Avalanches are a part of the history of many alpine villages in Austria. There is quite detailed documentation of avalanche hazards in the high mountain villages of Tyrol for example. The late Franz Fliri (1918-2008) of the University of Innsbruck gathered old records of many natural hazards in Tyrol for the last centuries showing how these hazards were a constant threat to the rural societies in the alpine valleys of Austria.
However, only a few know that even in Lower Austria avalanche hazards had been responsible for dozens of deaths and had caused serious troubles repeatedly. The little village (about 150 inhabitants) of Lahnsattel (950m) at the border between Lower Austria and Styria is a perfect example for the devastating impact of avalanches. Located just on the foot of the steep slopes of the Goeller (1766m) the Lahnsattel village (950m) was devastated by large catastrophic avalanches repeatedly in the nineteenth century and even in the early and mid twentieth century.
The village was founded by loggers who immigrated around 1780 into the region which then was still a huge primeval forest unspoilt by civilization. The loggers served the ever growing demand of Vienna for wood and lumber, the primary energy source at the time. Later on a secondary village was founded, called Donaudörfl which was centred on charburning providing charcoal for the infant iron industry in the Lilienfeld – Türnitz area.
The name “Lahnsattel” has its origins in the local term “Lahn” for avalanche as the steep slopes of the Goeller are notorious for large avalanches which repeatedly travel down to the very valley floor. According to chronicles some of these avalanches destroyed parts of the village in 1844 (causing 11 deaths) and in 1878 (destroying almost the entire village causing 13 deaths). Further catastrophic avalanches are reported for 1907, 1909 and 1923 (causing two deaths). In 1944 some large avalanches flattened huge forest areas but without destroying houses in the village.
Even today the road over the Lahnsattel pass (1015m) has to be closed during snow-rich winters because of avalanche danger. The region is particularly exposed to orographic (relief) precipitation and thus extremely snow-rich.
This area is completely off the beaten path and thus a really gem for all skiers who like to enjoy the backcountry off the ski resorts. The ski runs around the Goeller offer a variety of different possibilities for powder as well as corn snow. If avalanche danger is too high the Wildalpe just south of the Lahnsattel pass is an easy and safe alternative for getting some turns. Beside ski mountaineering the limited winter tourism is based mainly on cross-country skiing with some interesting tracked routes around the Lahnsattel pass.
Lahnsattel. A Winter Idyll
The Graveyard of Lahnsattel, Lower Austria
Link: History of Lahnsattel (in German)
Source: Fliri, Franz (1998): Naturchronik von Tirol. Beiträge zur Klimatographie von Tirol. UVW, Innsbruck
