Austria - Ski Season 2019/2020 - the early weeks in Bad Hofgastein

Back on the white stuff in Austria

Hohe Scharte - lovely in the early morning - natural snow

And so it starts again. December 2019 and the seven minute walk to the Lift Station. I really enjoy my morning march. I cross the river on a small bridge behind the Apartment and then set a good pace, skipping along between the fields and past the barn. I often see the same people walking their dogs and so give them a merry gruss gott! I walk behind the football pitch and across the curling lanes before reaching the SchlossAlm valley station. My skis and boots are kept in the InterSport store overnight. This is a bit of a luxury I know but it's hugely beneficial to me. I swap my comfy shoes for heavy boots, pick up my weighty Kastle ski's and head for the escalator. The lift opens at 08:30 but it is worth delaying a few minutes to allow the queue to dissipate and to avoid a crowded cabin. Whisked up to the top, clip up the boots, check the pocket zips. Right ready to go! I've made it to another season and another ski day - lets rejoice. Never ever take it for granted. Start with a nice controlled descent 'hopefully'. Try to get the weight forward and don't watch the skis! Test the snow conditions, not bad, some new snow on top of all the December artificial stuff. Viz not great though, the only day of the 3 weeks where this Gorilla was in the mist. Hmm, might be an early coffee today. Head for the Haitzing Alm a liitle earlier than normal.
Pleased to see Tom, Waltraud and Katja. Given a medicinal zirben schnapps with my coffee and chocolate. Feeling welcome, feeling very lucky - it's great to be back in Gastein. Waltraud was preparing Kaspressknodel in the kitchen, very nice you might think. She makes literally hundreds at a session. A pleasant whiff of cheese and onion perhaps? Well, maybe at the time, but the cooking odours permeate all the ski gear and so you get funny looks when you share a gondola. I had to wash my gear on two successive days after a repeat visit on a start of season cooking day. Never mind, I go to the Haitzing Alm just about every day for my morning coffee, there is no gain without pain.

It only snows on the piste!

Hoof hole horror - Embarrassment in the boot room

I do get very attached to my equipment, even when it is a Right sock that develops a puncture. TW offered to darn it but, I was strong and binned it. One thing you learn pretty early on in your ski career is that the sock has a big bearing on your boot adjustment and this sock has served me very well for at least 18 years. I think its time for some new pairs! By the way, not sure that my fellow skiers in the boot room believed that this was a special ventilation feature but I had to try to cover my embarrassment somehow.

Life st the top - Fulseck in Dorfgastein

GrabnerAlm Parking Place

My VIA(Very Important Alm) in Dorfgastein is the GrabnerAlm a third of the way down. It's a place I visit in Winter and Summer by foot, bike and ski. As you can see, the snow conditions are pretty good and the slopes are quiet on this December day. My spag bol was lovely. On a typical day in Dorfgastein we would get the first bus, take the gondola to the top and then ski in the morning sunshine in Grossarl. We would spend the afternoon on the Dorfgastein side and benefit from the afternoon sunshine. The sun goes down early of course at the turn of the year. In December the buses home are only once per hour so you have to carefully time your run to the bottom or, alternatively, have an end of day dustbuster!.

Advent Market in Bad Hofgastein

Woof

December Sunshine at the HaitzingAlm

Long shadows in December

The sun climbs above the clouds on a December Morning

TW _ Snow shoe shuffling in January

A welcome break to enjoy the view

It's nice to sometimes take a day out from the skiing. It can all seem a bit frenetic at times. One week trippers or even one-day outers trying to pack as much as they can into the limited time that they have. Luckily its easy for us to get away from the hordes and into nature for a while.
We have a few snow shoe trails that we enjoy. Today we followed a route that we often walk in summer and I regularly cycle down. We crossed the field behind the Apartment heading for the Weitmoser Schloss. From there we headed to the Hundsdorf area, cross the railway line and head up through the woods. When we reach open land we pass through a gulley and onto pastures before hitting a farm and its access road. We basically follow the road taking shortcuts where possible. Our destination today was the Barsteinalm, another of our favourites. The last section is on a Blue run but it is not busy and perfectly safe if you keep to the side. There is always a warm welcome at this lovely Alm and they serve particularly good food. Its only 5 or so minutes to the middle station and a ride down to the village in a gondola. Job done!