Into the Maltatal, The Valley of the Malta

We left quite early in the morning and drove into the Maltatal, a valley in the High Tauern mountain range of the Central Eastern Alps.
By car, after two hours on the highway, we reached  a tortuous drive, featuring more curves and hairpin turns than you can count, we finally arrived at the the "Kölnbrein Dam" at a level of 6,342 feet ( 1,933 meters)
The valley was famous for its many picturesque waterfalls. Only three or four are left today, the rest having been diverted to add to the river Malta and supply sufficient water for the man-made lake.

(above) 

Three of the waterfalls tumbling into the Valley of the Malta.

The Kölnbrein Dam and behind, the Ankogel Group.

Downriver from the main Dam, a small lake forms due to a secondary Dam

of lesser proportions.

Another view of the Kölnbrain,

 with the Hotel in mid right.

There are a large number of hiking trails 

and many intrepid wanderers

use this as their headquarters for several daylong excursion.