Читать книгу Trekking in Austria's Hohe Tauern - Allan Hartley - Страница 11
ОглавлениеINTRODUCTION
On the Sonnblick Kees glacier (Glockner Rucksack Route, Stage 7 Excursion)
The Hohe Tauern National Park is the largest national park not only in Austria and the Eastern Alps but the whole of continental Europe, comprising an area of 1800km2. Within Austria it embraces the provinces of Tyrol, Salzburg and Karnten (Carinthia). Not surprisingly the national park’s main point of focus is the Gross Glockner, the highest mountain in Austria, closely followed by the Gross Venediger, the fourth highest mountain and one which also has the distinction of having the highest number of connected glaciers in Austria. To the west, the Hohe Tauern merges with the Reichen Group to encompass the largest concentration of 3000m peaks in the Eastern Alps. The Hohe Tauern National Park is now a World Heritage Area, ranking alongside Yosemite, Serengeti, the Galapagos Islands and Mount Everest.
To the north of the National Park is the Pinzgau valley where, from the towns of Kitzbuhel, Mittersill and Zell am See, there are easy transport routes to the south to Matrei in Ost Tyrol for the Virgental and Venediger Group and Kals for the Gross Glockner.
This guidebook concentrates on three areas – the Reichen, Venediger and Gross Glockner Groups. In each section, descriptions are provided for various hut-to-hut tours along with excursions and recommended climbs. Like my other Alpine trekking guides, this guide has been written to offer walkers as much flexibility as possible, describing all the options that occur as you tour from hut to hut. For example there are the familiar Rucksack Routes and Glacier Tours, routes that are linear and routes that are circular. There is also the option to walk from Mayrhofen, through the Reichen Group and across the Venediger to end with a climb on the Gross Glockner, all within the span of a two-week holiday (see Appendix D, Across the Hohe Tauern).
The Hohe Tauern provides opportunities for all mountain enthusiasts, whatever their aspirations. It is ideal for first-time visitors to the Alps, particularly family groups with adventurous children, but it is even more so for aspiring alpinists, who are wrong to see the Hohe Tauern as tame. These mountains can challenge even the most experienced. You will not be disappointed.
Gruss Gott und gut Bergtouren!
When to Go
The summer season usually starts in mid-June and ends in late September. June is not the best time to visit as it is not unusual to come across large quantities of old snow which will be left lying on the north-facing slopes, in places such as the Rainbach Scharte, Zopat Scharte and Loebbentorl.
July weather will be warmer and will see the winter snow recede further. There will be more people in the mountains and at the huts. August is the peak season, when most Europeans take their holidays and the huts will be at their busiest then. The weather is also at its most settled but it is not unusual to see cloud build up in the late mornings and thunderstorms arrive in the evenings. August is also the month when most of the villages in the Hohe Tauern hold their summer church festivals, known as kirchtags. They are worth a visit, good fun and enjoyed by all. In September with the arrival of autumn the huts will be quieter and the weather cooler.
The author’s personal choice for a two-week holiday is either the middle of July or the first two weeks in September.
Getting There (and Back)
Getting to Austria is relatively straightforward no matter how you decide to travel. For the purposes of these treks, you will probably arrive in Austria in the medieval city of Innsbruck, the provincial capital of the Tyrol. Transport to the starting points for tours in the Reichen Group, Venediger and Gross Glockner is described from Innsbruck within each section.
By Air
Even if you travel by air, which is without doubt the quickest way to get to Austria, you do not always have sufficient time to leave the UK in the morning, fly to Austria, catch a train to Innsbruck, Jenbach–Mayrhofen, Kitzbuhel then Zell am See, and then make your way to one of the huts before nightfall. At best you should plan to stay overnight in Innsbruck and then continue your journey the day after. However if your plan is to tour in the Reichen Group, it is just about possible to get to the Plauener Hut by early evening if you do not have any hold-ups!
