Friday, October 01, 2021
Thursday, August 12, 2021
Today's beauty
However, despite the sweat and the sore legs and the nervous moments, there was as always, much beauty along the way. Mountain hiking… nothing beats it.
The long way home
And it wasn't good… so much so, that I didn't think to take a photo. But it was all over 5 minutes later, when I stopped for this shot, looking down the valley I would descend (and descend, and descend… my destination was far round to the right behind the ridge).
What lies beyond?
The pièce de résistance… the trail goes up that peak, to the right at the top and then down the far side. At the moment I took the photo, I had no idea what "down the far side" would actually mean. But it didn't look good.
Nope, not going back...
Looking back to where I've come from. Zoom in to see the trail more clearly. Oof!
A hop, skip and a...
The trail at the top. Just a little drop of a mile or so to the right. I'm not very susceptible to vertigo, but I have to admit that I was not admiring the views as I was walking along this part of the trail. Instead, every now and then I'd stop, clutch a rock, and look out into the void.
Looking back
View back up valley to Pfelders. If you look very carefully, you can see the Stettiner Hütte (which I had lunch at yesterday) at the pass in the center of the photo.
Day 3 — Pfelders to Hochfirst
Well, that was a day. Off at 8, at the pass around 12:30, and reached Hochfirst at 16:15. Started at 1600m, topped out at 2780m, and dropped down to 1720m before climbing the last stretch to Hochfirst at 1850m. You'll see in the photos below how steep the morning climb was (hint: steepissimo), and then the walk down, although "only" 1060m, was interminable. Great weather though, and even better views.
I saw a half dozen other people on the trails in the morning… all of whom overtook me (sigh)… and no-one at all in the afternoon until I got to a hut about an hour from the end.
Photos follow.
I saw a half dozen other people on the trails in the morning… all of whom overtook me (sigh)… and no-one at all in the afternoon until I got to a hut about an hour from the end.
Photos follow.
Down, down, down
And now, looking forward down to the village of Pfelders (the last one you can see in the distance), where I spent the night. Note the exceptionally steep and twisty trail at the bottom of the photo… went down that, I did, and my legs were complaining bitterly by the time I got to the bottom. Still, compared to the three nutcases I passed pushing mountain bikes up the trail, I think I had it easy. A classic case of "It seemed like a good idea at the time…."
Eisjöchl Pass
The Eisjochl pass — 2880m. The building under construction is the new Stettiner / Petrarca Hütte, replacing the old one that was swept away in an avalanche a few years ago. I'm afraid to say that up close the new one is as ugly as sin… sort of fitting given the comfortless landscape in which it stands.
Looking back to the Eishof
View (from just before turning the corner to climb to the pass) back down the valley to the Eishof.
What lies ahead
Looking ahead to where I'm going to hike. Basically, up to the snow and then over a high pass to the left.
Day 2 — the Eishof to Pfelders
Now that's what I'm talking about! A much better day, despite having hardly slept a wink overnight probably due to altitude. Felt fairly strong, didn't bonk, did the hike as planned (over a 2880m pass), and arrived ahead of schedule.
Then I took a long nap, after that I had dinner, and after that I went to bed.
Weather still perfect. Trails in good shape.
Photos follow.
Then I took a long nap, after that I had dinner, and after that I went to bed.
Weather still perfect. Trails in good shape.
Photos follow.
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