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The Alps,
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since time in memorial
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they have formed a gigantic barrier between central and southern Europe.
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The biggest mountain chain on the continent
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stretches more than 1,200 kilometers
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from the French maritime Alps
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to the last eastern foothills not far from Vienna.
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The peaks reach a height up to 4,810 meters
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The highest of these are in the western Alps
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predominantly in Switzerland.
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The mountains in the eastern half are significantiy lower.
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The highest mountain of Austria, the Grossglockner
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is just under 3,800 meters high.
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However,
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while they strike us as immense and immortal
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from a geological perspective,
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the Alps are actually not so incredibiy old.
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They began to form approximately
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135 million years ago,
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and like most mountains of our planet
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they came into being as a result of wrinkling in the earth crust
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caused by one continental plate
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pushing underneath another.
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In fact,
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for a considerable period,
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the mountains continue to increasing height
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at a rate of about 5 millimeters a year.
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Then,
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between 30 and 35 million years ago,
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this process gradually came to a standstill.
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But in terms of the history of the earth
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that is not so very far in the past.
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By then the dinosaurs had long been relegated to history.
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The fact that the Alps are relatively young
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explains why the slopes here are steeper,
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the peaks more pointed and the ridges more pronounced
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than it is the case with other mountain ranges.
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There has not been so much time
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for erosion to smooth down these features.
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But the process is under way
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and over a long period
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the forces of rain and ice make headway
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even against such seemingly indestructible giants.
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Naturally,
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we are talking here about procedures
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that take place at such an unimaginably slow pace.
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That we would normally not notice them at all.
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However,
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over the last decades
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certain disturbing tendencies have been noted
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because climatic change has a far greater effect
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in high mountain regions than in the lowland areas.
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Regions which were formally within the permafrost zone
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with the ground constantlİy frozen
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are today subjugated to alternating temperatures
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both above and below freezing.
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Rock formations that were held together by ice
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functioning as adhesive
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until now may thaw out
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and be transformed into loose boulders and rubble.
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Since water expands when it freezes,
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this places additional pressure on the rocks.
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Conseguently global warming
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not only entails problems for life forms,
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but have adapted to the extreme conditions here.
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It also constitutes a danger for mankind.
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Outcrops of rocks which use to be frozen
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and therefore reliably stable
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can now thaw out causing avalanches
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in which buildings and transport routes
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are destroyed by mud or rubble.
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If you go up into these mountains in winter
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it's very hard to imagine this.
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The masses of snow and ice
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simply seem too overpowering at this time of the year
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when the highland areas are hostile to life,
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uninhabitable and apparently lifeless
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On the steep slopes avalanches of snow
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constitute the greatest danger for skiers and walkers.
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The Alps are interlaced by countless streams
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fed by the high levels of precipitation here.
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The steepness of the slopes
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ensures of the water flows at great speed
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and this together with the low temperature of the water itself
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means it has an extremely high oxygen content.
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In most cases,
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the mountain streams have a bed rock
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since soil and mud are guickly washed away.
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This means there are in general few plants in the streams.
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But these environments are far from lifeless.
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A large number of creatures have adapted to this special conditions.
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A numerous species of insects in particular
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spend their larvae stages here.
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They in turn provide a nutritional basis
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for birds such as dippers and gray wagtails.
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Here in the mid altitude region,
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there are large numbers of these small streams.
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Only in the valleys do the bigger rivers form.
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At altitudes of between 1,400 and 2,800 meters,
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coniferous forests thrive
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creating a habitat for a broad range of wildlife.
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Not until we descend to about 700 and 800 meters
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do we find deciduous trees which,
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together with pine and spruce, form mixed woodland regions.
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In olden times
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alpine forests form the basis of a widespread logging industry
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and in many regions
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this was an important part of the local economy.
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Supplies of timber were plentiful
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and the wood was of good guality
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since coniferous trees
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grow slowly in this harsh climate
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producing a finely structured hardwood
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which is excellent for construction purposes.
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In the 18th and early 19th centuries in particular,
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the forests were exploited to such an extent
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that the timberline was pushed
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considerabiy lower in some areas.
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In fact,
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as well as their ecological value,
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mountain forests also have an important function
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in offering protection
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they are able to prevent the formation of avalanches of snow,
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mud or rubble.
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And they also act as barriers to stop
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avalanches that have developed,
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which is why they are known as barrier woodlands in this context.
