Have you ever smelled fresh mountain air with wood? Crystal Mountain Resort was purchased by Alterra Mountain Co. in 2018, and a new mass timber base lodge was built. At the heart of this transformative initiative stands the Mountain Commons, a remarkable 25,000-square-foot food hall designed to redefine the base area experience. It is a bold statement of architectural innovation and environmental stewardship, crafted with prominent mass timber elements that blend seamlessly with the alpine environment.

The Mountain Commons stemmed from a vision to create a centralized and elevated dining and gathering space at the base of the resort, what a rebirth. This significant undertaking replaced the old rental operation, the chapel, and the Right Angle shop, consolidating essential services into a state-of-the-art facility. With demolition and construction commencing in the summer of 2022, the project aimed to open its doors by spring 2024, promising a new era for Crystal Mountain visitors. Its design incorporates crescent-shaped rooflines that gracefully face both the upper and lower plazas, offering inviting outdoor seating areas.

A Pioneer in Alpine Mass Timber Construction

What truly sets the Mountain Commons apart is its embrace of mass timber construction. The building prominently features “handsome CLT mass timber elements” that are visible both outside and inside the glassy structure. Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is a modern engineered wood product known for its strength, stability, and aesthetic appeal. The use of mass timber not only contributes to the building’s striking visual presence but also aligns with contemporary sustainable building practices. Crystal Mountain’s overarching dedication to environmental preservation, which would naturally extend to their choice of building materials.

The journey to bring the Mountain Commons to life was not without its challenges, primarily due to the unique alpine environment. The project team, including HHJ as the local builder and architect, working alongside national design firm Bull Stockwell Allen, faced significant hurdles. A large amount of snow posed considerable complications during the framing process. The project team came up with creative solutions. With meticulous planning, the construction teams navigated these weather-related obstacles. They worked diligently around the resort’s operating hours, ensuring steady progress. Despite these challenges, the exterior and envelope of the two-level building were completed, with kitchen equipment awaiting installation and the majority of the remaining work focused on the interior.

Sustainability Is Integrated from Construction to Operation

Crystal Mountain’s commitment to sustainability is deeply embedded in its operations, and the Mountain Commons project exemplifies this ethos. During the construction of the Mountain Commons, the resort implemented various waste reduction and recycling programs, demonstrating a conscious effort to minimize environmental impact.

On-site for reuse resulted in:

• 354 tons of concrete reused
• 150 round-trip truckloads from Enumclaw to Crystal saved, significantly reducing emissions
• 312 tons of landfill waste diverted
• 40 tons of steel recycled

These efforts resulted in an impressive 56% recycling rate for construction materials, promoting sustainability in the very fabric of the new Mountain Commons Lodge. This commitment to reducing waste and conserving resources during the build reinforces the resort’s dedication to protecting the environment.

Sustainable for the Future

The Mountain Commons will integrate with Crystal Mountain’s broader sustainability initiatives that continue to evolve. The resort encourages guests to recycle snack and candy wrappers through Terra Cycle bins located in lodges. Crystal Mountain has continued its use of 100% compostable to-go containers and expanded their availability to new dining locations, a crucial element for a food hall like the Mountain Commons. To reduce its carbon footprint, the resort also offers fully vegetarian options at all its food venues. Even the choice to eliminate cash payments, requiring cards or payment apps, contributes to streamlined, potentially less resource-intensive operations.

The resort has also introduced eight new universal EV charging stations, which are free to use and compatible with any car, opening up possibilities for guests visiting Crystal Mountain and Mount Rainier National Park. These stations allow guests to charge their vehicles while enjoying a full day on the slopes, supporting the resort’s goal to reduce emissions and enhance accessibility. Looking ahead, Crystal Mountain plans to implement on-mountain composting using a BioSpeed machine, aiming for a full circle waste solution that minimizes methane release and reduces waste by 70–90%. They are also repurposing used frying oil to heat the Vehicle Maintenance Shop, reducing reliance on fossil fuels. These initiatives, though not exclusively tied to the Mountain Commons building itself, reflect the resort’s holistic approach to environmental stewardship, which the new lodge will undoubtedly benefit from and contribute to.

