Description

To the E lay the large mountain mass of the Stubai.

It was hard to know how far we would be able to get into or through it.

It was tempting to head towards the Hildisheimer Hut up the main valley but that looked as though it would end up in the same location, to no advantage. Our chosen route was SW facing, so, given the particularly the snowless winter this meant a chunky ski portage up footpaths.

But passing cute deserted hamlets and completely alone with the smell of spring flowers, it was a joy after the dubious bussle of a large ski resort, where we had spent the night.

The route took a cunning line, neatly flanking some steep terrain to pass just under the impressively located Hochstubai Hut at 3174m.

One col and two glaciers later we got to the edge of the large and impressive Stubai lift system, just under the Hinterer Daunkopf.

It sometimes seems a shame, to enter a lift system, thereby not getting the best untouched snow for the descent.

But on this occasion, with no snowfall for weeks, we were glad of the certainty of a nice white line taking us all the way to the valley floor without interruption. And so our weeks journey ended, another big chunk off the Mediterranean to Vienna TransAlp, 210km this week.

Not the most glamorous destination this week into the enormous ski are car park, but it was to this exact spot we returned in 2023 for the next installment!