Both British Airways and Lufthansa run several flights a day from London and Manchester. Other budget carriers also operate services from Luton, Stansted and Gatwick. (See Appendix A for airline websites.)
Travelling by air gets you to mainland Europe quickly but then you may loose precious time transferring to the railway station (Hauptbahnhof) and may experience frustrating delays and hold-ups just finding your way about.
At Munich, the airport connects direct with the regional railway network where there are frequent trains every 20mins or so. Follow the train signs DB and S. The set-up is similar to the London Underground, which means you need a pre-paid ticket before getting on the train. Do not push your luck without a ticket, as the Germans do not take kindly to freeloaders, no matter where you come from. There is also a booking office in the arrivals hall adjacent to the concession counters for car hire, hotel reservations and so on. This facility is not always open but if it is get your ticket to Innsbruck hin und zuruck (return). There are express trains every two hours or so. Once on your journey you need to get off the regional train at Munchen Ost (Munich East) and change platforms to get on one of the intercity trains (schnell zug). Lookout for the sign boards on the side of the train and get on the first one that has Innsbruck or Brennero, Venezia, Venedig on it: anything heading into Italy or Switzerland will do, as they all have to go via Innsbruck.
A party crossing the Obersulzbach Kees glacier with Gross Venediger in the background (Venediger Glacier Tour, Stage 8)
If the ticket office at Munich airport is closed you can get your ticket at Munich East ticket office, which you will find at road level with other shops and fast food outlets. With express trains it is also possible to pay on the train, sometimes at a premium, if you can show that you had to rush and didn’t have enough time to get to the ticket office.
At Salzburg, take the ‘Line 2’ bus service from the airport to the Hauptbahnhof (railway station), from where a rail ticket to Innsbruck can be purchased.
If you are planning to tour the Reichen Group there is no need to go to Innsbruck. Take the train as far as Jenbach then transfer to the Zillertalbahn narrow-gauge railway for the 30-mile, one-hour train ride up the Zillertal valley to Mayrhofen. The overall journey time is about two hours depending on connections. The last train to Mayrhofen from Jenbach is at 18:22hr.
If your plan is to climb in the Glockner region, again there is no need to go to Innsbruck. Take the train to Zell am See or Kitzbuhel, then use the local bus services.
At Innsbruck airport, there is a bus service plus taxis to get you to the city centre and the Hauptbahnhof; then use regional trains to wherever you plan to tour.
By Rail
Consult with National Rail Enquiries or Eurostar, but these are the two most commonly used routes. (Each will get you to Innsbruck within 18 hours.)
London/Dover/Calais/Paris/Zurich/Innsbruck
London/Dover/Ostend/Brussels/Munich/Innsbruck
See these websites for further details:
DB: Deutsche Bundesbahn (German Railways) www.reiseauskunft.bahn.de
OBB: Osterreichische Bundesbahnen (Austrian Railways) www.oebb.at
Postbus: www.postbus.at
By Road
The most direct route is via the Dover–Ostend channel crossing, then making use of the motorway system to Munich and into Austria at Kufstein, followed by the short drive up the Inn valley to Innsbruck. Whatever your chosen route consult your motoring organisation before setting out. If there is more than one driver it is possible to get to Innsbruck in 10–12 hours from Calais or Ostend.
It is also important when parking your car to remember to consider getting back to it, which is not always easy when you drop down into another valley. It is best to leave your car at one of the major towns with good railway connections to Innsbruck, Jenbach or Zell am See, if possible.
The Return Journey
For those travelling by air, the last day of your vacation needs to be devoted to making the journey home. See the individual sections for descriptions.
Journey time from Innsbruck to Munich airport is around 2–2½hrs, to Salzburg 2hrs. From Innsbruck the trains to Munich leave at:
08:38/10:38/12:37/14:37/16:37/18:37/20:37hrs.
From Innsbruck the trains to Salzburg are roughly every two hours:
09:30/11:30/13:30hrs.
