Major storm damage

No access to the hut: “Please bring food”

Lisi Schleicher (left) and Maja Ludwig from the Voisthalerhütte on the Hochschwab.

(Bild: Schleicher)

The storm disaster in Upper Styria has also destroyed the access road to the Voisthalerhütte in the Hochschwab region. The supply of food is becoming difficult - now the "lard" of the hikers is also in demand.

That's what you call a stroke of luck: "We were able to join a supply flight to the Schiestlhaus on Thursday at short notice," reports Lieselotte Schleicher, one of the two landladies at the Voisthalerhütte in the Hochschwab region.

This enabled her to bring a lot of food up the mountain by helicopter, including 400 eggs.

This is what the access road looks like after the storm.

(Bild: Schleicher)

The four-kilometre access road to the cable car, which otherwise ensures supplies, has already been damaged twice this year - and has now been largely destroyed in the course of the catastrophic storm on Wednesday night. Schleicher: "We can't estimate how long the renovation will take. But we don't want to take priority, the people whose homes have been hit are more important," emphasizes Schleicher.

They are well equipped for the next two weeks, but after that it could become problematic: "We therefore ask hikers to bring something with them, especially fresh fruit and vegetables."

The modern Voisthalerhütte

(Bild: Alpenverein/Markus Kohlmayr)

Hut is undamaged
The new hut with its futuristic design, which was opened just two years ago, is undamaged. Even the hail couldn't harm the photovoltaic system on the roof. Schleicher: "That was a real test. The house stood up perfectly."

The hiking trails are also in surprisingly good condition. Only the Ochsensteig is closed - albeit since a mudslide at the beginning of the month.