Elevating the Guest Experience

The Mountain Commons is set to significantly enhance the guest experience at Crystal Mountain. We were very surprised to see it under way with excited staff to show us the building for a blog article.

While construction was underway, temporary solutions like the big white yurt provided snacks and boot-tightening services. The small Rafters restaurant remained, and the outdoor Fireside area began offering breakfast. The new food hall will provide extensive dining options. The resort has invested in new technology to streamline arrivals: a new row of kiosks will allow guests to print pre-ordered tickets, and the new RFID system for tickets and season passes ensures a seamless entry, allowing a simple hip check at the gondola gates without fumbling for passes. These modern conveniences are a clear benefit of the resort’s ongoing investment.

The Road Ahead

The Mountain Commons is a significant milestone, but it is just one phase of Crystal Mountain’s extensive redevelopment plans. Future phases are slated to include the construction of a new hotel at the base and a replacement for the venerable Summit House, though specific schedules for these projects have not yet been announced.

In conclusion, the Mountain Commons represents a monumental leap forward for Crystal Mountain Resort. It is not merely a base lodge but a fusion of innovative mass timber architecture, a commitment to sustainable practices, and a dedication to an unparalleled guest experience. This 25,000-square-foot food hall, built with handsome CLT elements and a strong focus on construction recycling, embodies the resort’s vision for a modern, environmentally conscious, and welcoming alpine destination.

Mountain Commons Project Team:

• Local Builder and Architect: HHJ
• National Design Firm: Bull Stockwell Allen
• Owner’s Representative: DLDT of Georgia
• Civil and Structural Engineer: KPFF Consulting Engineers
• MEP, Fire, and Lighting: Stantec
• Mass Timber Supplier: ?
• Landscape Architect: Berger Partnership
• Kitchen Consultant: Jedrziewski Designs

Capilano Suspension Bridge Park in Vancouver, Canada

Author and Photos by Talking Forests

I was inspired by Molly Burke in her YouTube video called “My Guide Dog Guided Me Across A SUSPENSION Bridge!” to go to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. As a business owner with a Service Dog, I wondered how we could get across this bridge. Rhett, my 11-year-old border collie does have experience in agility so I knew he might be okay. We arrived on a cold end-of-December morning in North Vancouver and started early to beat the crowds. The first display is of the First Nation’s local history, a beautiful wooden floor, and a totem display.

Capilano, from the Squamish Nation’s Kia’palano, which means “beautiful river.”

After honoring the First Nation, we move into the park and learn why the suspension bridge is in the park. George Grant Mackay bought 6,000 acres of the property and built a cabin and the suspension bridge which was originally made of hemp rope and cedar planks. After he died, they replaced the hemp rope with wire cable in 1903.

Rhett and I slowly made it across and I was very impressed by his willingness to cross and gave him positive reinforcement in the form of treats.

“Nature’s Edge Boardwalk” meanders through the dense North American forest and brings you into the understory of the Treetop Walkway portion of the park.

Rhett and I traversed through the treetop walkway. And since it was the holiday season, they had lights and some cute displays. And with the purchase of the day pass you can also come back and see the night lights for free.

Using wood in this way inspires me and I think some of our history in the USA could be converted like this and used for greater public use. We need treetop walkways that are interpretive to teach people our history and recreate it at the same time.

See our live Instagram Reel here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmuYvFCBMQ-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Message us with any questions and please let us know if you have a place like this for us to visit someday!

#TalkingForests #forestry #forestproud #trees #forests #wood #sustainable #sustainability #buildwithwood #capbridge #Vancouver #NorthVancouver #Canada

Capilano Suspension Bridge Park in Vancouver, Canada was originally published in Talking About Forests and Building With Wood on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

People who identify as women within the forest community have been creating an in-person congress for two years. We finally came together in a 4-day event in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Our schedule had events towards a common goal of coming together and marching towards a better future of equity and inclusion. I was excited to be a workshop speaker. My presentation was “Empowering Communication Techniques to Reach Diverse Audiences.” I discussed the value of representation and diversity when communicating forestry issues. The room was full of bright people who listened to the solutions I was providing. I wanted people to learn how to communicate their diverse perspectives through modern podcasting and social media techniques which our industry is finally catching on that this is needed. I learned as a consultant that some forest industry organizations do not have budgets for communications and marketing, please consider this in your own organization and take action to make it happen. Word of mouth, websites and snail mail are not the future, we should be creating these modern jobs and contract positions to provide another pathway for those who want to communicate about the forest community. These should be paid positions within their own organizations or open for contract opportunities, not just given to a staff member that knows how to use technology.

