The Indian in the Rock

It is true that on the occasion of his fiftieth birthday, the mayor of Bad Goisern on Lake Hallstatt abseiled down the Hohe Kalmberg to blow the Indian's nose. That was 25 years ago. So long ago that many young people doubt whether this story really happened. Yet a plaque on the path leading to the summit of the Hohe Kalmberg (1,833 m) tells of this memorable event: "Vül Schwitz ham's verloren," it reads. Above it, a drawing shows an eight-man rope team that Mayor Reinhard Winterauer is belaying. He has not been mayor for a long time. He handed over the office 20 years ago, but he remembers the "Goiserer Grenzgang" (Goiser border walk), which also led over the Hohe Kalmberg, fondly. "We were on the road for five days along our municipal borders," says Reinhard, "13 hours every day. In the end it was more than 7,500 metres in altitude and 67 kilometres."

Our tour is not quite as long today. But like the mayor back then, we are drawn to the summit of the Hoher Kalmberg, under which the "Indian" is at home. It is a huge rock whose contours show a head that inevitably brings to life the (acted) Wild West of childhood.
We climb slowly, pass huge anthills and climb carefully over damp stones into the Kalmoos Church. This church is a cave where "Lutherans", hidden from the strict Catholic imperial authorities, celebrated their masses. There is a cross, a few candles, the rocks are green with moisture.
With each step, the mountain pines on the left and right of the path become lower. A few metres below the summit, we finally step out into the open. The cross is already visible. We suspect that the view will be breathtaking.

With the image of the mayor's rope team in mind, we let our eyes wander. And realise that we would have failed miserably as scouts in the Wild West: Where is the Indian? Where? - The fact that we don't recognise him immediately is a bit like not seeing the forest for the trees. The rock is far higher than expected, the Indian so huge that we have to readjust our gaze in order to recognise him. But then - then we remain silent, impressed.

Now we also see where the mayor let himself be abseiled down, head and abyss in front of his eyes: "The height never bothered me," he says. "I held on with one hand, and in the other I had a white sheet to wipe the Indian's nose." Was it necessary? "No," Mr Winterauer laughs, "that was fun."

Since then, he has climbed the Hohe Kalmberg again and again: "I've been up there 40, 50 times," he says. He doesn't know yet whether he will climb the mountain again for his seventy-fifth birthday. In any case, he wants to go to the Goiserer Hütte.
We settled there on the way back to the valley. Music is being played at the next table - with brass and harmonica. Markus "Max" Verwagner, the innkeeper, sits down with us. The trained car mechanic, born in 1977, has been up here since 2018. Oriental chickpea stew, wild boar stew with wild garlic spaetzle and cheese dumpling soup are on the menu today. It's lucky that there are three of us: We take everything. And it pays off.
On the way back we hike over the Scharten Alpe. Smoke rises from one of the huts surrounded by stone walls. Once again the Wild West, we cowboys of yesteryear think.
And at the top the Indian smiles wisely.

TEXT: Wolfgang Wieser PHOTOS: Tom Son

Text & photos were published in Servus Salzkammergut Magazin 2022.