We woke up to a Mackerel sky and the promise of good weather. It was also a
moving day - we were to leave Trins and move to a different apartment in
Sellrain for the rest of the week. So everything got packed up and moved
downstairs in the usual time it took us to get ready. After yesterday’s long
walk-in we chose a route where we were fairly certain that we could ski from
close if not at the car park. So we had settled on Sattleberg - just up the
Brenner valley at Gries parking under the Brenner pass autobahn.
We packed all our belongings in the car and drove around the entrance to the
next valley south, near Gries am Brenner. We parked directly under the autobahn
viaduct and were in the car park for 8:30 - although I did have to descend to
the entrance off the Obernberg road to pick up a ticket as the only machine - 3
Euro - was located there (an extra 30m high gain for the day!). There were a few
clouds floating around that would soon be seen off by the rising sun.
The route up started just over the fields from where we parked, and the sun was
just starting to appear over the trees ahead as we started the climb. We were
lucky that the route was so often used and also the Sattelbergalm people ran a
basher over it on a regular basis. This kept the snow although it was a little
sparse in the lower section over the fields to a tree barrier.
The snow was rock hard and icy, but dry enough to easily skin up.
Through the tree band and into a second meadow that stretched up to another tree
barrier. This time there were less bare patches but still there was only a
limited route choice available.
Through the second barrier and another meadow, this time under pylons that we
would follow all the way up to the Sattlebergalm.
This was a long stretch of snow following the clearing under the power lines.
The snow depth increased as we climbed. The snow was still hard and icy with
frozen debris all over kicked up by the tourers from yesterday.
The slope eased as it turned over an edge towards the plateau holding the
Sattelbergalm. Behind us were views down to the autobahn, and the village of
Gries.
We arrived at the Sattlebergalm in good time and looked across to the next slope
(at right angles to our initial climb). We had to avoid a vehicle track, then
onto the wide swath above.
This was an old ski station and the route up followed the various piste tracks,
and at this point we chose to take the longer way around, avoiding the steep,
moguled field ahead and curved around to the left - still an old piste by less
steep.
The side route was only just better on hard packed snow.
Into the top meadows or open landscape as the trees pulled back we could see
the cross on the top.
The slope had eased up slightly and we continued up the hard packed snow.
As we got higher the track became much more icy and packed down from the
numerous descents and we had to navigate a route over the more grippier roughed
up sections.
The final part up the summit dome was the most affected by the smooth packed
surface and we had to be careful to find a route where there was grip (or result
to ski crampons).
Steph led off and reached the cross where two earlier tourers were eating and
chatting loudly. We dropped the skis and went for a wander around to get the
best views into Italy then moved again to see along the Obernberg valley, as
well as going to the highest point.
The 360 degree views from the top - North back towards Inssbruck and south into
Italy.
A view along the boundary ridge.
Looking down into the Brenner valley and the line of the autobahn. Then a
view with Grubenkopf just sticking up between other peaks (although not our
high point from our visit two days ago).
Finally after much photo taking we sat down on a bench near the cross for
refreshments.
A lone tourer arrived as we prepared to leave, and immediately set about
changing his clothes - it seems to be the done thing this year! Ready for the
descent we skated across the hard ice at the top onto a more crustier surface
down the north face.
This had parts that were very spring snow like and then you would break through
and need to jump out to turn, however it had not been skied as much as the
normal route so was less piste-like.
After a couple of bowls we traversed across to get back to the normal descent,
then followed our way up back down to the Sattlebergalm. This was just like
being on a piste. I avoided the steep mogul field as it had not had much sun and
was very hard and packed, however the side loop was not much better.
We scooted through the narrow passage onto the route under the power lines,
and more of the hard packed snow down to the second tree barrier, however as
we got lower this became softer.
Through the trees and onto the more patchy meadow below - this required
following a tight route that was the only continuous line left down to the next
tree barrier. This was much slushier.
The final section down to the farm house above the car park was just a single narrow band, but it was continuous although melting fast - tomorrow people will have to walk further up the track to reach the end of the snow.
Back at the car we dried everything off and cleaned the mud from the bottom of the boots (as a result of walking over the field after the snow ended).
Everything drier we jumped into the car and drove down the side road to the outskirts of Innsbruck to avoid the toll on the Brenner Pass motorway, then followed the main Inntal motorway (our ausweis was still valid for a few more days from when we arrived - we had purchased 10 days not knowing how many we would actually need.). Then up the Kuhtai road, past Axams, to Sellrain.
Our new apartment was on the north side of the valley looking down on the town.