I was also lucky enough to tour Camp Ripley, where we learned about the unique conservation practices. Our lovely tour guides on the bus were Emilee Nelson from The Conservation Fund and Kayli Overland from The Nature Conservancy. This group was only ten people, so it was an excellent chance to listen and learn more about a smaller national guard’s base role in our forest community. Most military installations across the USA have conserved some of our last remaining prairies and endangered species. These forests used to be owned by an industrial forest company. They are now protected and open to the public. Forestview Middle School uses parts of the forest as an outdoor classroom yearly. The Department of Defense partnered with state, local, and nonprofits to protect the lands and has funneled over $40 million to preserve the buffer area around Camp Ripley. Private landowners also protect their lands to protect the mission of Camp Ripley. The building we walked into on base was the “Martin J. Skoglund Environmental Classroom”. Preserved animals surrounded me and the first thing I noticed was the hundreds of birds on the wall and I started to identify them. They also had mammals around the classroom that were well preserved. We sat down and heard Jake Kitzman, Camp Ripley Natural Resources Manager and Katie Retka, Minnesota Department of Military Affairs Senior Planner, talk about how the base is state owned on government property, but primarily operated for conservation. The 53,000 acres is divided into conservation easements and parcels used for various purposes by the base mission needs.

We then went out to the City of Baxter Mississippi Overlook and heard from Josh Doty, the Community Development Director of the City of Baxter and Kent Montgomery, Kimberly Scheffler, and Megan Tritz of Central Lakes College. We had lunch by the river and listened to the Baxter parks and trails plan. The vision is, “Mississippi River Overlook Park will provide high-quality, non-motorized recreational and educational amenities while preserving and restoring high biodiversity forests, wetlands and riparian areas.” This area is considered a sentinel landscape. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Department of Defense (DoD), and Department of the Interior (DOI) define sentinel landscapes as areas in which natural and working lands are well suited to protect defense facilities from land use that is incompatible with the military’s mission. I want to recreate in this area, knowing it is now public and beautiful in the fall especially. A planned project in the area is the “Camp Ripley Veterans State Trail” which would go directly through the middle of the conserved property areas. We walked through some of the trails in the overlook area and the trees were colorful under the fall landscape. We were all happy to be out on this tour after three live days within our congress hotel location.

Read more here about the Women’s Forest Congress event: https://womensforestcongress.org/2022-congress/

#talkingforests #peopleofforestry #forestry #forestproud #trees #forests #ittakesaforest #conservation #ecology #womeninwood #womeninscience #womeninforestry #womenintimber

2022 Women’s Forest Congress Experience and Camp Ripley Tour was originally published in Talking About Forests and Building With Wood on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

A child of the city says they are tired of grey! They want to see green!! What is green and renewable? A tree, to be exact. This child’s dream is to lay under a full tree canopy and look up at the leaves rustling in the wind. Children are different from adults, they excitedly choose a spot right outside their bedroom window! The child starts getting more excited visualizing the tree…wait… “I do not even know where I could get a tree!” remembered the child. “I want to plant a tree and the place I was going to plant is where our garbage bin goes!” The child realized they needed to learn a bit about tree planting.

We should zoom out because it is a bigger picture than just planting a tree.

But really, why do you care? Well, trees sustain life! Without forests full of trees, life would not exist. Forests are surprisingly huge regulators of our water and carbon. Do you remember the water cycle of our younger education? Water goes from the ground, into the air, clouds, then back to the ground as rain! Forests regulate the air we breathe. The carbon cycle is essential to the Earth. Also known as carbon sequestration, trees make their own food through the process of photosynthesis, and then carbon is stored in the leaves by 1%, trunks and branches by 40% carbon, and tree roots by 14% of carbon, soil and organic matter by 45%. During this process, large woody debris, root and cell respiration and death cause carbon to be released back into the atmosphere. Then, sustainable forest harvest makes the frames and sides of our homes, boards for buildings, wooden signs, fence posts, and more. We call this list of things the forest provides also known as ecosystem services and the entire supply chain makes this possible.

