Day 5 Werfen Ice Caves

Cool day, literally. We navigated local trains and a shuttle to the world's largest ice cave in Werfen, just south of Salzburg.

Original plan was for a day trip to Hallstatt, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Travel to and from was too inconvenient without a car. We would not have time to visit our primary interests: the Hallstatt ice caves and salt caves. Plan B, the Werfen Ice Caves, turned out to be a significant upgrade, since they have well earned bragging rights. 

Werfen Ice Caves consist of 45 km of limestone caves. In warm months snow melt drips through cracks. The limestone retains the cold, re-freezing the water. Airflow from other cracks shape the ice, like wind shapes sandstone at the Natural Arches NP. Each year creates a new layer. There's a wall containing over 2000 years of history. Each year the guides return to find the ice structures a little changed.

One of the neatest features is that we experienced the cave like the first explorers in the early 1900s, with a gas lamp. There are no other lights in the cave. Of course, we are not climbing with ice axes. We  traversed a well-engineered boardwalk, but it is pitch dark except for the tiny lamps.

Ideally, we could have added the salt mines in Hallein, located between Werfen and Salzburg, but you've got to leave something for next time.

Did I mention that it was another incredibly beautiful day? Here's yet another castle fortress to explore next time...

Best part of the day, though, was hooking up again with our hiking buddies. They arrived late, but not too late for a night cap. We had lots of catching up to do.