The Grünsee Lake: Stand Up Paddling Paradise

Water fun and mountain panorama

The Grünsee Lake is located near the middle station of the cable car to the Rudolfshütte in Uttendorf. If you arrive early, you will see it is still in the shade while the Sun rises piece by piece over the glassy surface. To see this spectacle, the three bloggers Julia, Angie and Stefanie crept out of bed very early in the morning. With stand up paddle boards, they took the cable car to the middle station. The three were helped by Heinz, the surf professional from the Wind and Surf Centre in Zell am See.

Stand up paddling in the beautiful location of the mountain lake at almost 2,000 metres, while not a completely new sporting territory for the bloggers, did have however a very special appeal. Mountain panorama included.

The Grünsee Lake is a reservoir just like the nearby Weißsee Lake. Around 40% of the ÖBB Austrian Railway power is created environmentally friendly here in ÖBB’s own power stations, with about half of it in the Uttendorf/Weißsee region. Therefore, it was an absolute exception that Julia, Angie and Stefanie were allowed to paddle on the lake. And that’s why these three took advantage of this opportunity and remained on the water for as long as possible.

However, the Grünsee Lake is good not only for stand up paddling

It is also a wonderful destination for walks and mountain hikes. Close to Gasthof Enzingerboden, an unmarked route leads to the cable car middle station past the Schwarze Lacke – a dark mountain lake in a breath-taking panorama. If you’re very lucky, you might even see chamois from this mountain lake – assuming you packed binoculars.

This hike has stayed with the three bloggers not only because of the fascinating nature. Along the way, grow very many blueberries or “Moosbeeren” as the Pinzgauer locals call them. These are ideally made into the “Moosbeer-Nocken”, a type of pancake where the bulk of the dough consists of blueberries. A speciality that is unfortunately not often seen, as the blueberries are so rare.

Angie, Julia and Stefanie are looking for blueberries

I must go up there: the Weißsee Lake

For those who want to see more of the lake, as our explorers did, swing on up into a gondola of the Rudolfshütte cable car middle station and enjoy the way up to the top. There you can find not only the Rudolfshütte, a hotel at almost 3,000 metres above sea level, but also the Weißsee Lake which sits quietly next to the hotel and offers a beautiful panorama.

Tip from the bloggers

If you spend the night at the Rudolfshütte, it pays to take a sunrise or sunset hike and there are many possibilities in the vicinity of the hotel. You can stand on the Steinhügel, which begins at the exit and see the Weißsee Lake and the Tauernmoos Lake on arrival at the top. Or you can walk along the shore down to the Weißsee Lake. But beware: the Rudolfshütte lies at over 2,500 metres above sea level and is thus in the Alpine area. Hats and warm clothes are an absolute must if you want to see the Sun rise and set in a relaxed manner.