These ecosystem services mean so much to Earth, and we have committed to planting one trillion trees. Tree planting has grown from a local priority to a national focus and global effort! Stars and YouTubers have come together in massive action with the #teamtrees campaign. The stars raised 20 million dollars!

Everyone is enabled to plant a tree. But, like the beginning of our story, it takes more than a wish. Instead of a wish, it needs to be a conscious choice. The choice must be to fund those involved in professions to carry out the entire circular process from seedling to forest. The USA is more fragmented than ever, contributing to issues like climate change and wildlife habitat loss. Keeping habitat and improving it, including our forests, is a solution. Forests and products significantly and diversely contribute to people’s everyday lives. As populations change and adapt over time, so do forests. As stated on the #forestproud Reconnecting People and Forests webpage “As #forestproud community members, it’s our responsibility to be part of the solution to sustain and improve the health of our environment. When reconnecting people and forests, a stronger relationship is made between essential forest benefits and products and those that use them everyday.”

Tree planting involves site prep, species selection, growing tree seedlings, planting, watering within the first year or more, etc. It is not a short-term concept. There are many logistics to tree planting and keeping the tree alive. Past fundraising has been limited and not always thoroughly thought through. It has been a learning opportunity. Attention must expand from just putting a tree seedling in the ground to the effort necessary to save the planet with trees in infrastructure and planning.

Support efforts that look at the entire cycle. Take action. Everyone can be involved in tree planting. There are local trees being planted for this mission in your area. You can donate to organizations. Longstanding organizations plant trees and plan for the entire tree life cycle, such as Michigan ReLeaf has been doing thisfor 34 years. Even the largest organizations are learning to expand their idea of tree planting to fully encompassing. Known organization, One Tree Planted has raised tens of millions toward planting trees and has grown to one of the most prominent tree planting funding organizations globally. In past projects, they had only funded acquiring tree seedlings. Admirably, they are growing and expanding to fund the entire tree planting cycles we’ve mentioned. This giant organization is looking to fund tree planting efforts across the country. As you’re reading, know there is a place for you to contribute in a way that fits you!

The tree planting cycle and effort also requires skill, labor, and expertise from a multifaceted approach of many other experts in the community. Potential career pursuits could be as a forester, engineer, GIS specialists, arborists, ecologists, geologists, volunteers, wildland firefighters, students, and more. Talking Forests is a communications and marketing agency in the forest sector, a new path has been forged for you. Anyone can create their own path in the forest sector.

As Talking Forests, we stand to be a voice for these trees and share it widely. Trees do beautiful work in their forest. We take that message to where the people are, online. Our media consulting cares for the trees by giving others a voice to talk openly about it. Our clients align with the same care for the trees. The growing community of Talking Forests helps us be on point for websites, branding, social media platforms, speaking, podcasting, and content spread far and wide.

An article called Mass tree planting: how to do it right came out that helps us understand the bigger picture. “A common problem, though, is that restoration projects have limited success in reaching their desired outcomes. For example, the trees planted often do not survive because they have been poorly chosen.” And “The current situation is that non-native tree species end up being planted.” From the planning to how the seedlings will look, to after being planted to the succession of the tree stand, and growing maturity.

Things people need to think about for the long-term planting of trees are:

Picking Trees that Survive the Planting: Regeneration and restoration is essential. Choosing the trees based on climate, location, quality of the soil, and South or North facing slopes is a research science-based process that guarantees the survival of your tree seedlings. Determine your tree species and tree planting density best for the list above because site preparation is critical to planting trees efficiently.

Planting Trees at the Right Time and Location:

Once you have the suitable tree species for the climate and location, you need to plant trees when it is not flooding and a time after a fire that is optimal for species regeneration. It would help if you also considered the difference between obligate, upland, hot/cold, wet/dry locations to match the tree species with that location variable.

Surrounding vegetation is also essential to consider because we want some understory (the plants under the trees). We want diversity in some tree stands as well. Not only in vegetation, but also in wildlife. Consider this when you are working on the planning of your tree stands.

