Another clear morning, and we were due to change apartments, so first thing was
to pack the car with all our stuff, then after yesterday's recce proved that
there is not a lot of low lying snow (especially Eastwards) so we chose to go
back to Spitzingsee ... this time to climb up Roßkopf using the forest roads and
clearings, then back down the piste.
We arrived at the ski station, and it wanted 15 Euro for a days parking so we
retreated down the road to the next car park as this only wanted 10 Euros. we
got ready and walked back up a track beside the road. In retrospect we could
have parked in the same place as yesterday, and walked up through the village -
this would have saved a ski down at the start as well as a move through the
crowds.
In the ski station we made use of the facilities (after paying for parking it
seemed only fair) before walking to the edge of the ski area. This route would
take us down the first piste to its end at a T bar lift, before turning uphill
into the trees.
At the end of the piste we continued down a walking track to the cross country
ski area - a higher path did not have continuous snow.
Time to put the skins on and begin the climb. We continued down the side of the
cross country ski area, to a valley coming down to this flatter area.
The route could go up either the forest track or the closed black run. We chose
the black run down as the track did not have many ski trails on it and we hoped
the snow was more consistent on this trail.
This started up the right hand side of the valley and curved away, initially
quite steep (but not like yesterday) then at the top of the first rise we met
the initial bare patch. We took the skis off and walked up the frozen turf to
the next snow covered section.
Back on the skis following the white trail of the piste run, up and around a
corner before climbing steeply once again.
The trail led into a bowl and looking up showed a patchwork of snow and grass.
The party before us had looked around the corner of the trees ahead and turned
left. There was the faint line of the forest track cutting through the trees
above from the left, and this looked to avoid the steep grass slope ahead.
We cut back left aiming for a shallower bowl leading up to the track ---
this had curved away left and was now returning above us. However we did have a
couple of small streams to cross on the way over.
Through the gap in the trees and around the bowl beyond, climbing to the faint
line of the track.
Reaching the track after the traverse was complete and a gentler route back.
We followed the track around, only to find another bare patch - luckily only 20
meters or so before it returned to snow covered and we continued .. now on this
flatter trajectory above the patchwork slope.
The track continued around climbing slightly to a meadow with some barns in it.
We had been warned by a skier descending that the snow on the righthand side of
the bowl to the summit was not good and that we should go up the left....
this would prove to be stretching it a little. We would find out later that the
right-hand side was a gentler climb and although it was missing some snow it was
generally workable. Our side was steeper, and shorter, however was softened by
the morning sun and we had to climb up in corn snow. this proved hard work.
We left the track and climbed the harvested slope through a final line of trees
to the bowl above.
We crossed over tot eh bottom of the bowl, following a number of tracks ( both
up and down).
The obvious line looked to stay on the left crest, however as we approached the
steeper slope the snow was very soft and crumbly, so we continued across the
slope following tracks made by the parties before us.
Across on the right hand side we did several zigzags, climbing higher
Before working back over the slope and above the trees coming ion from the
left.
Coming out on the summit ridge it was just a short walk to the cross, a flatter
and out of the softer snow, following edge of snow/ grass.
We installed our selves on a wobbly bench.
Into Austria
Into Germany
Pictures and lunch completed we prepared for the descent ... not without a few
territory pressures from others! We dropped down to the pistes on the col then
down where we passed two very young children skinning up with their parents -
I never knew that touring bindings were avaialble for such small sizes!
Down
a steep and scoured black slope.
This dropped down to the red... which changed to a huge mogul field
where the sun soften snow had disintegrated the preparation - it was really
great to ski for us, but not the piste goers.
Following the red back down to the valley station we had started at - making sure we did not continue down the piste we had started on in the morning. A short
walk down the road to the car and away to our new apartment.
Our new apartment in Kufstein - just over the border in Austria - needed us to pick up the keys from a hotel lobby - parking was all paid around the town and we had only just got to the actual block and explored this huge place, when we met our compatriots for this part of the stay. They came bearing gifts of beer as we prepared dinner.
