Deeply rooted Primary Trees: Alpine Stone Pines

Without question, stone pines are quite appealing figures in high Alpine mountain forests, braving storm and inclement weather in fairly exposed locations. Bizarre tree roots and trunks deformed but not destroyed by strokes of lightning. Although a huge forest fire happened in Obergurgl’s Stone Pine Forest in 1880, the biggest trees are about 400 years old.

On my walking tour I stop for a moment and imagine the ancient stories a stone pine tree could tell me. Young trees have tap roots for soaking up water. In the course of the years the tree also develops lateral roots towards the rocky surface. And finally “pinus cembra” tentacles bigger than my upper thigh cling firmly to the blocky soil, withstanding also heavy storm gusts.

Usually stone pines can be found alone or together with small groups of Alpine larch trees. Entire stone pine mountain forests can be counted on the fingers of one hand. That is why Obergurgl’s Stone Pine Forest is so precious and unique.

The new Theme Trail adventure starts at half height of the Stone Pine Forest, just a few steps away from the middle station of Hohe Mut Mountain Gondola – so don’t forget your Ötztal Card! A visit to Hohe Mut Alm mountain inn is an absolute must, offering awesome views of the Alpine scenery plus mouth-watering culinary delights. A true hot spot in Ötztal.

At first you should indulge in the new Stone Pine Adventure Trail. The wooden information boards were replaced by brand-new installations like a telescope showing male, female and baby marmots. On my first visit to the Stone Pine Forest I simply missed them! But this time I can zoom the marmots in and take a very close look at them.

The scent is truly unique! There is no other coniferous tree with such a concentration of nice-smelling pinosylvin. The scent of stone pines also repels flies, it has bactericidal and fungistatic effects, and decreases your heart rate. Therefore it became an important ingredient of the cosmetics industry – ranging from bath essences to aroma lamp oils.

Stone pine seeds can be used for baking. While the young, green cones are collected and prepared with alcohol. By the way, it is strictly forbidden and fairly dangerous to collect stone pine cones. A mouth-watering “Zirm Schnaps” is strongly recommended after a sumptuous meal. Each stone pine expert has its own secret stone pine schnaps recipe.

All those who follow the slogan “the more the merrier” … probably can experience a very special kind of Alpine elation, followed by a revitalizing extra walk through the splendid Stone Pine Forest of Obergurgl.

Our author was a highly committed alpine journalist, editor, reporter, designer and publisher of specialist journals. He run his own agency for travel, mountain and photo journalism until he died of a serious illness. For the Ötztal Magazine, the enthusiastic mountain sportsman wrote about alpine nature topics for many years.