The trees are planted, what do we do now?

Tending to the Trees that Have Been Planted: Depending on the species you planted, you need to know the site, soil, and water quality. Deer and Elk browsing in some regions are very hard to work around and some trees need protection against that, so we cover the trees with tubes to get them to have a greater survival chance. For water areas, there will be a buffer (trees that you cannot cut down) placed to preserve the aquatic species and prevent soil erosion on the banks of the water source.

Tree Planting Density: Something that can happen is that the tree planting density is too many Trees per Acre (TPA) and you will need to come in and thin the tree to have the best chance of growing trees. Tree planting density changes per region and is based on tree species and needs during the planning sessions. Density is important because some tree stands are planted with many trees so that they will grow up straight, but some tree stands are underplanted and the trees grow too thick. Trees grow upward to compete for light.

Trees Growing to Maturity: The growth rate of trees depends on so many factors. The first 15 years of a seedling’s life is critical for growth. Trees take time to grow and you have to think of this succession rate while picking out a species to plant. Conditions such as weather like wind and rain can affect the growth rate of your trees. The tree seedlings that you picked out earlier aren’t going to all survive and we make up for this by going through the scientific and visual process to grow optimal trees for different goals. Going back into this tree stand that you planted and working to thin trees out will help the trees grow better and host a variety of wildlife species.

When planning forest futures, the decisions we make today have a far-reaching impact and most people do not see the fruits of their labor until 50- years later when the tree stand is mature. So you must plant trees to manage them for the long-term because the seedlings won’t survive, literally.

#forestmanagement #forestry #forester #trees #treeplanting #futureofforestry #forestrytools #forest #trees #technology #drones #seedlings

Tree Planting Should Be a Conscious Choice was originally published in Talking About Forests and Building With Wood on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We walked through a mile or more of woods, trees, and wooden walkways in the Bavarian National Forest also known as Baumwipfelpfad den Bayerischen Wald. These Tree Towers are closed at the moment due to COVID19 restrictions at the moment, but when they open, they will be worth a visit!

On the EAK website, they say that “the Treetop Walk meanders through the beech trees, firs and spruces of the mixed mountain forest, past numerous learning and activity stations.” This is exactly what we experienced, we even experienced real red squirrels in our path this time!

But wait, there is more…

The Fall landscape of the Bavarian National Forest did not disappoint Talking Forests, we dreamed about this landscape our entire lives. Some compared it to the stateside upstate New York landscape, do you agree?

What is the best part?

You can experience nature from above with anyone in your family. They have nearby café’s and restaurants and quaint hotels to meet your needs in the village of Neuschönau. The foothills of the Bavarian National Forest do not disappoint.

“Eight treetop trails including complementary facilities were built with a total investment of about 44 million euros in the Bavarian Forest National Park, in Lipno (joint venture), Rügen, in the Black Forest, on the Saarschleife, in the Czech Giant Mountains (Joint Venture), in Slovakia (Joint venture — Bachledka, High Tatras) and built in July 2018 in the Salzkammergut am Traunsee (AT).”-Erlebnis Akademie AG

Checkout our Medium publication “Discovering Treetop Walkways in Europe” where we have articles about wooden treetop towers in Saarschleife, Germany, Salzkammergut, Austria, Krkonoše, Czech Republic, Rügen, Germany, and Bavarian Forest National Park.

#greenarchitecture #greenbuilding #greendesign #architecture #masstimber #woodarchitecture #woodbuilding #timber #glulam #sustainable #sustainability #sustainabledesign #tallwoodbuildings #crosslaminatedtimber #woodrise #marketing #blogger #forestproud

@baumwipfelpfadsaarschleife @baumwipfelpfad_bayerischerwald @baumwipfelpfad_schwarzwald @stezkakorunamistromukrkonose⠀

Treetop Walkway in Bavarian National Forest was originally published in Discovering Treetop Walkways in Europe on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Photos and Writing Authored by Talking Forests

Baumwipfelpfad Naturerbe Zentrum Ruegen on the island of Rügen was a spiral wooden walk worth taking for the views from the bottom of the forest floor to the tree canopy to the views of the water at the top of the tower.

What is the best part?