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When the mountain forest has been destroyed
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İt is extremely difficult to recreate it by planting trees.
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And since replacing the forest by man made avalanche barriers
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is complex and expensive,
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maintaining these barrier woodlands
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is our high priority today.
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The high mountain peaks, such as the Jungfrau Massif
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here in the Bernese Oberland, district of central Switzerland,
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constitute a completely different world.
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The Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau
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form a distinctive trail of mountains.
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The Jungfrau is the highest,
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with a height of 4,158 meters.
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These three mountains were climbed for the first time
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between 1811 and 1858
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and the mountaineers who accomplished this feat
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are part of the trend during this period.
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Almost all the major Alpine summits were conguered
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during the first half of the 19th century.
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In contrast, the north face of the Eiger
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was not cimbed successfully until 1938.
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It places such high demands upon the climber
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that it was considered for a long time
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one of the last great Alpine challengers.
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It has claimed the lives of countless mountaineers
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and to this day it is regarded
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as öne of the most difficult mountain routes in the Alps.
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However,
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even at lower altitudes
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this region is stunningly impressive.
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The Lauterbrunnen Valley
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which is located below the Jungfrau Massif
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is surrounded by huge, almost vertical rock faces.
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A whole series of streams plunge into the depth here
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creating spectacular waterfalls.
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The best known of these
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is the Staubbach Falls
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where the water drops almost 300 meters.
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We enjoy once again the view from Interlaken
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ofthe north face of the Jungfrau Massif
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and with a little luck
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it should be possible to see from here
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one of the classic features of alpine romanticism -
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the alpine glow.
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This optical phenomenon is created when the red light of the setting sun
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is reflected on the lighter mountains of the opposite horizon
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causing them to glow.
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İt is easy to reach the fascinating mountain world of the Jungfrau Massif
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by means of the Jungfraubahn,
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a rack railway constructed between 1896
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and 1912.
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The upper terminal of this line at the Jungfraujoch
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is the highest railway station in Europe
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at an altitude of 3454 meters.
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From here
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there is a breathtaking view
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of the immense Aletsch Glacier.
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With a length of approximately 23 kilometers
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this glacier which can be up to a kilometer and a half wide
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is the biggest in the Alps.
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In some places the ice layer is an astonishing
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900 meters thick.
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It is difficult to imagine that such a gigantic massive ice
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can be in constant movement.
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Butlike all glaciers,
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the Aletsch Glacier is a river of ice,
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moving slowly but surely down towards the valley.
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In this case it travels approximately
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180 meters per year,
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which is about half a meter each day.
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As is the case with virtually every glacier in the world,
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the ice of the Aletsch Glacier is shrinking drastically.
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A glacier has a natural circulation of water.
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Snowfall causes it to grow in the upper regions
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while in the lower sections,
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the ice melts and flows down into the valley as a glacial stream.
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If these two processes cease to balance each other,
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then the ice mass recedes.
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Over the last 150 years
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the Aletsch Glacier has lost about a third of its mass
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as can easily been seen from drawings,
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paintings and old photographs.
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Conseguentlİy
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glacial shrinkage is a particularlly visible conseguence
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of temperature increases all around the world.
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Not far from the villages of Saxton in the Bernese Oberland
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the Saxton river forms a spectacular gorge
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which culminates in the steep rock face.
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During winter, waterfalls cover this wall of rock
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with bizarre ice sculptures.
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In the summer,
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this gorge is popular with canyon tours.
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However,
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enjoying this feature of the scenery can be dangerous.
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In the year 1999,
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a group of 21 people was surprised by a flush flood in the gorge.
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None of them survived.
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As a conseguence of this terrible accident,
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regulations governing such tours in Switzerland
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were significantly tightened up
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to insure that there should be no more tragic incidence like this.
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A short flight brings this back
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to the icy peaks of the nearby Jungfrau Massif.
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We now find ourselves at a height of about 4,000 meters.
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The monumental rock walls appear within touching distance
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and even the summits far below us are covered with snow.
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The slopes here are so steep
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that avalanches are on regular occurrence.
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Anybody venturing to this region
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must make sure he is very well informed.
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Far below us, shimmer the waters oflake Thun
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and the nearby lake Brienz.
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The mountains surrounding these lakes
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reach a relatively modest height of about 2,000 meters,
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hardly comparable to the gigantic Jungfrau Massif
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which is now behind us.
