Short Reports 2022

Published on 2022-1-1 by Michael Stanton

Wildbarren

December 31, 2022

I hiked up Wildbarren on a fine day, certainly too warm for the season. I met an amazing couple on top, Ulrich and Ira. Truly expert climbers...also scientists that write interesting papers (here, an index to their papers on the physics of mountaineering). We hiked down part of the way together. They got me excited about climbing again for the health, puzzles and variety it provides. I'm inspired! Check out their interesting web site.

Wendelstein

December, 2022

I hiked up Wendenstein from Bayrischzell with snowshoes in my pack, unused.

Wallberg

December, 2022

I hiked up Wallberg in boots.

Kranzhorn

December, 2022

I hiked up Kranzhorn. Only snow in the upper reaches.

Juffinger Jöchl and Großer Pölven

November 27, 2022

I hiked up and down. My boys birthday! They are 18. Ah-mazing.

At the Pölvenkreuz.

Near the Mittagskogel on Großer Pölven.

Looking across to the Hohe Salve.

Cute little robot.

Pendling

November 11, 2022

Barbara and I hiked up and down.

Barbara on the way up Pendling.

Us at the hut on Pendling.

Jong and I climb something on Leonhardstein

It was fun. Near Wallberg.

Pyramidenspitze

October 29, 2022

Barbara and I hiked up by the klettersteig on the north, and down the same way.

In the Winkelkar

Barbara above the Winkelkar.

Me looking to the Pyramidenspitze.

Barbara on the final slopes to the peak.

Again, tired but having fun too.

On the summit of the Pyramidenspitze.

Texel Peaks

October 21, 2022

Short visit to Südtirol. I love that place. First 1500 meters, then, according to Google, a massive 2200 meter day. There were a lot of ups and downs, but still, I'm going to discount that to 1800!

First day, a climb of the Hohe Kreuzspitze (2743 m) from the Schutzhütte Hochalm, with a very friendly owner who told me stories of the region and his family. I also climbed up the Hochwart (2608 m) on the way down, making for a big day. It started raining on the descent, and I skipped out on a free yoga class at the hut in order to get down and find a hotel in Meran.

After a rainy Saturday (very enjoyable, I got some work done), I headed up early Sunday morening from Velloi to the Gasthaus Steinegg along the Hans Frieden Felsenweg, then up and over to the Mutkopf (1664 m), and into the Spronsertal. Some cake at the Oberkaseralm, then to the beautiful Mückenlack, the Grünsee and the Langsee. From here over to the Hochgangscharte (2444 m), then very steeply down that to the Schutzhaus Hochgang then for a beer at the very pleasant Leiteralm above Velloi.

A bit above Velloi, probably around the Gasthaus Steinegg.

Some ladies hiking at the Pfitschlacke, just after the Pfitscher Jöch (2150 m).

Looking down on the Pfitschlacke.

A hiker and the Tschigat (2999 m) behind.

Looking far down on the Meranertal.

A beautiful little trail near the Leiteralm above Velloi.

A salamander out for a stroll.

Grosse Riesenkopf

October 18, 2022

A late-afternoon hike up this local peak. I took a wrong turn on the way down, then had to creep through barbed-wire fences at dusk. I heard a sound and looked up with some shock to see a cow inquiring right in my face! She followed me across two fields, sometimes running to keep up with me!

Hike up the Vorderes Sonnwendjoch

More info to come.

Rofan Mountains

On the Vorderes Sonnwendjoch

The summit of the Vorderes Sonnwendjoch.

Heading back down to the Inn valley.

Bad Feilnbach long hike

February 18, 2022

I made a tour on Komoot on a fantastic, windy day. I've been doing a lot of long, relatively flat walks to toughen up my feet and legs for hiking the CDT. It's been really important to increase the number of miles and let go of my obsessive desire for elevation gain. The only way to toughen up the feet is long mileage. Anyway, it was an incredibly fun day. 18.3 miles in total, and about 1400 feet up and down.

A neat pond along the way.

An incredible "grotto" in which one can meditate on the glory of Mary.

A day of wind, of alert horses, of fast moving clouds, of rain and sore feet, and a good "frischkäse" sandwich from the Edeka in Bad Feilnbach.

Pletzachkogel and Roßkogel

January 4, 2022

Very interesting hike. Steeply up to a small (inhabited!) cabin in a meadow with a Charlie-Brown-esque Christmas bush, then on a steep road and trail to the Pletzachkogel summit. From there over to a kind of abandoned ski area compound, and with snowshoes steeply up to the high abandoned lift station. I peered inside the windows of the adjoining hut to see a rack of kettleballs and "WOD" (workout of the day) notations on a chalkboard. It's some kind of revanchist "body kultur" hideout!

I'm only kidding -- seems really cool. Anyway, the final climb to the summit of the Roßkogel was interesting. I scrambled up a rocky ridgecrest with a rather difficult step. Meanwhile an extremely agile man came bounding down the ridge and batmanned through the latschen trees in an area of similar difficulty 20 meters to my left. In fact, I saw many people this day (8 or 10?).

Aside from the radio tower on the summit, it's a neat place. There are likely no better viewpoints of Guffert.

1600 meters up and down.

Me feeling clever.

From the summit of the Pletzachkogel, looking east.

From the summit of the Pletzachkogel.

Just above the steep road in the forest, we come out on the slopes of Pletzachkogel.

A cute little "Charlie Brown" Christmas tree above the steep forest.