Weißenbach Schlucht Radmer (Politischer Bezirk Leoben)

Accès

Park your car clearly off the road in the space between the two bridges where the water of Weißenbach and Radmer Bach meets, near the map spot height 628m (see www.austriamap.at for free, excellent online access to Austria's topographical maps.

Approche

Hike up the single-track path on the looker's left (river right, i.e. as you ascend the river should be down on your right) of the Bach (/stream). Path takes you quite high up the side of the Tal (/valley), zig-zagging and occasionally crossing scree-slopes and rock-slabs, in a few places assisted by in-situ cables/wires.
This path has its high-point at a small clearing, offering wonderful views of the Kaiserschild and Hochkogel mountains, before dropping down to stream-level again. From there, follow the Bach (/stream) down perhaps 150m to 200m, and the first bolt is visible on the right wall, where the Tal (/valley) takes the form of a Schlucht (/gorge).

Descente

A well-protected series of small to medium waterfalls, some of which can be downclimbed, most of which abseiled. Insufficient depth in the pools for any sliding or jumping, but the magnificent limestone of the Gesäuse (similar to that of the Dolomites) makes this a beautiful morning or afternoon out.

Retour

Follow the stream down to the road, through the boulder-field that is the Weißenbachtal.

Engagement

Complete commitment is required from start to finish - once you are in, there is no way out except down ("très bon encaissement").

Période/caractère aquatique

Likely navigable from May to October, depending on the snow. Steep sides of valley would make this thoroughly inadvisable re: risk of avalanche or rock-fall at any time of the year when freeze-thaw cycles were present.
N.B. Beware of extremely rapid raising of water-levels in case of rain - the whole Hochkogel/Kaiserschild corrie is like a funnel that empties into the Weißenbach. In summer, best to start early enough so that you are definitely out of the gorge by 1pm.

Remarques

This canyon is also apparently used by commercial groups for canyoning, but in the last 6 times there I've only seen one other group there at any point, them leaving the carpark as we returned to our cars at the end of the trip.