Bark beetle work closes popular Ötscher hiking route

A popular hiking route on Ötscher mountain in Lower Austria is closed throughout September because of work to remove trees damaged by bark beetles, ORF reported. The dry summer weakened many spruce trees and encouraged the infestation.

The closure runs from September 1 to 30 and covers the trail over the Rauhen Kamm to the Ötscher summit, as well as the Reitsteig forest road between Raneck and Bärenlacke. The routes are closed on weekends and outside working hours as well.

The Austrian Federal Forests said the Ötscher region has so far been less affected by bark beetles than other parts of Lower Austria. Work to remove damaged timber has previously been necessary in isolated areas around Ötscher, but the hiking route has never before been fully closed.

The work cannot be postponed until winter because of safety conditions in the terrain. The summit remains accessible via the normal route from Lackenhof and the Ötscherschutzhaus mountain refuge.

The Austrian Federal Forests warned that entering the closed area could be life-threatening even when no work is taking place. A cable-crane system is being used, with cables crossing the hiking trail several times under high mechanical tension. Timber and work equipment are also scattered across the terrain.