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Ken Baldry's Alpine PagesRound the Stübaital - Regensburger Hut to Gschnitz |
Day Four - To the Dresdner Hutte
Being a slow walker, I got out first at 0845 and slowly slogged up the Falbesoner Tal, which is quite charming. Several parties overtook me before I reached the snowfields below the Grawagrübenieder (2880m).
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The Hauptkamm of the Stubai from the Grawagrübenieder, |
The Falbesoner Tal. The hill to its left is the |
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The snow was steep but the rock was steeper and loose and it was quite difficult to get onto the rocks. Although the route was graded F (facile - French grading) in Roberts' guide, this was more like PD+ (peu difficile - a bit difficult) and I unethically used my ice-axe for aid. It took 2.75 hours to get to the top from the hut and this was to be the high point of the trip at 2880 metres. Then, there was a long walk somewhat up and down over much easier ground on which I met two English climbers. It gradually worked down to a little delta and one of those iffy Austrian footbridges at 2300m above the Mutterberger Alm before the sting in the tail of the walk - up to a shoulder at 2506m above the Dresdner Hütte, shown to the right here behind the ski lift and which is at 2302m,a short descent from the col. It took about 8 hours. In the photo (right) the hut is behind the gondelbahn station. |
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This hut is split about what it believes its function to be. It is certainly a hut but also a ski cafeteria. There are hot showers if one puts a 10 sch bit in them. I met a pair of American climbers (husband and wife, Gerry and Nicky) from Boston. Gerry does DEC systems, so I gave him my card. The Krauts with the dog were very late, as the dog had fallen off the Grawagrübenieder and had staggered the rest of the way after being carried up. They had been just behind me and I wondered why they had not passed me. I shared a room with a skier and had trouble getting to sleep because construction work on ski facilities continued until midnight and the string railway of gravel sometimes dropped bits on the hut's tin roof to add insult to injury. The lager is 50 sch and a bed, only 80!
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I had a good breakfast, owing to the ski cafeteria. The weather had improved as well. This is where the journey briefly coincides with the Jane trip. I got over the Peil Joch 2676m in roughly the same time as last time (1976, which was in a snow storm) but this time, I saw the views. The path was quite good but there were some wire rope sections and I was glad it was not snowing this time. A good view of the Hauptkamm and, over the other side, a spectacular glacier coming down from the Zuckerhütl (the highest Stubai hill at 3505m). I was accompanied by Belgian school children as far as the new, improved Sulzenau Hütte (2191m), where I had some apfelsaft. |
Peiljoch from the Niederl. |
The Niederl from the West, the pointed hill is the |
The Niederl from the East | 
Nürnberger Hut |
The valley up to the Niederl Pass 2627m, above the Nürnberger Hütte (2280m) is one of those staggeringly beautiful places and I took my time for Faustian Moments. The Wilder Freiger dominates and a very evil-looking Austrian (meaning very crevassed) glacier comes down above a pretty little lake, green but clear enough to show the iceberg effect (90% below water) in its ice flows. At the top is a very steep cliff with fixed ropes necessary in places. The other side down to the hut is even steeper but easier and a bit boring, as although it is not far, every footstep has to be watched carefully, especially with a big, unbalancing rucksack. It took 6.5 hours from the Dresdner Hut.
Free warmish showers in this hut. There was an English family there. He, an Estate Agent from Horsham. The climbing daughter was a BMus but working as an immigration officer at Gatwick, who had tales to tell. They are supposed to keep people out but do not get brownie points for over-zealousness. I picked that up as she described a new colleague who has a mission to keep people out and is heading for trouble with the bosses.
I started off at 0723. You lose height to get into the valley leading up to the Simminger Jöchl (2774m). To get up again involves a number of wire ropes at first, as there is no obvious route up. But one is rewarded by a beautiful little valley before climbing again. The last section is over steep and very firm snow fields and I lost my pikel-protector there. This part is out of the sun. In between is an idyllic little valley. I took 2.75 hours to get up to the little emergency hut, held down with wire ropes, that sits on the joch. There were wonderful views from the top and a Gerry photoed me (shown below).
Going down was not just very steep but the wire rope was only fixed at its ends, so any reliance on it would result in being swung about dangerously. It was then much pleasanter to the Bremer Hütte (2413m), where I caught up with two Danes I had had breakfast with in the Nürnberger Hütte who went on to the Innsbrücker Hütte, a formidable trip. So far, so good.
Ken on the Simminger Joch. Wilder Frieger behind him. |
The Gschnitztal from the hanging valley |
It was a very long way down. At first, over huge, glacier-polished slabs of rock and down into a hanging valley, which looked positively balmy. But this was followed by a steepish rocky path down to the Laponis Alm (1480m) through vegetation, which made it slippery. Then, there was about five miles of sun-baked road down to Gschnitz, 1212m. There seemed to be many tourists, so I hoped that the village was not fully booked. In the event, I staggered into the Tyroler Berghof (£15, b & b with single room and shower) where only one other person stayed that night. I booked in for two nights. It took 8 hours, 40 mins and I needed a rest day. After dinner, I went up to the Hotel terrace, which looks up the valley. Watching the light fade on the mountains, I experienced a sort of apotheosis of those strong but inexplicable emotions that have dragged me back to the mountains so often. I always take powerful stimulus material with me as well. This time, a biography of Emma Goldman and Kerman's 'Opera as Drama'. At other times, it has been the Wagner Companion, Frieda Kahlo & Wyndham Lewis biographies. I am quite alone on the terrace with the village band playing in the Town Assembly Room after formally marching up. I feel both all churned up and at peace.
Contact: Ken Baldry, 17 Gerrard Road, Islington, London N1 8AY +44(0)20 7359 6294 or e-mail him URL: http://www.art-science.com/Ken/Alpine/Stubai/stubai3.html
Last revised 1/6/2012 ©1998-2012 Ken Baldry. All rights reserved.