Opening the Weissensee ice not yet possible because of mild temperatures

The ice on the remarkable Weissensee cannot be opened yet because of the mild temperatures. Preparing the ice safely is not possible. There is good news as well.

The ice dangerous in places

First the most recent ice information, from Bernhard Jank. Jank warns people not to go onto the ice.

• “Going onto the ice is dangerous in places”, says the ice team member of natureislauf.at. “And we do not recommend it.”

“We hope the cold returns soon so that we can start the ice season. (…) We will let you know as soon as something improves, hopefully.”

Positive reports from the Weissensee

Even so, there are positive reports from the Weissensee. The whole sheet of ice is thoroughly ‘drowned’, the youngest son of ice wizard Norbert Jank said earlier.

• “So it does not look that bad. If it gets properly cold, we can get to work on the ice soon.”

When a sheet of ice has been submerged, fresh frost can make for smooth ice again. That is a good prospect, as a week ago there was slush.

The mush of snow and ice formed because 8 cm of wet snow fell and mixed with the thin layer of ice.

That bit of snow amounts to very little, as it happens; the timing was simply unfortunate. Sometimes more than a metre of snow falls at the mountain lake and the nature area of the same name.

His son Bernhard is aware of the lurking danger, as is clear at the team presentation. “The work on the ice is exciting and very interesting – but the dangers are hard to detect.”