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We once again fly through the Lauterbrunnen Valley
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with the famous waterfalls we have already encountered.
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From this perspective
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we have a breathtaking view of the rock face.
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Reaching up almost 800 meters
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which forms the western limit of the valley
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As we fly to itself,
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we see in the background
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the 3,7/80-meter-high summit of the Breithorn
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which marks the end of the valley
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before we saw one more time over lake Brienz.
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We should not forget
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that even the lest spectacular sites of this region
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have considerable appeal.
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The guiet uninhabited side valleys
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have little brooks and streams running through them.
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Now during winter
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it is possible to relish this countryside
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on a virtually exclusive basis
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because at this time of the year
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It is highly unlikely that any ramblers will stray here.
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İn locations such as these it is of course guite possible
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to be surprised by a snow storm.
267
00:30:53,894 --> 00:30:57,356
But as long as you are properly dressed in warm clothing,
268
00:30:57,773 --> 00:31:00,150
there is really nothing that can happen
269
00:31:00,609 --> 00:31:04,071
except that making progress through the deep snow
270
00:31:04,321 --> 00:31:06,365
can become guite an effort.
271
00:31:07,408 --> 00:31:08,492
On the other hand,
272
00:31:08,659 --> 00:31:13,956
strolling through a mountain forest with a deep layer of snow
273
00:31:14,456 --> 00:31:17,042
is a very special experience.
274
00:31:20,087 --> 00:31:22,881
This beautiful romantic vision
275
00:31:23,006 --> 00:31:26,468
is a hostile environment for the wildlife.
276
00:31:27,928 --> 00:31:33,100
İt is difficult to find food in the mountain forest during winter
277
00:31:33,725 --> 00:31:37,271
Little is available apart from the seeds of the conifers
278
00:31:37,438 --> 00:31:40,357
which still have cones hanging from the branches.
279
00:31:41,859 --> 00:31:46,363
The struggle for survival last for several long months
280
00:31:46,780 --> 00:31:50,242
and many animals will not make it through to the spring.
281
00:31:51,660 --> 00:31:55,873
But this is an essential part of the process of natural selection
282
00:31:56,582 --> 00:31:57,916
and we should remember
283
00:31:58,333 --> 00:32:01,044
that the many animals which do perish
284
00:32:01,253 --> 00:32:04,256
form an important source of nutrition
285
00:32:04,381 --> 00:32:07,217
for the carnivorous predators here.
286
00:32:44,087 --> 00:32:47,049
As soon as the thaw begins in the spring,
287
00:32:47,549 --> 00:32:50,427
the streams and rivers become swollen
288
00:32:50,511 --> 00:32:54,890
to many times their usual volume by the melt water.
289
00:32:55,474 --> 00:32:58,936
The fast flowing mass of water drags stones
290
00:32:59,061 --> 00:33:02,397
and even fair-sized lumps of rocks along with it
291
00:33:02,856 --> 00:33:07,152
and considerable damage can be caused in this way.
292
00:34:51,840 --> 00:34:55,552
But spring is a moody companion here.
293
00:34:55,969 --> 00:35:00,974
It oftten becomes cold again after a short period of thaw.
294
00:35:01,308 --> 00:35:04,978
Sometimes the waterfalls even freeze oönce more
295
00:35:04,978 --> 00:35:07,481
creating bizarre sculptures.
296
00:35:08,690 --> 00:35:11,860
These days some of the more adventurous mountaineers
297
00:35:11,860 --> 00:35:13,278
try their hand
298
00:35:13,779 --> 00:35:16,281
at climbing these frozen waterfalls,
299
00:35:16,698 --> 00:35:19,159
a daring type of extreme sport
300
00:35:19,326 --> 00:35:23,664
that reguires special eguipment and considerable experience
301
00:35:23,872 --> 00:35:28,126
since the ice is far less stable than the rock face.
302
00:37:53,522 --> 00:37:56,942
Finally spring manages to assert itself.
303
00:37:57,359 --> 00:38:01,446
It will still be sometime before the last of the ice melts
304
00:38:01,655 --> 00:38:05,075
and life finally returns to the mountain forests.
305
00:38:05,951 --> 00:38:08,078
But with each day it passes
306
00:38:08,411 --> 00:38:11,540
the thick layer of ice becomes alittle thinner
307
00:38:11,957 --> 00:38:15,627
and before long it will have vanished completely.
