The day was promised to be clear and sunny .. there were a few clouds around, but generally it was accurate.
We carried the skis up to the car park and followed the frequently used start again from this location ... only much less snow,
We were also taking crampons and ice axes for the top section.
The entry to the track up the valley was only just still ski-able, by this afternoon the snow would have all gone.
Up to the meadows was also thin but still viable on skis
In the far distance was the head of the valley and the route from yesterday ... on the slopes it was possible to see the avalanche debris that had come down during the day.
We cut up to the left along the skinning track heading up to the break in the woods.
This followed up to the obvious break in the woods, however the skin track had been cut up by snow shoes, and later on there would be boot holes. All this made the grip a little bit problematic and less predicable.
The track cut left rather than up the break to the right, and followed the summer trail.
We followed this trail as it merged into the trees.
Deeper into the trees
The track reached the left edge of the woods against a stream cut and it got steep with a number of zigzags, before breaking out into a view point looking down to the reservoir.
The tough section in the woods continued above this where the path meandered around.
This track eventually broke out near Alpilaalpe - a collection of buildings ... all closed up and under snow ... we had survived the trees and now had the open slopes in a series of ridges and bowls.
We moved to the right of the buildings and then made a rising traverse around the bowl to get onto the first of the ridge lines ... all the good tracks broke up by snowshoes and also some with just boots .. Must be a nightmare in the soft snow.
Here it turned slightly right and continued on the ridge-line ...
eventually coming out into the bowl at the top leading to the col.
This had several steps, with the avalanche debris, the very broken up tracks from the variety of methods of climbing up, and the hard icy surface with a sprinkling of loose snow on top.
The final slope to the col.
The col was wide and sheltered from the wind,
The view to the east, and the west
From here we could see the early party struggling to get up the final rocky top, took the chicken card and stayed on the col ... food and drink before we started the descent ..
The top section was nice and firm, we could ski without any major problems, and built up some false confidence.
The snow soon got very heavy and exceedingly sticky... we dropped over the ascent ridge into the northern bowl to try and find something more solid. This succeeded for a short while but then we needed to start survival skiing with long traverses and no more side-slips.
Crossing over the ridge once more to head to the Alpilaalpe buildings. the kegs were really suffering at this point and it helped justify missing on the dodgy climb to the summit.
From here rather than go down through the woods, we took a route which cut north in the direction to Grabs ... interesting Rat-track.
the track narrowed in sections where the snow had drifted ... causing a nervous moment where control was difficult.
Just to add to the interest there was an avalanche debris path across the track
This then lead back into the woods, and calmed down more
Coming out at the top of the old ski slope above Grabs .. good soft snow skiing down to the village ... this was so much better than higher up, and we both had a much happier time
This passed the farm house we had sheltered in last time several days ago
We dropped down to the same track to follow the return to the village below.
then back down the same track we had taken several days ago... cutting across to the Lindauer hut piste at the bottom. This involved picking an unlikely path behind some of the buildings and through a wild rose bush, rather than drop down to the saw mill as last time - this was because we did not believe there was enough snow to make it this way.
The snow had retreated even further than when we set out this morning ... so we had a longer walk back to the chalet.
there, very tired, we settled int he sun to bask at the route which held up to all its promise.
