casino where we spent an enjoyable and colorful evening. However the crowd was only a tenth of what is there during the Skiing season.

Bad Gastein-Holiday destination for the Rich and Powerful

Gastein derived from the Indo Celtic word Gastuna which means a white/grey stream of water. Bad of course ,as in Hindi, means a body of water, a spring, or spa. The hot springs in the  area  had remarkable healing effects and soon the area became famous for the curative effects of the hot springs and started drawing people in search of cures. The Emperor of Austria  Franz in the 1800s and the Archbishop of Salzburg contributed through land donations and royal funds to develop the area and soon Bathing Houses sprung up along the river flowing through the centre of the city.  The Kings and  Emperors  of Europe  started coming to Gastein to take the water treatment  and then meetings and conferences between kings and emperors taking place in  Bas Gastein . At that time Austria was the biggest empire in which the sun never set. Bad Gastein became the holiday destination for Europe’s rich, powerful and the famous.



The picture on the left shows how the water treatment was taken in those times. It was required to spend at least 90 to 100 hours in the water to complete the treatment. The ailments for which the treatment was effective were rheumatism, arthritis, various skin ailments, blood pressure etc.  In the 15th century a new branch of medicine called  Balneology was developed which dealt with treatment of disorders by the use of water and hot springs. The hot waters of Gastein with the Radon Gas were perfectly suited for balneology and on the left is an illustration of patients undergoing treatment. Please note the waterfall in the picture.Water

In the 1950s effective  Medical Treatments started coming up for the disorders which Balneology was treating and Bad Gastein started losing its visitors and importance. To take care of the issue  Bad Gastein was developed into a Ski Resort and the Cable Cars, Chairlifts were installed along with artificial snow making infrastructure and today bad Gastein is one of the top Ski Resorts with "After Ski Nightclubs , Discotheques, Restaurants ,Pubs” and the Bathing Houses (like Bellevue Mondi” also, were converted into luxury hotels and resorts.

The Wasserfall (Waterfall) through the centre of the city  . It is the same as shown in the old painting in which patients are taking the water treatment of Bad Gastein.

Bad Gastein

The Bad Gastein Railway Station at the city centre. As guided by the Jagger Haus Bavarian waitress we went up and up and up almost a 500 ft steep  early morning climb over 500 yards and reached the city center of  Bad Gastein. Being a Sunday the grocery store was closed so we decided to explore the town on foot.

The Stubnerkogel Cableway  Station came into view which takes hikers and skiers  to the Stubnerkogel at a height of   7400 feet. Bad Gastein  itself is at a height  of 3000 ft. feet. The sight of cable cars ascending into the mountains was irresistible and within 15 minutes the tickets(using the Gastein discount card) had been purchased  and we were waiting to get into the next car.

The cable cars seat 6 people ,are very comfortable while giving  a breathtaking view  of the Austrian Alps as they  climb to Stubnerkogel. An Austrian Engineer once travelled in one of the  Indian cable cars and declared upon coming out that one day the Cable car would fall. Six months later it failed and the Indian Air force had to pluck the passengers from the cable car suspended almost 5000 feet above the ground.

The view from inside the cable cars. There is a midway stop for hikers to get out and hike  up or down hill. The Alps are a beautiful sight and suspended from the cable car we had a 360 degree view as we slowly climbed into the mountains As we ascended the vegetation changed from tall pine trees to shrubs to grass and finally bare mountains and in the distance we could see the snow covered mountains.

The  Stubnerkogel  Chairlift which follows the ski slopes and operates only during the Ski Season. Along the way there are poles which spray artificial snow to maintain the  level of snow. When  snow fall takes place and the skiing season is at its peak, the chairlift runs 24 hours taking the avid skiers up into the mountains from where they ski down again and again unmindful of the cold temperature.  Skiing through clumps of trees requires a much higher level of skill as compared to just skiing down a plain slope. Smashing into a  pine tree trunk at 40 Kmph may not be too good for health and comfort.

Salzburg to Bad Gastein By Road-A thrilling experience by itself.

Snow Capped Alps,Bad Gastein

The drive from WA`Mozart Airport to Bad Gastein in Mercedes S Class Taxi was 120 KMs and took just about an hour. The knowledgeable driver was friendly,polite and courteous and kept explaining the signs, sights, roads, towns which we passed through, weather ,in fact we knew all about Bad Gastein by the time we reached. Tourism brings in maximum revenue for Austria.

Road From Salzburg To Bad Gastein, Austria

The journey was mostly an up hill drive through mountains and clear water streams from the melting snows. We were informed by our driver/guide that during  April and May when the melting of snow is at its peak the water from the streams overflows onto the road. The water was absolutely clear and we could see fish . White ware rafting is another adventure which can be enjoyed in the streams.Bad Gastein is at a height of 1000M and the temperature slowly fell from 23 to a pleasant13 DegC.

Mountains With Pine Trees

The mountains were covered with Pine Trees which gave way to grass at the higher altitudes . The grass in turn gave way to red colored mountaintops and in some cases to snow capped mountains which looked absolutely magnificent.Brightly colored para gliders could be seen leisurely circling among the snow capped peaks.

On the way are the  two major towns, Dorfgastein which is a ski resort and Bad Hofgastein which is famous for its spa and water treatments. The road runs along the Gasteiner valley which is about 2 miles across and on both sides of the road there were green meadows with cows grazing on them.

Cows in the Gasteiner Valley, Austria

Also along the road there is the railway track from Salzburg   and the trains can be seen moving in both directions.  By  using the Gasteiner pass one can get good discount on the bus, train and cable car.

Train between Salzburg and Bad Gastein

Bad Gastein is a dual season resort with Skiing in winter and trekking in summer, both in the Eastern Alps being the activities.It is now becoming a top destination in Austria among the places to travel and the surrounding tourist places are now also inceasing in popularity.