308
00:42:19,454 --> 00:42:23,833
İt is in the early days of spring that the first of the lambs were born
309
00:42:23,958 --> 00:42:27,837
setting off unsteady legs to begin a new life.
310
00:42:29,047 --> 00:42:31,466
Keeping sheep is öone of the more traditional
311
00:42:31,466 --> 00:42:34,135
agricultural pastimes in the Alps
312
00:42:34,636 --> 00:42:38,640
where farmers concentrate predominantly on diary farming.
313
00:42:39,557 --> 00:42:43,770
It is only possible to grow wheat in small sections of the valleys,
314
00:42:43,978 --> 00:42:47,607
but the lush meadows in the upland areas
315
00:42:47,690 --> 00:42:52,195
provide excellent grazing for sheep and cows.
316
00:43:09,212 --> 00:43:13,967
While the upper mountain peaks are still covered in ice and snow,
317
00:43:14,634 --> 00:43:17,971
the alpine meadows are now in full bloom.
318
00:43:18,429 --> 00:43:20,306
Summer doesn't last long.
319
00:43:20,598 --> 00:43:22,142
Nature has to move guickly
320
00:43:22,642 --> 00:43:25,645
because it can snow again as early as October.
321
00:45:58,673 --> 00:46:03,678
It is now that the groundhogs awaken from their winter hibernation
322
00:46:04,012 --> 00:46:07,307
which last approximately October to March.
323
00:46:08,224 --> 00:46:10,351
Sleeping through this long winter
324
00:46:10,560 --> 00:46:15,064
when their habitat is covered by a thick layer of snow
325
00:46:15,356 --> 00:46:17,859
and they would be unable to find food
326
00:46:18,109 --> 00:46:21,154
enables them to survive in good condition.
327
00:46:22,071 --> 00:46:26,743
Groundhogs are rodents and distant relatives of the sguirrel.
328
00:46:27,160 --> 00:46:28,870
At öone time in Europe,
329
00:46:28,995 --> 00:46:32,040
they were only to be found in lowland areas,
330
00:46:32,373 --> 00:46:34,876
but the end of thelast ice age
331
00:46:35,043 --> 00:46:38,546
saw them retreating to the higher regions of the Alps.
332
00:46:39,339 --> 00:46:44,177
Today, they're only find in areas above the tree line
333
00:46:44,594 --> 00:46:46,554
where there are no forests.
334
00:46:47,263 --> 00:46:48,056
However,
335
00:46:48,514 --> 00:46:51,434
they do not venture into rocky regions
336
00:46:51,517 --> 00:46:54,479
since they need soil-based ground
337
00:46:54,645 --> 00:46:58,816
in order to construct their subterranean networks of tunnels.
338
00:47:00,193 --> 00:47:05,156
These tunnels are normally between 10 and 17 meters in length
339
00:47:05,239 --> 00:47:08,159
and can be extremely complicated.
340
00:47:08,576 --> 00:47:11,537
Alpine groundhogs live in colonies
341
00:47:11,704 --> 00:47:13,122
and conseguentlİy
342
00:47:13,456 --> 00:47:19,045
it is guitte common to see several of these cute animals at the same time.
343
00:47:26,052 --> 00:47:27,095
Up here
344
00:47:27,261 --> 00:47:30,723
it is too uncomfortable even for groundhogs.
345
00:47:30,848 --> 00:47:35,144
The upper slopes are realm of rock and ice,
346
00:47:35,353 --> 00:47:37,146
although in high summer,
347
00:47:37,271 --> 00:47:39,941
the snow melts for a short period
348
00:47:39,941 --> 00:47:42,860
to reveal the rocks and scree underneath.
349
00:47:44,278 --> 00:47:47,281
Vegetation is so sparse
350
00:47:47,573 --> 00:47:52,161
that it can hardly provide any nutrition for animal life.
351
00:47:55,206 --> 00:47:57,667
And just a few hundred meters lower,
352
00:47:57,959 --> 00:48:03,798
the alpine meadows are now resplendent in their full glory.
353
00:48:04,924 --> 00:48:07,885
It isn't possible for trees or even bushes
354
00:48:07,885 --> 00:48:09,846
to grow at these altitudes,
355
00:48:10,138 --> 00:48:11,806
and conseguentlİy
356
00:48:12,140 --> 00:48:15,726
the vegetation here is dominated by meadows
357
00:48:15,726 --> 00:48:17,812
which provide a habitat
358
00:48:17,979 --> 00:48:21,190
for alarge number of flowering plants.
