Short Reports 2019

Published on 2019-1-1 by Michael Stanton

Lämpersberg

December 29, 2019

Extremely beautiful out here. Gorgeous powder snow. One annoying fall where my ski came off and slid about 50 meters down the mountain...denying me some sweet turns (I'm poor at skiing on one ski, must somehow improve).

The way up the mountain wasn't in the book I was using. I just followed the crowd. I parked on the north side of a lake. There was a fantastic and photogenic steep ridge crest that somehow held a skin track.

Guys at the top suggested I go down the south side, but I was quite enomoured of the country I came up. Nah. I'll go down the same way. Fresh, deep snow like this under a blue sky...it was what I needed. 1200 meters up/down.

Feldalphorn

December 28, 2019

Great morning. Some clouds. Fresh snow.

Pendling Hike (almost)

Decemeber, 2019

Hiked up, turned around 200 meters below the summit due to steep snow and a dinner party.

Picture looking to the west.

Resort Skiing Obertauren

December, 2019

Skinned up to the lift station below Hundskogel in the Obertauern resort. Then dropped down for lunch and up to the station below the Seekarspitze. About 1000 meters elevation gain in total. Then bought a lift ticket and did some other skiing!

Grosse Kesselspitze

December, 2019

Skied with H. up the Grosse Kesselspitze above Obertauern. About 1000 meters elevation gain. Unpleasant, icy, crusty conditions -- a difficult first tour for me!

Wallberg

November 30, 2019

Hiked up again, this time on the ski route. By the end, I was in hip-deep snow. Quite interesting.

Only a week later:

Wallberg

November 23, 2019

Hiked up Wallberg early Saturday morning. Ran down. Nice!

Fleischbank "Via Classica" (V+)

August, 2019

Vaclav and I slept near the trailhead and hiked up to climb Via Classica, a wonderful route I climbed way back in 2007 or so! Hilariously, I'd accidentally brought Barbara's rock shoes instead of my own. I couldn't get them on my feet, but I could stuff my toes in and using another pair of shoelaces, I was able to rig up a system where they wouldn't suddenly fall off when I take a step. We actually simul-climbed a pitch or two at the start like this. Sometimes I used Vaclav's approach shoes which had a pretty good edge. However, on pitches of grade V, the only chance at the climbing being "fun" was to wear the strange "toe-shoes" I'd built.

This was pretty funny, despite being annoying too. As we climbed it got more difficult because I was using extra muscles to "tip-toe." Vaclav got to lead almost everything, especially the wonderful 50 meter crux (V+) pitch in the heart of the great gully. What an amazing pitch! There are many great pitches...

I had some excitement near the end, leading a great 3+ pitch in Vaclav's approach shoes (IV-?). It felt quite alpine. I even placed a cam!

Then we enjoyed the long, long scramble up to the summit. Just fantastic weather and scenery in here. We waited awhile on top to let a very large and slow party get out in front a ways. However, we eventually caught them and were behind some of them for the abseil, which is (I didn't know this) now a famous bottleneck for getting down from many routes.

This large party did some funny things. For one thing, lowering each party member rather than having them abseil. Secondly, they did a kind of trepedatious system where they lowering someone, then rigged up a double rope system only after intense communication via walkie-talkie with the party member(s) below. It was very odd, and I grew impatient. By twos and threes, more people came behind and settled in to wait on the steep ground above the abseil station. As we waited, the leader of the party boldly invited members behind us to pass us and join his complex lowering system. This would delay us by another half hour at least. Irritated, I asked if we could go past and got a firm no ("I don't want you knocking off rocks above my people!!" he said).

I'm ashamed to say that here I became rather unhelpful, rolling my eyes dramatically at further statements by this poor man. He was stressed out, and perhaps over his head in charge of 8 people who needed to be lowered. I comisserated with the parties behind us (now about 12 people), and unfortunately did nothing to defuse the situation. This would matter later, as I see it.

Finally we were able to go. We managed two abseils (we had a single 50 meter rope), then were behind the large party again. And here is where things got crazy. Above us, apparently the dam of patience had burst, and people were beginning to downclimb or do something that knocked off a bunch of rocks. In the volley, I was hit on the hand, which drew blood and hurt like hell. Vaclav helped me get a bandage from my pack and wrap up my hand. As if that wasn't bad enough, soon there came a noise of much larger rocks tumbling down. At this point I was pissed and actually frightened. I already knew I was in the danger zone (as were others) because I'd been hit once. And these larger rocks could kill us. I shouted profanities up the mountain, hoping that the impatient people would at least care a little bit.

This time, no one was hit, and the rockfall stopped for good.

