Thursday 26 July 2007 - Down and Up
6am, after a surprisingly good sleep in the full dorm for 30, early risers start packing their many possessions into what seems like a proliferation of crisp packets. Sue and I rise as usual at 6.45 and enjoy breakfast with Manfred and the two Dutch, who complain about the many snorers in the dorm that Sue and I failed to hear.
So by 8am, as usual, we are on our way, first down the path to Schlegeisspeicher. We chat to the bonking Swedes, who go home today. The 'Ugly Boys' are also ahead, and they continue down the valley. Alison and Kevin are ahead and go up to Friesenberg Haus by the direct route, missing out Olperer Hütte.
Manfred zooms on ahead to write and send postcards and enjoy coffee at a café.
Reach track at 8.40, and lake at 9am. Lots of cows.
A lovely day, but clouds linger on the Italian border ridge, curiously not on the summits.
Near where the track turns into a road we stop at a café to satisfy thirst and my ablutionary requirements.
Francoise and his brother join us. They are returning to Munich, a little pissed off, to collect climbing helmets and return to do something else. 9.45 to 10.10.
Nice coffee, then up through trees and then on easy ground on an excellent path to Olperer Hütte, which has been demolished and is being rebuilt. It looks impressive.
Manfred ascends towards Olperer
Sue on the approach to Olperer
Olperer under construction
This is what it looked like a year earlier
Sue continues beyond Olperer
Sunny and breezy, but we find a sheltered spot for a few nuts, etc (11.30 to 11.50) before continuing on to Friesenberg Haus to book in at 1.25pm and enjoy soup for lunch. On the way a cable car appears high above on a summit attainable on foot from Olperer. It must be dispiriting to ascend that, only to find that tourists have been whisked up from the other side of the mountain.
Biting Stonecrop - Sedum acre
Our first view of Friesenberg Haus was at 2490 metres, at 12.35. Reach path junction at 2590 metres at 1pm, and descend through daisies to 2470 metres, rising 30 metres to the hut.
Sue with first view of Friesenberg Haus
Nice relaxing afternoon.
Sue and I went up Peterskopfl, 2677 metres (20 mins up, 20 mins on top, 15 mins down) before dinner. Fabulous views. Cairns - hundreds of them - make this look like a realistic cemetery for WW2 heroes.
Alpine ridges stretch to the north
More Cairns on Peterskopfl
Returning to Friesenberg Hut
We are joined for dinner by Peter and his wife.
Manfred provides more schnapps - Zirben.
Text messages today from Gary - first phone signal for ages - confirms weather forecast - cloudy pm today, showery tomorrow. It is actually better than that, but we are concerned about Julia, as Tewkesbury appears to have been drowned by storms.
14 postcards written. This is the pre-blogging era.
Martin
The moon came up to shine into the dining room when the power failed briefly! We go to bed about 9.45pm, and have the remaining three beds in our row of five.
Sue
Costs note:
€480 was just enough for 7 nights' hutting. We spent an average of about €70 per night, but got undercharged a couple of times, so €40 pppn would be enough to cover breakfast, lunch, tea, dinner and a couple of beers, plus accommodation, with a bit left over. That assumes AAC membership. Add €10 per person per day without that.
Bed, only occasionally available - €10, mattress - €8.
Martin
Here’s our approximate route – about 13 km with 1100 metres ascent.
No comments:
Post a Comment