359
00:48:22,400 --> 00:48:27,905
The type of rock which underlies the soil can vary considerabliy,
360
00:48:28,364 --> 00:48:31,200
dictating which plants can grow here.
361
00:48:32,994 --> 00:48:33,744
However,
362
00:48:34,245 --> 00:48:38,833
the local micro climate also plays an important role.
363
00:48:39,208 --> 00:48:40,251
Altitude,
364
00:48:40,376 --> 00:48:41,252
slope,
365
00:48:41,544 --> 00:48:43,379
exposure to the sun,
366
00:48:43,546 --> 00:48:45,506
and several other factors
367
00:48:45,840 --> 00:48:50,428
can insure that several very different ecosystems
368
00:48:50,428 --> 00:48:55,766
exist in close proximity within a relatively small area.
369
00:49:41,020 --> 00:49:42,271
Even today
370
00:49:42,438 --> 00:49:46,651
agriculture in the Alps remains an arduous business
371
00:49:46,776 --> 00:49:50,571
in spite of the numerous technical aid is available.
372
00:49:51,030 --> 00:49:52,949
It is also unprofitable
373
00:49:53,616 --> 00:49:56,661
because mountain farms in remote regions
374
00:49:56,869 --> 00:50:01,165
are unable to compete with rivals in the lowland areas
375
00:50:01,374 --> 00:50:06,045
which are of course able to function on a far more efficient basis.
376
00:50:07,421 --> 00:50:10,925
Only with the assistance of sizable subsidies
377
00:50:11,092 --> 00:50:16,722
is it possible for agricultural activity in the Alps to be kept alive.
378
00:50:17,682 --> 00:50:19,308
At the same time,
379
00:50:19,850 --> 00:50:23,437
the mountain farmers make a considerable contribution
380
00:50:23,688 --> 00:50:27,358
to preserving the typical appearance of the highland areas
381
00:50:27,942 --> 00:50:31,279
which has been shaped by centuries of agriculture.
382
00:51:21,495 --> 00:51:23,247
The lower altitudes are now
383
00:51:23,247 --> 00:51:26,959
filled with the rich green of conifers and meadows.
384
00:51:27,376 --> 00:51:30,463
A large number of small lakes
385
00:51:30,546 --> 00:51:32,923
gleam darkly in the sun
386
00:51:33,716 --> 00:51:37,136
while magnificent snow covered peaks
387
00:51:37,261 --> 00:51:39,013
tower up around them.
388
00:53:37,840 --> 00:53:41,510
Maintaining an active agricultural sector here in the mountains
389
00:53:41,510 --> 00:53:43,679
is also important for tourism
390
00:53:44,305 --> 00:53:47,808
which is an important economic factor today.
391
00:53:48,392 --> 00:53:52,480
Visitors contribute to the economy of remote regions
392
00:53:52,938 --> 00:53:56,901
helping insure that younger people don't move away
393
00:53:57,151 --> 00:54:01,155
and the population does not consist solely of the aged.
394
00:54:01,781 --> 00:54:02,740
On top ofthis,
395
00:54:03,240 --> 00:54:04,825
alpine villages
396
00:54:05,034 --> 00:54:09,079
are able to cater for wide variety of interests
397
00:54:09,079 --> 00:54:11,081
with ramblers coming in the summer
398
00:54:11,207 --> 00:54:12,875
and skiers in the winter.
399
00:54:17,296 --> 00:54:18,839
The Salzkammergut,
400
00:54:18,964 --> 00:54:20,841
region of the Austrian Alps,
401
00:54:21,217 --> 00:54:25,221
is known predominantly for its numerous lakes.
402
00:54:25,513 --> 00:54:27,973
There are 76 of them in total
403
00:54:28,641 --> 00:54:29,934
and this made the area
404
00:54:29,934 --> 00:54:33,062
öne of the most well known holiday resorts of Austria
405
00:54:33,229 --> 00:54:36,482
as far back as the mid 19th century.
406
00:54:38,317 --> 00:54:42,488
The Austrian emperors were also fond of coming here
407
00:54:42,655 --> 00:54:45,366
from their official residence in Vienna
408
00:54:45,699 --> 00:54:47,243
to relax in the summer.
