Altausseer See is a 2 km long glacier-carved lake south of the Loser +plateau. Its north shore lies on a significant fault which marks the +SE boundary of the block of limestone of which Loser is made. A number +of small resurgences feed the lake, but in dry weather none of those +above the surface carry anything other than very local drainage.
+ +Within the lake are a number of underwater +resurgences. These appear to lie on the fault itself, and explain +why the deepest points of certain caves coincide with the level of +Altausseer See at 712m above sea level.
+ +In much wetter weather, water emerges from flood risings on the north shore +or much higher on the hillside. The closest to the lake, Wasserlöcher, is associated with a +significant cave, Liägerhöhle. Another major stream +course enters the lake further west, near some boat houses and places or +refreshment at the end of the motorable road. This is normally dry, but +apparently carries huge volumes of flood water from risings at about 1080m in +Kiler Lahn, a steep gully. We know of no documented caves in this gully, +which is in a rather inaccessible position.
+ +To the northeast of the lake, ("behind" it, as seen from the village of +Altaussee) a glacier-carved valley rises to the pass of Hochklapf Sattel. A +steep path can be followed up through woodland to join the Stögerweg path from the Stellerweghöhle area, which continues NE +to Wildensee. There are a few caves west of this +path, below the cliffs of Weiße Wand.
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