From Mayrhofen the first train to Jenbach is at 05:52hrs, thereafter every hour from 06:40hrs onwards. The first train from Jenbach to Munich is at 10:38hrs, and to Salzburg at 09:50hrs. Remember to change trains at Munich East and get on the regional shuttle service train S8 marked Flughafen.
See Appendix B for some useful German words and phrases to use when travelling.
Places to Stay
There is no shortage of good places to stay throughout Austria as the whole country is geared to tourism and catering for visitors.
Hotels
Hotels in Innsbruck will be more expensive than hotels and guesthouses in the surrounding local villages. If you are not bothered about nightlife then you will find good bargains in the towns of Mayrhofen, Kitzbuhel, Matrei, Kaprun and Zell am See.
In Innsbruck, hotels can be booked from the tourist information centre at the railway station. Some recommended places are listed below.
In Innsbruck
Alt Pradl Hotel Located 10mins walk from the railway station and 20mins from the old town. Quiet.
tel 0043 (0) 5123 45156
email info@hotel-altpradl.at
website www.hotel-altpradl.at
Weisses Kreuz (The White Cross) A touch of the old, medieval Innsbruck, located in the heart of the old town, its claim to fame is that Mozart stayed here when in Innsbruck to play for the Royal Court at the Hofburg Palace.
tel 0043 (0) 5125 94790
email hotel@weisseskreuz.at
website www.weisseskreuz.at
The Goldene Krone (The Golden Crown) Located on Maria Theresien Strasse near the Triumphal Arch.
tel 0043 (0) 5125 86160
email info@goldene-krone.at
website www.goldene-krone.at
Nepomuk’s Backpackers’ Hostel Located just off the main square in the old part of the Alte Stadt.
tel 0043 (0) 6647 879197 or 0043 (0) 5125 84118
email mail@nepomuks.at
website www.nepomuks.at
In Mayrhofen
Hotel Siegelerhof Opposite the tourist information office, 5mins walk from the railway station. The hotel is managed by the Hausberger family who provide good inexpensive bed and breakfast accommodation. You can also leave surplus bags there to pick up on your return.
tel 0043 (0) 5285 62493 or 62424
email info@hotel-siegelerhof.at
website www.hotel-siegelerhof.at
In Matrei in Ost Tyrol
Hotels may be reserved at the tourist information office in the village square.
The Sport Hotel Located just off the main road opposite the bus station at the entrance to the Virgental valley and gateway to the Venediger.
tel 0043 (0) 4875 20104
email riepler.alois@utanet
website www.jugend-und-sporthotel.at
In Salzburg
Zur Post Hotel 5mins from the airport and 15mins from the fine old city centre.
tel 0043 (0) 6628 32339
email hotelzurpost@EUnet.at
website www.hotelzurpost.info
Campsites
For those travelling by road and wishing to camp, there are good campsites throughout the region: in the Zillertal valley at Schlitters, Kaltenbach, Zell am Ziller; at Laubichl on the outskirts of Mayrhofen; at Matrei in Ost Tyrol, 300m to the south on the Huben road; and also at Pragraten in the Virgental valley. Groups intending to camp should enquire from the campsite warden about reduced fees while they are away. This is referred to as leeres zelt.
Visiting Innsbruck
Innsbruck is the capital city of the province of Tyrol, named after the river on which it stands. It is overlooked by the Karwendel group of mountains, and was made famous as a venue for the Winter Olympics Sports. The city is well worth a visit in its own right, having the right mix of city life and cultural history but with the mountains not far away.
See the map below for locations of
railway and bus stations
tourist information and post offices
main historical sites
the Alpine Museum
Hotels
OeAV Museum
Should you have time on your hands the Alpine (OeAV) Museum in Innsbruck is worthy of a visit. Located within the Hofburg Imperial Palace in the Old Town, it has many fine exhibits from alpinism’s golden era, perhaps the most notable being memorabilia of Hermann Buhl’s solo ascent of Nanga Parbat in the Pakistani Karakoram.
