Day trippers normally make a pilgrimage through the Pähler Gorge.
But the beautiful piece of nature has been closed for almost a year.
That's not going to change any time soon.
Pähl
- It was almost exactly a year ago that Werner Grünbauer walked through the Pähl Gorge in complete shock.
The mayor of the community was presented with a frightening picture: paths had been destroyed, there was a risk of rock falls, masses of water had carried driftwood, gravel and mud through the gorge.
"There is danger to life," Grünbauer said at the time of the local newspaper.
Since then, the popular excursion destination has been closed.
And that's until next year.
Although driftwood and mud have been removed, it is unclear how brittle and at risk of slipping the slopes are now.
The municipality is currently examining this by experts.
The Pähl investigations will cost around 19,000 euros net.
Actually, more than 30,000 euros would be due for the measurements and evaluations.
"But the Pähler Gorge is a very good research object," says Grünbauer.
The Technical University of Munich and the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna are using the analyzes for a pilot project.
"This makes it cheaper for us."
Mayor wants to know if the place is endangered
The investigations should now last at least a year - so that the researchers and experts can examine the soil at any time of the year.
There are now several measuring points in the gorge, which are used, among other things, to record movements in the ground.
According to Grünbauer, there are two so-called gap spies who automatically transmit the data collected.
Devices for geoelectrical measurements should provide further insights into the soil.
In addition, the Pähler Gorge is recorded in 3D with the help of a drone.
Because of nature conservation, this is only possible again from September.
Not only the researchers are excited about the results, but also the pickers.
Because Grünbauer sees a danger not only for the gorge itself if the slopes keep moving - but also for the town.
After the violent storms of the past year, an enormous amount of driftwood, gravel and mud had accumulated in the wild wood network of the gorge - the barrier protected the stakers from major damage in their community.
That's why Grünbauer hopes that the measurements and investigations will also provide insights into the "risk situation for the site".