Canyoning thrill in the Kleinwalsertal

Nomen est omen: Lisa Bachinger is a real Bach professional. If she doesn’t have to step down due to cruciate ligament rupture, the 25-year-old Allgäuer is almost every day in mountain water between Easter and October. She leads around 150 canyoning tours per season and therefore knows all too well how to convey young and old adventure fun. And when the fun stops. This seems to us, because when we arrive at the « base camp » of the Sonthofen organizer Map experience in the morning, Lisa announces: « The plan to go through the Starzlachklamm unfortunately does not work too much water. »

How good that there are alternatives in the region. Specifically, Blackwasserbachklamm, also declared as a level two for « sporty beginners », « although they are full of surprises ». The measured values ​​look good, but the final status quo can only be determined on site. So, nothing like there! Riezlern in the Kleinwalsertal belongs to Austria, but does not really feel like this due to the « invisible border » and the fact that the enclave can only be approached over the Allgäu.

Bridge control at the parking lot at the sports field. Lisa stretches her thumb. « Even if a lot of water rushes here: let’s try it! » Flight we roam clothes, chains, glasses, glasses and wet socks as well as waterproof shoes over and squeeze into diving suits, the sleeves of which we pull down again. After all, we hike uphill for half an hour, so the rubber frack should not deliver an extra sweat bottom.

When they arrive at the gorge, it doesn’t look like gorge. The setting looks more mild than wildly: shrubs on the flat bank, a gently flowing Blackwasserbach, whose completely not black water extends to the calf.

But don’t let it go! We see: a kind of rock gate in which the stream disappears. We hear: roar. We feel: icy cold when we lay down in the water. To « get used to it », as Lisa thinks. Then « Safety Talk », helmet set up, climbing strap tightened. It is used right away, a steel rope is waiting on the left rock. « Clink there with the carabiners, always twice! »

The Miniklettersteig is well secured along the rapidly stately wall, sometimes on natural field queues, sometimes on artificial. Around the corner, a miracle water world, framed by rugged rocks, including gurgling streams, a case and a stately gump, whose water color now looks quite black. Tata: The boiler holes!

Jump off or abseil? That is the question here. And it wants to be clarified quickly. Finally I stand on a narrow kick, seven meters of wall under me. It wins the jumping – as Lisa explains: clinking out, bouncing, bent knee slightly, the arms cross on the shoulders. Aaah and Ooh, Platsch and Brrr! A real adrenaline thick.

After appearing, I form an o for « okay » by hand on my head. With loud water, nothing works through non -verbal communication. Verbally, on the other hand, later my demand why no gloves are used. « Bad climbing, » says Lisa, « because: no feeling in your fingers! »

And that also takes the next passages. Sometimes we slip over stones, sometimes we hang ourselves through the water on branches, balancing on the abyss. On one, it only continues with abseiling. Trust is asked when I lean back without hands, only held by Lisas rope. She has only one hand on the strand, with the other she makes snapshots.

« With a pulley and a few tricks I can hold everyone, » she says, roping me down into the increasingly moist uncertainty. The waterfall! First dripped, then he pours on the helmet before his gush grabs me and rinses into the rock basin over a stone slide. A strong return presses me under water briefly. Uff, air again. So, boring is different and our mini group soon continues, be it on or in the stream, briefly on the hiking trail or on a trail through the undergrowth.

Sometimes it feels paradoxical that you are looking for the thrill, but the next moment you have a jug in front of it. For example in the case of a gump jumping that requires an extra step. You can tell that the spot is not without it that Lisa is not next to us as usual, but at the « output » of the Bachbeckens, with a tense rope – so that the current does not rinse over the edge. Behind it it goes down 18 meters. Sip!

But I have internalized: With concentration, courage and attitude to follow the instructions of the guides exactly, hardly anything can go wrong. Instead of bypassing the action position (which would be possible), I jump into the water on a wide arc and wate safe steps to the shore. Everything easy.

Everything? Well, the waterfall is still there. For the final it goes down next to him on the rope, the thrilly-chilled action mix is ​​now really in a mood. And so I enjoy hanging in the wall, to be repelled every now and then, to feel the water from above and the side and then a firm stand. Crazy and crazy well. Shortly afterwards, Lisa also ends up next to me, gets the rope from above – again with such a trick – and stows everything in her pack sack. With a lively it goes back to the bus. Time for dry clothes and time to relax …