Rügen is the largest island in Germany in the Baltic Sea. This tree tower had a tree in the middle with 360-degree views of the water at the top.

But wait, there is more…

This tree tower did not get Eagle’s Nest as a nickname for fun, it is a human-sized Eagle Nest in the middle of an Island!

The tree tower is 40 meters tall and was built around a 30-meter-tall Copper Beech Tree. The sunlight comes through the wooden spirals and shines through the photosynthesizing leaves of the beech.

You will not get bored here…

There are children activities all through the tower and what we thought was most interesting in this tower was the bird educational domes on the way up. A bird was featured on each layer of the tower, and you could read up on what the bird was in many languages and they replicated what that specific bird’s nest would look like.

We had a great time on the beach, boardwalk, and eating seafood at local restaurants. A vacation to remember for all members of your family!

“Eight treetop trails including complementary facilities were built with a total investment of about 44 million euros in the Bavarian Forest National Park, in Lipno (joint venture), Rügen, in the Black Forest, on the Saarschleife, in the Czech Giant Mountains (Joint Venture), in Slovakia (Joint venture — Bachledka, High Tatras) and built in July 2018 in the Salzkammergut am Traunsee (AT).”-Erlebnis Akademie AG

Checkout our Medium publication “Discovering Treetop Walkways in Europe” where we have articles about wooden treetop towers in Saarschleife, Germany, Salzkammergut, Austria, and Krkonoše, Czech Republic.

#greenarchitecture #greenbuilding #greendesign #architecture #masstimber #woodarchitecture #woodbuilding #timber #glulam #sustainable #sustainability #sustainabledesign #tallwoodbuildings #crosslaminatedtimber #woodrise #marketing #blogger #forestproud

Treetop Walkway in Rügen, Germany was originally published in Discovering Treetop Walkways in Europe on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Baumwipfelpfad Saarschleife is a wooden tree tower walk in the Saarland region of Germany located on a unique bend of the Saar river. “Saarland is a forested, southwestern German bordered by France and Luxembourg.” I started the journey first thing in the morning and was surprised with an empty parking lot, but noticed some trail walkers. You pass under the tree top wooden bridge walk as you walk to the wonderful wooden buildings that house this wonderful administration of people who come together to provide the best experience for visitors.

What is the best part?

The smell of the trees and they even had some Douglas-fir which I was raised in, Western, WA. The education stops along the way were so nice and in different languages as well. You are walking on wood and even have little stops and jungle gyms to enjoy on your way up. This is a wheelchair accessible recreation activity to boot!

Once you see the tower, you feel your heart jump. It is a marvelous feat to build with strength and dignity. Once you start to walk up into the tower, you can still get 360 degree views no matter where you are in the tower. The river was marvelous and made for some nice shots on the way up. The design and woodwork that went into this structure are thoughtful.

Where can you visit these tree towers?

Bavaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, and the newest one just opened in 2018 in Austria!

“Eight treetop trails including complementary facilities were built with a total investment of about 44 million euros in the Bavarian Forest National Park, in Lipno (joint venture), Rügen, in the Black Forest, on the Saarschleife, in the Czech Giant Mountains (Joint Venture), in Slovakia (Joint venture — Bachledka, High Tatras) and built in July 2018 in the Salzkammergut am Traunsee (AT).”-Erlebnis Akademie AG Check out the website for all the tree top walks here: https://www.eak-ag.de/eakag/ueber-uns/baumwipfelpfade/

What is Baumwipfelpfad Saarschleife made of?

Nine laminated timber beams that are in a semicircle shape. The tree tower is 47 meters high and the top of the tower has a viewing deck of 70 meters2.

I am happy to start visiting these wooden wonders and bring you a virtual view of them.

It was a bit windy that day and I was wearing my women in wood t-shirt!

If you would like me to see any wooden wonders in Europe, just let me know and I will go and document them for you!

Also, for more information on women in wood check out the website: www.womeninwood.ca

#buildwithwood #timber #building #wood #material #architecture #usewood #woodisgood #woodbuilding #woodconstruction #laminatedtimber #sustainability #woodenarchitecture #highrisebuilding #tallwoodbuildings #crosslaminatedtimber #woodrise #marketing #blogger #forestproud

Treetop Walkway in Saarschleife, Germany was originally published in Discovering Treetop Walkways in Europe on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Our Austrian adventure was amazing with wood as the theme all week. The main event was when we visited Baumwipfelpfad Salzkammergut which translates to Treetop Walk Salzkammergut, truly an Austrian Wooden Wonder.