The museum is open Monday to Saturday during normal business hours.
Innsbruck’s mediaeval Alte Stadt with the Golden Roof, Stadt Turm tower and Karwendal mountains
Tourist Offices
In Innsbruck at the main railway station (Hauptbahnhof) there is a tourist information office on the lower level opposite the ticket booking hall. There is another at the entrance to the Old Town Square (Alte Statd) on Museum Strasse at the road junction of Burg Graben and Maria Therasien Strasse. This bureau is the only one in Innsbruck that is open on Sunday, and has a money exchange facility.
In Mayrhofen, the main tourist information office, the Europahaus, is located five minutes’ walk from the railway station, on Durster Strasse. There are other satellite offices located throughout the town.
In Matrei in Ost Tyrol, the tourist office is located in the village square adjacent to the post office.
General enquiries about visiting Austria in advance of your trip should be addressed to the Austrian National Tourist Office (see Appendix A, Useful Contacts).
Post Offices
Post offices are open Monday to Friday 08:00hrs to12:00hrs, then 14:00hrs to 18:00hrs. They have fax facilities and a foreign currency exchange service.
Innsbruck’s post office is located on the Mark Stainer Strasse near the entrance to the Alte Stadt, and on Maxillian Strasse near the Triumphal Arch.
Mayrhofen’s post office is located on the Pfarrer Krapf Strasse just off the main street through the town.
Matrei in Ost Tyrol’s post office is located next to the tourist information centre in the main square.
Post between Austria and the UK usually takes about five days. All the mountain huts sell postcards which can be purchased and mailed from their own postboxes. The mail is then taken down the valley, usually once a week, and deposited at the main post office. This means that post to the UK from the huts will take 10 to 14 days.
Places to Leave Luggage
There are luggage facilities at all the bus and railway stations. However for security reasons there may be restrictions on using the luggage lockers for longer than 48 hours. Leave a note with your belongings stating who you are, your passport number, where you are going, your mobile telephone number and details of when you will be back.
Alternatively, if you are staying at one of the hotels, most hoteliers are quite happy to store luggage until you return.
A group of well-equipped young teenagers
Health and Fitness
Taking children
I have been asked many times about the suitability of hut-to-hut touring for children.
Most children I know or have met love visiting the various huts and the sense of freedom it brings. The Austrian Alpine Club also actively encourages children to participate in mountain activities.
My own daughter traversed the entire length of the Venediger Rucksack Route and undertook the rigours of the Glacier Tour climbing several peaks along the way when she was 15 years old. If children are capable of ascending Ben Nevis, Snowdon or doing the round of Helvellyn then they will surely enjoy some of these tours. But only parents can decide, since some of the days’ outings are quite long. Children need to be fit, happy to be in the mountains for long periods at a time and easily entertained by reading books, playing Scrabble or simply chatting. The best thing, however, is to have a few friends with them for company.
Fitness
You do not have to be super-fit to undertake these tours but it is essential that you are comfortable walking for six hours continuously while carrying a rucksack weighing in the region of 12 to 15kg.
Coping with altitude
The average altitude of the tour(s) is in the region of 2500m to 3000m (8000 to 10,000ft). It is therefore not normal for people visiting the Hohe Tauern to suffer badly from altitude sickness. However that is not to say you will not feel the effects of altitude, such as feeling out of puff, a mild headache and slowed pace, particularly on the high peaks of the Gross Venediger and Gross Glockner.
The best defence against altitude is to be as fit as possible, to eat and drink normally and to get adequate sleep.
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
This card, previously known as the E111, is available free from any post office: all you have to do is fill in the form to receive a credit card sized EHIC identity card that will entitle you to free medical care in any EU member state. Should you be unfortunate enough to need medical attention while on holiday then this card will help. However the EHIC only entitles you to those services provided free in the member state. It does not cover any aspect of medical repatriation.