The party ahead had got their system worked out, and moved more quickly. Vaclav and I hurriedly made 2 (or 3?) single rope rappels and ran away from the face as fast as we could. I was full of adrenaline and very focused on getting away. Also pretty angry with the whole thing. But we triple checked our work at each stage and really fired through efficiently. Big kudos to Vaclav for being focused, fast, sharp and very even-keeled. A calming presence helped. We also had a nice conversation with a fellow coming down in parallel on the side.

It took 3+ weeks for my hand to get better. Sort of a bone bruise and superficial cuts around the pinky and ring finger. I wish, in retrospect, I'd been more patient. I feel that I might have contributed to those parties above being all pumped up and exasperated with the delay, and in this "elevated" atmosphere, it became statistically likely that someone would "take matters into his own hands," and begin exploratory downclimbing or rappelling along a side line. I'm not sure what happened, but I hate the thought that I contributed.

I can say this: the slow party didn't deserve scorn. They deserved understanding and kindness. Remember my shame at a lack of charitable feelings next time you are in this situation. Far better to get home late than to get home late and to have been unhelpful.

Vaclav and I had a long descent. A massive rainstorm broke out, eventually destroying Vaclav's phone, so we have no pictures. It was a wonderful climb, and an instructive descent. I'm glad I'm the only one who got hit by a rock! I wish the best to all parties.

The Sonntagsspitze

July 4, 2019

I had a morning free before a work event at the Achensee, so I hiked up from the Achenkirche Christlumlift parking lot to the Moosenalm behind. At one point a cow ran down a steep hill at me. This was scary! I escaped into trees. Then a dog came along. He saw me, growled, lowered his head and came stalking towards me. I figured I was about to get bit. I said "BACK!" and held my hiking poles defensively. After a few more steps the dog turned around. Later I saw his owner who adopted a perplexed face on hearing my story. "Was?!" he said, clearly disbelieving that his dog could act with violent intent. This was very irritating. I left him with a few choice words.

Anyway, from the Moosenalm, I followed what was marked on the map as a trail up to the Sonntagsspitze. But it's no trail -- it's just a watercourse up a very steep slope (I've submitted a correction, and this trail should soon disappear from all OpenStreetMap-derived render layers in your life). Very adventureous. Happily I reached the summit in steep grass and rocks, then went down through the Grobner Hals pass and the road to the car.

1100 meters & 13 kilometers.

Wendelstein wanderings

June 19, 2019

Georg, Jaro and Tamer and I hiked up the Wendelstein. Well, Tamer and I called it good at the meadow below the main peak. We had great conversations! Then we headed down, and all met up eventually. About 600 meters up, I think.

I slept in the woods so as to begin a solo weekend hike the next day.

Seebergspitze

June 15, 2019

Barbara and I climbed the Seebergspitze from Pertisau by the South(east) Ridge. We intended to traverse to the Seekarspitze but thunder and an approaching storm sent us fleeing into the Pfanne once having descended the steep and rather interesting North Ridge. We followed the road north around to the Seekaralm (1500 m), then down to the water south of Achenkirch. From here I took the ferry back to the car, and came to pick up Barbara and Mara. Boy, was she mad that she didn't get to ride the ferry! The problem was that Mara needed to wear a muzzle on the boat and we didn't have one.

1200 meters up and down.

Vorderes Sonnwendjoch

June 10, 2019

Georg and I did a "jog" up the Vordere Sonnwendjoch. This was good fun! He was faster so we travelled seperately on the way up. We followed a road on the way down. Elevation gain from Höllenstein above Münster, 1600 meters.

Spieljoch

June 9, 2019

Barbara and I hiked up the Spieljoch, also with little Mara. Fun snow travel. Elevation gain about 1200 meters.

Wallberg

May 26, 2019

I made a quick hike up Wallberg in the evening. I never saw the area looking so beautiful. The late-lying snow is pretty impressive when combined with rich green of late spring, and the evening sun lent a golden cast to every element in the environment -- making even the outbuildings of the upper lift station romantic.

Flintsbach climbing

May 25, 2019

Barbara, Rowan, Elijah and I went climbing. After some initial top-roping, Barbara and I went over the top from the 2-pitch route on the right side of the high crag. Rowan and Elijah did some climbing with us, then I sent them over to work on the wonderful grade 3 gully. Actually I put up a rope first, but my thought is that in the future they should be able to lead/rig that route themselves soon. It has everything! Abseil practice, anchor practice, and a little bit of runout on the right side (harder) variant of the route.

We met Lenka and Igor over on that neat route on the left side of the high crag (I forgot the name...too lazy to get the book). Igor had led the route. They graciously let me lead it with their draws in place. It's such a fun climb! Barbara was thinking of my boys who had decamped to the car already, so she demurred on following the route. I will bring her back posthaste, because this route, especially the "extension" from the sub-anchor that Lenka and Igor noticed is very good. Barbara, the boys and I repaired to the Maxlrain just as we did a week ago, and monopolized the playground after a great lunch.

