SchlickerAlm from Fulpmes, Austria

Waking up the weather was worse than yesterday ...  the cloud right down in the valley - and the webcams were showing it to be just the same throughout the local ski areas. So today was a one for the local area and the edge of the piste.

Setting off relatively early we were at the bottom of the piste before most of the customers had arrived. We were on our own for a good period of the initial climb up to the first station.

The route follows the local roads through the forest, so is not steep and only a few hairpins .  as we got  higher the clouds got heavier and the visibility closed down, and it was the sound of the mid station working that indicated it was near before anything was visible.

The visibility was now very close, and it was difficult to understand what was around and how to make the best ascent route..  were there better lines, or just to follow the edge of the piste.  Once you came to junctions choice was more a guess.

once past the mid-station we continued into the depths of the valley, as we got higher the cloud thinned and developed into better visibility...  this was just a horizontal break in the clouds there were layers above and below.

 

Out of the mist came the Schlicher Alm ... a  mountain hut, but very much a feeding place for the piste skiers. the wind was now starting to make its presence felt. This was just the motivation we needed to have a break and make this the high point.

The descent was very fast and essentially back down the ascent route.   soon at the bottom it was time to walk back to Doug's shack.

The most of a bad day. but very memorable.

Trip Track

The route tracks from A-Trip

Dresdner Hutte from Stubai Glacier Resort carpark, Austria

Day 1 of the 2013 Easter trip ..  this year to Austria and starting in the Stubai at Flupmes.  We arrived at "Doug's Mountain Getaway" very late on (Good) Friday night and other than grab some food we went to bed. The weather was not good and the forecast was for more of the same..  So it was not a surprise to wake up the the next day and find cloud in the valley. We were determined to get out and explore a little and brush the cobwebs away.. but by the time everything was sorted and organised we were not the earliest starters!

We opted to go to the end of the valley and see what could be found at the Stubai glacier... this was higher than the local resort at Fulpmes (Schlict) but also there was a chance (as we later found out a real chance) that the glacier was above and out of the clouds. Not to-day though. the aim was to do a bit if uphill work followed by some gentle return on the piste.

 The end of the valley is a large set of car parks, leading to the lift station and the valley below the glacier proper.

Following up the side of the parking areas and the return pistes we came to the valley ..  straight up or around the piste? .. not having read the map correctly we assumed they both met in the clouds ..  not realizing this was not at the hut.

Looking down to the bottom station

Looking up to the valley head

 We set off straight up the valley under the lift pylons. And effectively following the right hand side looking upwards

 As we got higher  the slope got a little steeper, and for the first time we met, what would become common this trip,  the snow half consolidated with a sprinkling of fresh on top of a more solid base. this did not make for good cohesion with the skins.

 After an epic - for a first day after the remainder of the year behind a desk - battle against the slope (two steps up one back). we crested the lip to see the hutte appearing out of the fog. Larger than expected, and more like a hotel - which is probably what it is, in reality.

Behind the hotel the bowl rose on all sides and we realized than if we had taken the piste we would be  200m higher to the right, so not really an option for descent as planned.

So hiding out of the snow, which was now falling in larger and larger amounts, in an unused "buvette"  we had a quick bite to eat an readied for the descent - down the way we came up  ...  straight onto steep(ish) off piste.  What a wake up!


No real scares on the descent, apart from the flat light, and soon back at the car and return to "Dougs"

Trip track

The trace for the route can be found on a-trip

2013 Spring Ski Tour, Austria

2013 ski trip with Bryon...  Austria this year. Given that this was Easter weekend and we were travelling a bit further we had to alter the normal travelling routine. We also pre-booked the first few days into a B&B establishment in Fulpmes close to the Stubai area. We had searched on-line and found a likely looking place - Doug's Mountain Getaway. Not a half board place, but close to lots of places to eat.
We took a late ferry over to Dunkirk, and stayed in the local F1, arriving at 1am or so it was to be a short night, with a 7am rise. Setting off, sat nav set for our destination.
2 hours on 2 hours off, and towards 8pm we were searching the back streets of Fulpmes for the chalet.
Welcomed by Doug, we had a great twin room with balcony. Not sure we would use half the facilities, but this was just like a bachelor pad in extremis.

All ready for tomorrow and the beginning of this year...

Trip Time Line

	|
	|	Arrive Fulpmes
Dresdner Hut	|
	|	Schlicker Alm
Grubenkopf	|
	|	Satelberg
Reconnaissance Day	|
	|	GammerSpitze
Hoher Napf	|
	|	Move to Galtur
Silva Park	|
	|	Bielehohe
Silva Park2	|
	|	Bleispitze
Go Home	|