The start of our trip was in a wooden hut in a remote region of Austria in the village of Scharnstein. “Scharnstein is a municipality in the district of Gmunden in the Austrian state of Upper Austria.”

As we drove back and forth to see parts of the Gmunden tourist activities, we drove past an elementary school made of wood. Image more of these being built in places across the world, it can be done. The health benefits of staying in a wooden building are tremendous and calming.

Treetop Walk Salzkammergut is in a remote region of the beautiful region of Gmunden. “It is much frequented as a health and summer resort, and has a variety of lake, brine, vegetable and pine-cone baths, a hydropathic establishment, inhalation chambers, whey cure, etc. It is also an important centre of the salt industry in Salzkammergut.”

In order to get up to the treetop walk, you park at the bottom and ride the gondola up to the top! The ride up was breathtaking and we had clear sky to see far and wide.

What was the best part?

The views from the top were incredible. Walking through (bathing) in trees on a wooden walkway up to the top was an experience you do not want to miss.

A surprise in the wooden tower?

Yes, they had a slide open for people to slide down and enjoy time in nature.

Our last tree tower blog mentioned this one in Austria and it just opened in 2018.

The Austrian tree top walk is 21 meters tall or 69 feet! “The walk and observation tower are designed to be accessible and family-friendly.” A must see on your bucket list in Austria.

They have 9 of these built across Europe. To see more of these amazing wooden wonder towers go to this website: https://www.eak-ag.de/eakag/ueber-uns/baumwipfelpfade/

#timberconstruction #masstimber #woodarchitecture #woodbuilding #woodwork #timber #wood #buildwithwood #tallwoodbuildings #crosslaminatedtimber #building #marketing #blogger #forestproud

Treetop Walkway in Salzkammergut, Austria was originally published in Discovering Treetop Walkways in Europe on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

We embarked on a road trip through Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic over new years and were really excited to go see another treetop walkway. Each one is unique like the ones we have already visited in Austria, the Treetop Walk Salzkammergut and in Germany the Treetop Walk Saarschleife.

We are documenting the nine Treetop Towers that are built in Europe and are excited that Erlebnis Akademie AG announced that they will signed a lease to start building the first one in North America in Canada!

Krkonoše National Park was a beautiful place to drive through on new years eve. A remote area with rolling hills. The Treetop Tower stretches up to 45 meters tall. “The trail with a total length of over 1500 m will take you through a diverse forest, where you will find many surprises and new things to learn.” Read about the specifications more here: https://www.stezkakrkonose.cz/en/about-trail.

Walk among giant trees? We would say average in size from experience.

The website above states that they have giant trees that are about 150 years old, but we are from the West Coast of Washington State and have giant trees so the trees in this national park looked beautifully average to us.

We were surprised by the interactive story told in the bottom of this tree tower of the science of tree root systems!

As we climbed to the top of the tower, the sun was setting and looking beautiful over the snow-capped mountainside full of evergreen trees. What a beautiful scene.

Some of the interactive things here are a slide for anyone to enjoy but ask for Czech cash to pay for the ride before you go up into the tower. The other interactions are free and educational along the way. A unique bird clock was chirping at the top.

We descended into the gift shop and eatery with local foods. Overall, a great place to take your family and enjoy nature in the treetops.

We plan to continue documenting these Treetop Towers in Europe through 2020 so come back or stay tuned on our website www.talkingforests.com.

To see more of these amazing wooden wonder towers go to this website: https://www.eak-ag.de/eakag/ueber-uns/baumwipfelpfade/

#timberconstruction #timberengineering #timberarchitecture #woodarchitecture #woodbuilding #woodwork #timber #wood #buildwithwood #tallwoodbuildings #crosslaminatedtimber #building #marketing #blogger #forestproud

Treetop Walkway in Krkonoše, Czech Republic was originally published in Discovering Treetop Walkways in Europe on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.