Flintsbach climbing

May 18, 2019

First day it wasn't raining or snowing in like, 2 weeks. Okay that's an exaggeration but it felt that way! The boys, Barbara and I headed to Flintsbach and did a few routes. Lenka, Pavel and Igor were climbing there too. A good time! Late lunch at Maxlrain, then a great session in the playground.

Voldöpper Spitze and Vorderkaiserfeldenhütte

May 1, 2019

I decided to do a double hike day. First the Voeldopperspitz near Kramsach. Lots of trail-runners, it seems to be getting very popular. After this I ate a sandwich and drove to the trailhead for the Kaiserlift in Kufstein. However I couldn't find a parking place, so I settled for using the Oberndorfer Weg again to get to the hut, even though I'd been there just a few days before! Somehow, the last 300 meters from the sattle to the hut were so tiring! Had a piece of cake and a Radler, then wandered down, first getting a nap in the sun in the fields.

Approx. 2000 meters up and down for the day.

Naunspitze

April 28, 2019

I hiked up via the Oberndorfer Weg that Barbara and I used a month ago. There was less snow overall, but fresh snow above the hut, and pretty much continuous snow with good track from the hut to the summit. The weather cleared pretty nicely right around 12:30 when I stood on top (took about 2 hours), then it started snowing again while I ate Spinatknödel in the Vorderkaiserfeldenhütte. I hurried down awkwardly, very much needing to replace my tennis shoes as the tread was too worn away! About 1150 meters up and down.

Langfenn

April 22, 2019

From the Burgerhof again, I jogged and walked up to Flaas by the steepest way, then to the Schermoossattel (1450 m). Jogging up the hill to Langfenn, I couldn't resist climbing a few meters up the stony tower. It seemed possible to reach the summit of the tower if I could be given a top-rope for safety! From here I descended to the now-familiar Tomagen Restauarant, then a bit further south after a piece of cake to a ridiculously steep trail down through the forest leading to the road cut from Jenesien to Afing. An indication of a bridge and trail on the map proved to be illusory, so I had to settle for following the long road up directly along the Afinger Bach to the retaining pond below the Burgerhof, then tiredly up to the Hof itself. About 1000 meters up and down.

Stoanarne Mandl

April 20, 2019

From the Burgerhof, I jogged up the road on the east side of the Afinger-bach. Eventually it reached a steep v-cut in the valley and turned back on the west side of the river to continue up to Kampidell in additional switchbacks, but I followed instead a logging spur into the notch. Naturally enough, it ended, leaving me stranded at about 1340 meters. I decided to risk climbing straight up-slope to about 1600 meters where a road could get me to a little restaurant. Despite some steep hand-over-hand work, this worked, and I soon stood at the still-closed little restaurant, my dreams of a cappucino dashed. Here, for the first time I saw the sun, which was welcome on my frozen arms. I had neither jacket nor backpack. Now I followed a snowy forest trail to the Möltner Kaser, and sat down in the sun, warming my arms and hoping that the restuarant would open soon. Sure enough, a man came bouncing up in a truck over humps of snow. Clutching sausages in his hand, he bore the unwelcome news that the Kaser wouldn't be open until Monday. Alas!

So I headed due north on snow for the summit of the Stoanerne Mandl (2003 m). I was lucky that the snow was still frozen hard. The view of the Texel Range was beautiful and brought back beautiful memories. What a fantastic summit!

Descending, I stayed on the gorgeous ridge, making my way through krokus flowers pushing up through the snow to the Möltner Joch (1733 m). From this gorgeous overlook I descended in welcome sun to Flaas. A short detour for a Radler at a restaurant on the road down to Afing, then back to the Burgerhof. 1170 meters up and down - a fine morning!

Kranzhorn

April 14, 2019

Quick hike up Kranzhorn. I found a neat variation near the end, following a steep ridge to cliffs below the summit. Hurried down, now my legs are sore!

Vorderkaiserfeldenhütte

April 6, 2019

Barbara, Mara and I hiked up the steep Oberndorfer Weg to the hut for a drink. It was about 1100 meters from the Inn valley floor. Really interesting trail...had to carry Mara at one point up some steep Klettersteig stairs.

Kranzhorn

March 23, 2019

Barbara and I (along with little Mara) hiked up from the Inn. A bit of snow near the top was fun. Here is a fun video of Barbara hiking in the snow.

Wallberg

January 27, 2019

A snowshow hike up the old ski way on Wallberg. With somewhat elevated avalanche danger I decided to go whole hog and take my transceiver, shovel and pole. Very nice ascent...I had a distinct advantage over the few skiers out on the very steep section in the lower third of the hike. Never saw those cats again!

A few pics...

Pano-rama from south to north.

Looking to the fun-plex where I'll get some lunch.

Me, on top and stuff.