After our original plan to do the Ortler Tour was derailed by heavy snowfall and resulting avalanche danger, we quickly regrouped and mapped out a new route.  With our combined experience in the mountains including guiding and Search and Rescue, we know better than to think we are immune to the dangers of the mountains. Luckily, being based out of Innsbruck, we are surrounded by gorgeous mountains with intimidating high peaks and massive (though rapidly diminishing) glaciers.  The Stubai Tal (Stubai Valley) was  perfect solution.

The first hut we climbed to was the Franz Senn Hütte. At the base of a huge glacier, the hut is surrounded by beautiful peaks. Aside from the dramatic surroundings, the hut itself was charming, warm, clean and full of friendly staff and other ski mountaineers. The surrounding valleys and peaks have everything from gentle outings to terrain that will challenge even the most seasoned mountaineers.  That is one amazing thing about the Alps.  Everything you read in the books and dream about as a ski mountaineer, you can find within a short distance of a trailhead. The equipment lists they describe in the books may look long and daunting sitting in the comfort of your own living room, but you will not regret a single piece of it when you get out on the mountain. You will also not regret a minute of the time you spent practicing and familiarizing yourself with the equipment.  When you are in a potentially dangerous situation is not the time to be fumbling with unfamiliar gear that the book or guy at the gear store told you you would need.

On the ski in to the hut we cross a major avalanche path the slid just days before.  Good wake up call that the dangers are real and ever present.  The snow was at least 30 feet deep in the middle and frozen rock solid.  The thought of being buried underneath those millions of pounds of debris is enough to send a shiver down your spine.

When documenting a trip like this, there is a fine balance between taking advantage of good light and moments and keeping things moving fast enough to be safe. Especially in spring, it is critical to move in the morning and not be traveling in the afternoon as the snow heats up and avalanches become more probable. 

One of the most inviting things about the Austrian huts has to be their decks… As we arrive at the hut around noon, a cheerful young woman in traditional Austrian dress brings us well-earned beers and apple struedels.  Then it is time to sit back, relax, take in the views and share a few stories.  This is a big part of the hut culture.  At any given time, you can hear a variety of languages- German (Swiss, Austrian or High), French, Italian, Enlish (American or British)…. Ahh, but that is the fun of it. 

Deck time is followed by a plentiful dinner, served in the Stube, which is warm and cozy. Routes are chosen for the following day, a few last preparations are done for the following morning, then it is off to rest up for the adventures ahead. Ski touring in the Alps is absolutely incredible…truly a way of life here.  There is so much terrain and the huts are amazing.  Alpin Hütte…. Though it doesn’t matter what language you speak. It is the love of the mountains that is the common language.

OK, plans have changed slightly.  The Italian Alps, where the Ortler Route is located, have received so much snow in the last week, that doing the route is quite dangerous.  So much so, that guides we know and have met here in Innsbruck have seriously recommended we stay away from that region of the mountains.  So, right now we are researching, talking, planning and considering other tours that can be accomplished, without as many of the dangers that exist on the Ortler Route.  Sort of a bummer, the Ortler is a classic, high route, in a national park.  But, some things are out of our control and we have to adjust to those conditions. 

Climbing a peak in perfect conditions is one thing, trying to accomplish that same goal with an extremely dangerous snowpack is another. When a lot of snow falls at one time, it generally forms a layer.  Put that layer on top of another and there’s a good chance it will slide off of the underlying layer.  Make the top layer three feet deep and put it on top of a fragile foundation and you have the makings of a very sketchy situation.  A big part of mountaineering is making decisions based on the conditions at hand. Above all, it is our responsibility to be safe and smart- even if that means changing our goal.

That said, the possibilities for backcountry ski trips, or hut tours, in the Alps, are ridiculous.  That is meant in a good way.  Huts are everywhere.  Huge, steep mountains are everywhere.  With a little planning and the right equipment, the possibilites are endless. 

