Dream winter in the Stone Forest is slowly coming to an end

Review of the current winter season

For seven weeks now, the Steinwald Nature Park has enjoyed dream conditions for nature lovers, walkers, and cross-country skiers. On Christmas Day, the first snowflakes fell, blanketing the Steinwald Forest in a blanket of white. Further snowfall in the following days laid the foundation for cross-country skiing enthusiasts. On January 2nd, Heinrich Denz was able to drive the "Pisten-Bully 100" of the Steinwaldloipe cross-country ski association through the extensive network of trails for the first time, laying the necessary ski tracks in the white surface. "So far, another 29 runs have been made. 80 percent of the entire 50-kilometer network has been covered," explains experienced track-laying expert Heinrich Denz. He therefore received much sympathy and recognition from winter sports enthusiasts when they met him on assignments and were able to use the freshly prepared tracks early in the morning.

In the early years of his "dream job," he also drew on the advice of skiers and his father, Emil Denz, a cross-country skiing specialist. On very steep descents, he leaves no tracks in the snow, or only one when transitioning to less steep terrain. The cross-country skiers then have the option of tackling the descent outside the tracks in a "snowplow." "Over the years, you develop a feel for this and become familiar with the different sections of the Steinwald trails and the snow conditions," says Heinrich Denz, pointing out that the entire cross-country trail network cannot be completed at the same time. "Even if I start at 5 a.m., depending on the snow conditions, it often takes me nine to ten hours to complete the entire Steinwald trail network."

Those responsible for the Steinwald Nature Park are also satisfied with how the winter has gone. They have repeatedly urged people to refrain from cross-country hiking through the Steinwald and have posted numerous warning signs. Ranger Jonas Ständer reports: "Our inspections and checks have shown that there were very few footprints and ski tracks off the marked paths and ski trails. If our warnings had not been followed, Steinwald visitors would have endangered numerous wild animals." Ständer continues: "If the animals are disturbed in their resting places during hikes or ski tours off the designated routes, they are forced to flee and expend additional energy, which they must carefully manage in winter." If this happens too frequently, the animals suffer unnecessarily and can even starve, ranger and experienced hunter Jonas Ständer told Oberpfalz Media.

Improvements are planned for the Weißenstein Castle ruins in the coming days. "There were several gatherings of people here during the COVID-19 winter," says Jonas Ständer. Therefore, he and his colleague Marie Wittmann will be putting up signs over the next few days with information on hygiene and the minimum distance required due to the coronavirus pandemic. Ständer is pleased that many responsible nature lovers are supporting the work of the Steinwald Nature Park.

In recent weeks, many walkers and nature enthusiasts have also enjoyed the tranquility of the snow-covered Steinwald forest on the other paths and roads in and around the nature park. Winter hiking on the snow-covered paths leading to the forest house, the red deer enclosure, and other attractions had a very special appeal – especially on days following heavy snowfall and in bitter cold. However, the forecast of early spring is likely to bring about a change in the coming days. Weather services are already forecasting significantly rising temperatures for this weekend. It remains to be seen whether winter sports activities in the Steinwald forest will still be possible then.

Press article by Bernhard Schultes
published on 20.02.2021 in Der Neue Tag and Frankenpost