409
00:54:50,246 --> 00:54:53,749
One of the smaller and less well known lakes
410
00:54:54,124 --> 00:54:57,044
is the Front Gosau Lake,
411
00:54:57,461 --> 00:55:00,339
a picturesgue stretch of water
412
00:55:00,923 --> 00:55:04,844
which has the peak of the Gosau ridge towering over it
413
00:55:04,927 --> 00:55:09,390
reaching a height of 2458 meters.
414
00:55:10,224 --> 00:55:11,851
In fact this summit
415
00:55:11,976 --> 00:55:15,980
is öne of the smaller ones to be found in the Salzkammergut region
416
00:55:16,230 --> 00:55:18,107
and it hardly compares
417
00:55:18,357 --> 00:55:21,861
to the mountains of the neighboring Dachstein Massif.
418
00:55:22,778 --> 00:55:23,654
However,
419
00:55:23,779 --> 00:55:26,574
it's steep rocky cracks.
420
00:55:26,949 --> 00:55:31,245
Here we see the great and the lesser Donnerkogel
421
00:55:31,745 --> 00:55:37,251
form an incomparable and extremely beautiful background
422
00:55:37,626 --> 00:55:44,466
to the turguoise green water of the Front Gosau Lake below.
423
00:59:55,843 --> 00:59:58,178
A hiking path leads from
424
00:59:58,178 --> 01:00:02,933
Front Gosau Lake to Rear Gosau Lake.
425
01:00:03,851 --> 01:00:09,857
This route provides a fine view of the Hoher Casselcorps,
426
01:00:09,940 --> 01:00:12,943
one of the summits of the Dachstein Massif.
427
01:00:15,988 --> 01:00:21,243
The Dachstein Massif which towers over the end of the Gosau valley
428
01:00:21,451 --> 01:00:24,746
is the largest massif in this region.
429
01:00:25,998 --> 01:00:29,877
Its highest peak, the Hoher Dachstein
430
01:00:30,169 --> 01:00:35,632
reaches a height of 2,995 meters.
431
01:00:46,310 --> 01:00:50,480
Numerous cows are now visible on the lush mountain meadows,
432
01:00:51,148 --> 01:00:55,152
but sheep farming is also widespread in the Alps.
433
01:00:55,944 --> 01:00:57,529
Since the upper meadows
434
01:00:57,529 --> 01:01:00,449
can only be used for grazing in the summer,
435
01:01:00,741 --> 01:01:03,911
the animals have to be taken up there in spring
436
01:01:04,036 --> 01:01:07,789
and then driven back down to the villages again in the autumn
437
01:01:08,457 --> 01:01:11,877
where they spend the winter in farmyard stores.
438
01:01:13,378 --> 01:01:18,467
The process of driving the animals down from the meadows in the autumn
439
01:01:18,467 --> 01:01:23,180
is celebrated in festivities with music and dance
440
01:01:23,722 --> 01:01:28,727
and it is an important aspect of rural Alpine tradition.
441
01:02:45,178 --> 01:02:48,348
Among the numerous lakes of the Salzkammergut
442
01:02:48,640 --> 01:02:51,768
Lake Hallstatt is the most famous.
443
01:02:52,227 --> 01:02:53,979
In the town of Hallstatt,
444
01:02:54,062 --> 01:02:57,649
the buildings are constructed very close together.
445
01:02:57,858 --> 01:03:01,945
On a narrow strip between the shore of the lake
446
01:03:02,154 --> 01:03:05,240
and the steep mountain slope just behind it.
447
01:03:06,575 --> 01:03:07,367
However,
448
01:03:07,868 --> 01:03:10,370
Hallstatt is not a farming village.
449
01:03:10,704 --> 01:03:13,290
The town owes İts existence
450
01:03:13,498 --> 01:03:18,420
to the most important of the mineral resources found in the Alps -
451
01:03:18,712 --> 01:03:19,755
salt.
452
01:03:20,547 --> 01:03:25,844
As far back as the stone age, about 17,000 years ago,
453
01:03:26,345 --> 01:03:29,931
this white gold was mined
454
01:03:30,140 --> 01:03:33,685
in the Salzburg mountain above the town.
455
01:03:34,353 --> 01:03:36,313
And in more recent times,
456
01:03:36,396 --> 01:03:38,357
salt from Hallstatt
457
01:03:38,607 --> 01:03:40,442
has provided Austrian emperors with a regular source of income.
36167
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