The new plan is looking like we will head out tomorrow for the next six days into the Stubaital region, where we will connect three high alpine huts and hit up a number of different peaks. Similar to the Ortler Group, this area has glacier travel, high peaks and countless fresh slopes waiting to be skied.

Not to waste any time (or good weather), the day after we arrived, we headed up into the Stubaier Alps to the Franz Senn Hütte. From this hut, there are numerous peaks, glaciers and a lifetime of tour possibilities. It is also possible to connect this hut with a number of other huts in the region. The hut culture is really something amazing. On any given trip you will see the full gamut from a 75 year old couple on a leisurely afternoon ski up the mountain to mountaineers heading out to do a technical alpine ascent.

The huts are awesome. There is always a beer, meal and great atmosphere awaiting your arrival…

Nothing like a spinach strudel, a glassl of wine and good friends to make you feel welcome in a place.  After a long journey, we have arrived! It is always a little bit of a challenge to fool your body into a new timezone (+8hrs from Colorado).  This is one regard where I feel like an insulin pump is helpful. Instead of trying to decide how much to change your long-acting insulin by and when to take it, with a pump, you can change the time upon boarding the plane and they feed you dinner and you seamlessly transfer onto your nighttime insulin regime.  Even if there are delays and a set of 5 month old screaming twins- your body gets the message that it is supposed to be night and I think I was even able to sleep a bit… Then the nice thing about coming this direction is, even if you don’t sleep- it is late afternoon by the time you get here, so you get to go to bed again soon anyway. 

Not to waste any time (or good weather), we will hit the trail today and head to the Franz Senn Hütte. Supposedly great snow right now and countless tours to be had from there.

More soon, with pix!

 Ahh!  The joys of traveling internationally.  Our trip from Denver to Innsbruck was supposed to take about 16 hours total, with stops in Chicago and then Frankfurt, Germany.  Well, we are at the Fraport (Frankfurt Airport), about 23 hours into the journey.  Three holding patterns going into O’Hare, and an unplanned medical stop in Boston have increased our final travel time to somewhere around 28 hours.  Oh well, at least Lisa speaks fluent German and is guiding us through this all very easily.  I look at all the other American travelers and am really starting to feel their pain. 

Fraport has a super modern design and interior.  I’ve gotten so used to American airports and their cozy, cushy Pottery Barn feel.  When you go somewhere different, it can be hard.  But, we’re doing it. 

The training begins tonight, with pizza and wine (and insulin) in Innsbruck.  And sledding!  Hey, at least we are walking uphill. 

Oh yeah, and sleep. 

We are down to the wire on getting things together for the trip. Much to do, and then…. we are off!

More soon!

What is Ski Mountaineering, some of you may ask.  Here is my own simple definition, followed by a more in-depth look at it straight from the good people at Wikipedia.  Ski mountaineering is climbing up a mountain and then skiing down, as opposed to mountaineering, which, when you get to the top, you have to then walk down.  I’ll take skiing over walking any day.   

Ski mountaineering is a sport that combines the techniques of skiing (often ski touring) with those of mountaineering. The goal of the ski mountaineer may be to climb a beautiful mountain by a worthy route and then ski the mountain down an elegant line, preferably from the summit.

But ski mountaineering is really distinguished from ski touring by a willingness & desire to travel over any part of the mountain, not just those areas with sheltered powder snow fields or other nice descending conditions. This may include significant rock, ice or broken glacier sections, as well as traverses & enchainements rather than just single peak ascents.

While using skiing techniques for much of the time, ski mountaineers climb otherwise inaccessible or dangerous slopes on foot using a range of mountaineering equipment – typically crampons, ice axes and ropes - while skis are carried strapped to their backpack. This either permits access to extreme slopes, or more often allows transit through otherwise impassable terrain in order to continue beyond on skis, where normal ski touring equipment such as skins and harscheisen (ski crampons – also called couteau or cortelli) are used.