Lawsuit dismissed

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The Gamsgrubenweg was built in the 1930s and leads from the end of the Großglocknerstraße to the Wasserfallwinkel. The planned "Gamsgrube refuge" has been a source of controversy for years.

(Bild: MICHAEL_KOENIGSHOFER)

Three years of discussions that went all the way to court: the Alpine Association wanted to prevent the planned construction of a new mountain hut in the Gamsgrube special protection zone in the Hohe Tauern National Park. However, the regional court in Klagenfurt has now rejected the lawsuit.

Großglockner Hochalpenstraßen AG (GROHAG) had planned to build a new refuge hut in the Gamsgrube special protection zone above the Pasterze in the Hohe Tauern National Park and a gallery to protect the path that GROHAG is responsible for maintaining. The hut was to replace the Alpine Association's Hofmannshütte, which was demolished in 2016. The nature conservation association spoke out against the project in the special protection area. The state of Carinthia and the municipality of Heiligenblut backed GROHAG's plans. According to the Alpine Association, however, the land was not owned by GROHAG, which the association wanted to have clarified in court. The lawsuit has now been dismissed.

The Kaiser Franz Josefs-Höhe.

(Bild: grossglockner.at)

The basis of the land acquisition from the 1930s is no longer comprehensible due to the turmoil of the time. Due to the conservation and maintenance measures, the land had also been acquired by GROHAG. Boundary stones could also be found - and there was no evidence that these had been moved illegally. The claim was therefore dismissed by the Klagenfurt Regional Court. The Alpine Association, which assumed that this was a reason, was appealed.

GROHAG is naturally satisfied with the ruling. "We can live very well with the Gamsgrubenweg ruling and will not appeal. We want to have a de-escalating and positive effect, which is why our hand remains outstretched to the Austrian Alpine Association. We hope for good joint solutions for many other projects in the Hohe Tauern, in the Glockner Group and also on the Gamsgrubenweg," says Johannes Hörl, sole board member of GROHAG, who wants to sit down with Alpine Club President Wolfgang Schnabel. The aim is to find a positive and common path for future projects.

Planning for refuge hut to continue
This also includes the well-known project: a refuge and gallery after the sixth tunnel to protect the path. Three years ago, there was talk of an investment of 3.5 million euros. According to GROHAG, this was absolutely necessary due to the weather conditions in the high mountains and the risk of falling rocks.