Berndlalm

Berndlalm is a managed alpine pasture (Alm) and mountain inn (Berggasthof) located in the Obersulzbach valley in the municipality of Neukirchen am Großvenediger, in the Venediger Group of the High Tauern and within the Hohe Tauern National Park in Salzburg, Austria. It sits at 1,514 metres above sea level in the middle Obersulzbach valley, where the previously narrow valley opens into a gentle widening. Directly below the inn is the Gamseckfall waterfall with a drop of about 80 metres. The site includes the main guesthouse at the edge of the pasture, a lower farmstead (Niederleger, locally called Grundalm) about 350 metres further up the valley, and the extensive Berndl-Hochalm high pasture to the east at roughly 1,640 metres, below the Großer Wartkopf (2,640 m). To the west rises the Hütteltalkopf (2,962 m). The Berndlalm is owned by the Hofer family of Neukirchen, whose ancestral home is the Haus Berndlalm. The original alpine hut was converted into a guesthouse offering food and overnight accommodation, and it is now a popular destination. A petting zoo has been added. Until about 1975, only a footpath from Hopffeldboden led to the pasture; the construction of a driving path made management easier. Today the access road is closed to private vehicles, but a hut taxi runs from Hopffeldboden for guests when needed. In 1981 a mountaineers' chapel was built near the pasture. Since 1983 the pasture has belonged to the national park area (buffer zone). The ascent to the Berndlalm guesthouse is from Neukirchen or Wald im Pinzgau through the Obersulzbach valley (about 3 hours) or from the Hopffeldboden car park (about 1.5 hours). The path along the Sulzbach valley is part of the Salzburg-wide Arnoweg long-distance trail. The Berndlalm is a starting point for a number of high-alpine tours, including to the Kürsingerhütte and to the Großer Geiger, Großvenediger and Kleinvenediger peaks. Directly from the hut, the Bettlersteig trail leads in about two hours over the Berndl-Hochalm to the Bettlerscharte and down to the Finkalm and Stockeralm in the Untersulzbach valley. Geologically, the pasture lies on a band of early Palaeozoic schist that runs northeast across the Untersulzbach valley to the entrance of the Habach valley, forming one of the characteristic elevation levels here. The Gamseckfall and the Seebachfall cascade over this schist flank; the same formation appears down-valley at Hopffeldboden. The schists (mica schists to phyllites, and further out amphibolites to chlorite schists) belong to the Habach Group, a formation of the northern frame of the Schieferhülle. The surrounding mountains otherwise belong entirely to the Central Gneiss. The Obersulzbach valley up to the Berndlalm is shaped by large landslides, with thick post-glacial debris sediments on the right side from the Berndl-Hochalm to the Kampriesenalm. As a commercial offering, Berndlalm operates as a mountain guesthouse and working farm, providing hospitality, food and accommodation to hikers and mountaineers in a remote national park setting. It is a private family business, not a listed company, and its brand identity is tied to its location, alpine tradition and role as a base for outdoor recreation.

The Berndlalm was known in the 19th century as Wimmalm, Wimmer Alm or Wimmer Alpe. Today it is owned by the Hofer family from Neukirchen, whose ancestral home is the Haus Berndlalm. The original alpine hut was converted into a guesthouse for catering and overnight accommodation for guests, and it is now much visited. A petting zoo has also been added. Until about 1975, only a footpath from Hopffeldboden led to the pasture. Only with the construction of a driving path did management become easier. Today the access road to the pasture is closed to private vehicles. When needed, a hut taxi runs from Hopffeldboden to the pasture for guests. In 1981 a mountaineers' chapel was built near the pasture. Since 1983 the pasture has belonged to the national park area (buffer zone). The ascent to the Berndlalm guesthouse is from Neukirchen or Wald im Pinzgau through the Obersulzbach valley (about 3 hours) or from the Hopffeldboden car park (about 1.5 hours). The path along the Sulzbach valley is part of the Salzburg-wide Arnoweg. The Berndlalm is a starting point for a number of high-alpine tours, including to the Kürsingerhütte and to the Großer Geiger, Großvenediger and Kleinvenediger. Directly from the hut, the Bettlersteig leads in about two hours over the Berndl-Hochalm to the Bettlerscharte and down to the Finkalm and Stockeralm in the Untersulzbach valley.

• 1983

  The pasture became part of the national park area (buffer zone).

• 1981

  A mountaineers' chapel was built near the pasture.

• 1975

  Until about this year, only a footpath from Hopffeldboden led to the pasture; a driving path was then built.

Traditional family-run alpine inn and working farm in a remote national park setting, serving hikers and mountaineers.

• Gasthof Berndlalm (mountain inn)

  Converted from the original alpine hut, offering food and overnight accommodation.

• Petting zoo

  Added at the pasture for guests.

• Berndl-Hochalm high pasture

  Extensive high pasture at about 1,640 m, part of the working farm.

1. 1Berndlalm - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Berndlalm - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3Berndlalm official websiteberndlalm.at