brad nicholson
03-07-2004, 11:14 AM
Preliminary report from snowshoe mountaineering trip to the alps.
Left Heidelberg in a snowstorm, what should have been a 3 hour drive was about five. However, when I arrived to Garmisch in the Alps the sun was out and it was beautiful. As usual I parked right by the trailhead which is almost right downtown. Loaded up my rucksack and took off. The hike to the Esterberg Alm is about 2 hours one way. Snow all the way but not deep enough for snowshoes until about 30 mins from the Alm (german for alpine meadow). Took a coffee at the little backcountry lodge ran by the German alpine club. It was packed with snowshoes and ski mountaineers. Then we headed up the Wank, about 6200 feet high and about 2500 over the Esterberg. On the ascent the top portion is a large snowfield, summit ridge. Conditions were deteriorating as a snow storm came down the valley. I caught up to two Englishmen on snowshoes and when we made it to the summit lodge I joined them for another good cappuccino. I went out to descend to where I was planning on camping and was about 30 mins into the three hour descent when I decided that I would be much more comfortable in the morning after sleeping in the hut with friends, they had already invited me to do so. So for 10 euros I took a bunk. We ate in the little Gaststube and had a fine German meal with beer, all at over 6000 ft. the hut was packed with climber, snowshoers, and ski-mountaineers. I am always amazed at how active the older people are here. There was one party of at least 6 gentlemen all over 65 probably out ski mountaineering. Amazing to sit next to the fire and chat most of the night while the storm raged outside dumping new snow.
Got up in the AM for breakfast at the hut, typical german breakfast. Musli, cold cuts, coffee and juice. Not bad though considering where I was at! Still whiteout conditions and snowing outside so we made the descent back to the Esterberg and were planning on heading to climb Krottenkopf, about 7200 and the highest in the little range called the Estergebergs. We descended about 1500 feet in the snow storm and white out back down the summit ridge until we broke out of the clearing about 1000 ft above the valley. Snow conditions were perfect, especially with all the fresh powder, it made for great post-holing down. It was still snowing but no clouds down low, very pretty. We made out way downhill to the Esterberg Hut and there we split. One of my new friends and I headed to the Krottenkopf and the other headed back to town. He had broken his poles and would not have had a good time. We headed north out of the Esterberg Alm through the woods and crossed the Farchanter Alm and a few smaller alpine pastures. Once we The snow was easily head high as we crossed some houses and shed that were to the gables with snow and we never passed a fence either and we knew the pastures are all fenced. We wound our way around the side of the mountain gaining good altitude and a great view over the valley. Apparently no-one had been that way in the past 24 hours since there was not a single track to be seen through the trees. Luckily the Germans are fastidious and mark the trails about halfway up the trees so we easily followed our route. About 5300 feet we came out of the treeline and so much snow had fallen that we were post holing through thigh deep snow even with snowshoes. At this point we started to get concerned about the snow conditions for the summit and climb up the col just before it since it was really steep. We made it up to about 5900 feet and met a party of Bergwache (the German national mountain patrol) they had just skied down from the Weilheimer col (they have backcountry stations throughout the German Alps) beneath our summit and said that the snow was very deep and loose and suggested we not go any further. All the while the snow was falling even harder. Valor being the better part of discretion we turned around, as always a little sad since we didin’t see the top but still had a great time. Nothing like snowshoeing above treeline with not a single track in sight! It was Beatifully trail-less, was a good thing we had map and gps making back for our trail up to the col. We made it back to the Esterberg took a bowl of soup and then alighted for Garmisch-Partenkirchen. We made it down and I drove my new friends to the train station and they departed for Hamburg where they live and I headed back to Heidelberg via Mcdonalds!
I’m hoping to make it down and get up before March 21st so I can log a true winter ascent of the peak. Pictures as soon as I have them developed and I shot some video so hopefully my wife can help me post it as well.
Left Heidelberg in a snowstorm, what should have been a 3 hour drive was about five. However, when I arrived to Garmisch in the Alps the sun was out and it was beautiful. As usual I parked right by the trailhead which is almost right downtown. Loaded up my rucksack and took off. The hike to the Esterberg Alm is about 2 hours one way. Snow all the way but not deep enough for snowshoes until about 30 mins from the Alm (german for alpine meadow). Took a coffee at the little backcountry lodge ran by the German alpine club. It was packed with snowshoes and ski mountaineers. Then we headed up the Wank, about 6200 feet high and about 2500 over the Esterberg. On the ascent the top portion is a large snowfield, summit ridge. Conditions were deteriorating as a snow storm came down the valley. I caught up to two Englishmen on snowshoes and when we made it to the summit lodge I joined them for another good cappuccino. I went out to descend to where I was planning on camping and was about 30 mins into the three hour descent when I decided that I would be much more comfortable in the morning after sleeping in the hut with friends, they had already invited me to do so. So for 10 euros I took a bunk. We ate in the little Gaststube and had a fine German meal with beer, all at over 6000 ft. the hut was packed with climber, snowshoers, and ski-mountaineers. I am always amazed at how active the older people are here. There was one party of at least 6 gentlemen all over 65 probably out ski mountaineering. Amazing to sit next to the fire and chat most of the night while the storm raged outside dumping new snow.
Got up in the AM for breakfast at the hut, typical german breakfast. Musli, cold cuts, coffee and juice. Not bad though considering where I was at! Still whiteout conditions and snowing outside so we made the descent back to the Esterberg and were planning on heading to climb Krottenkopf, about 7200 and the highest in the little range called the Estergebergs. We descended about 1500 feet in the snow storm and white out back down the summit ridge until we broke out of the clearing about 1000 ft above the valley. Snow conditions were perfect, especially with all the fresh powder, it made for great post-holing down. It was still snowing but no clouds down low, very pretty. We made out way downhill to the Esterberg Hut and there we split. One of my new friends and I headed to the Krottenkopf and the other headed back to town. He had broken his poles and would not have had a good time. We headed north out of the Esterberg Alm through the woods and crossed the Farchanter Alm and a few smaller alpine pastures. Once we The snow was easily head high as we crossed some houses and shed that were to the gables with snow and we never passed a fence either and we knew the pastures are all fenced. We wound our way around the side of the mountain gaining good altitude and a great view over the valley. Apparently no-one had been that way in the past 24 hours since there was not a single track to be seen through the trees. Luckily the Germans are fastidious and mark the trails about halfway up the trees so we easily followed our route. About 5300 feet we came out of the treeline and so much snow had fallen that we were post holing through thigh deep snow even with snowshoes. At this point we started to get concerned about the snow conditions for the summit and climb up the col just before it since it was really steep. We made it up to about 5900 feet and met a party of Bergwache (the German national mountain patrol) they had just skied down from the Weilheimer col (they have backcountry stations throughout the German Alps) beneath our summit and said that the snow was very deep and loose and suggested we not go any further. All the while the snow was falling even harder. Valor being the better part of discretion we turned around, as always a little sad since we didin’t see the top but still had a great time. Nothing like snowshoeing above treeline with not a single track in sight! It was Beatifully trail-less, was a good thing we had map and gps making back for our trail up to the col. We made it back to the Esterberg took a bowl of soup and then alighted for Garmisch-Partenkirchen. We made it down and I drove my new friends to the train station and they departed for Hamburg where they live and I headed back to Heidelberg via Mcdonalds!
I’m hoping to make it down and get up before March 21st so I can log a true winter ascent of the peak. Pictures as soon as I have them developed and I shot some video so hopefully my wife can help me post it as well.