Down from the Alps: The Almabtrieb

The Almabtrieb is a traditional and festive event in Austria, held annually in October, marking the return of cows from the mountain pastures to their winter stalls in the valley. This event celebrates the hardworking farmers who spend the summer in remote alpine farms, where they care for their cows in often primitive conditions. The cows graze on steep fields, which are sometimes ski slopes in the winter. The event not only highlights the hard work of these farmers, who often struggle to find successors to continue this demanding way of life, but also offers a rare moment of celebration. During the Almabtrieb, cows are decorated with large bells and elaborate headpieces, sometimes weighing up to 18 kilograms. The animals then make their way down the mountain to the valley, accompanied by the farmer, their family, workers, and friends, all of whom walk alongside them. For my photo series, I joined Martin Kronthaler, a farmer from Reith im Alpbachtal, on October 1st. We walked 14 kilometers from Lueger Alm to Reith. The evening before the Almabtrieb, the cows were cleaned and the last celebration took place in the mountain barn, complete with music, dancing, and drinks. The next morning, we rose early for milking and to prepare the cows for their adornments. Thousands of tourists gathered in the valley to witness the procession as the cows paraded through the crowd before being led back to their winter stables. For the farmer, it was a moment of reunion with his family after a long, solitary summer in the mountains.