The top and bottom line with the EHIC is that you will still need to be insured.
Emergencies, Mountain Rescue and Insurance
All the routes described in this book involve sustained activity in a mountain environment. Inevitably this increases the risk of an accident taking place. This means that a severe fall, breaking a limb or some other serious mishap will result in the mountain rescue team being called out.
As noted elsewhere one of the benefits of membership of the OeAV (Austrian Alpine Club) is mountain rescue insurance in case of accident. This can be supplemented from a specialist insurance company; details of some of these are available from the Austrian Alpine Club UK section or by simply scanning the adverts in one of the many climbing magazines. Similarly the British Mountaineering Council, the BMC, has an excellent insurance policy, which is available to non-members.
The value of insurance should not be underestimated as the cost of a mountain rescue can be considerable when helicopters, police and professional mountain guides are brought into use. Unlike in the UK, where mountain rescue services are generally provided free, in the Alps most countries will charge the hapless victim. Be warned!
Mountain rescue is as much about prevention as it is about cure so please practise your glacier travel before you go. Check out all your gear and practise the time-consuming tasks of putting on crampons/harnesses/roping up; and then practise your crevasse rescue techniques. Basic though this may seem I am still amazed how often we forget to do this and how often we get it wrong.
EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS IN AUSTRIA
It is worth remembering that emergency services operate on a different satellite frequency and that the following numbers can be dialled from a mobile telephone even when the phone indicates there is no reception from your service provider. Fortunately in Austria mobile telephone reception is excellent.
Mountain Rescue (Bergrettung) 140
Red Cross (Rotes Kreutz) 144
European emergency telephone number 112
Alpine Distress Signal
Help required: signalled by shouting, whistling or flashing a torch 6 times at 10 second intervals. Then a pause for one minute then repeat.
Answer received: signalled by shouting, whistle or flashing a torch at 20 second intervals. Then a pause for one minute then repeat.
Signals to Helicopters
Help required: arms outstretched, feet together to give a bold Y outline as in YES, help is required.
All is well: one arm raised above the head, one arm lowered to give an N outline as in NO, help not required.
The Austrian Alpine Club
Founded in 1862, huts throughout the Hohe Tauern are administered by the Austrian Alpine Club (Oesterreichischer Alpenverein, OeAV), founded in 1862, or by the German Alpine Club (DAV), except for those that are private or belong to the Oesterreichischer Touristen Klub (the OeTK) and those in the South Tyrol which are owned and administered by the Italian Alpine Club (CAI).
Membership of the Austrian Alpine Club is open to all regardless of ability and is recommended because of the reduced hut rates and the provision of mountain rescue insurance that comes with it.
The United Kingdom section of the OeAV was formed in 1948, just after World War II, to foster Austro-Anglo relationships between like-minded people in the spirit of mountaineering and to make membership easier for British mountaineers.
Presently the Club has over 6000 UK members. Current annual membership rates are £38 for adults, £66.50 for a husband and wife or family group, £28.50 for seniors and juveniles. On acceptance of membership, the Club provides an excellent Members’ Handbook packed with useful information.
The Club’s principal activities include development and provision of mountain huts, marking and maintenance of footpaths, the production of maps and guidebooks and the organising of mountaineering courses and expeditions. In addition the Club is becoming increasingly involved in environmental issues, particularly activities that are seen to spoil the mountains by either physical or visual pollution.
The Austrian Alpine Club enjoys full reciprocal rights agreements with the alpine clubs of France (CAF), Switzerland (CAS), Italy (CAI) and Germany (DAV). This means that while in the Reichen group, should you cross into the South Tyrol to stay at the Birnlucken Hut you will pay the same fees as those enjoyed by members of the Italian Alpine Club, and vice versa.
The Austrian Alpine Club also has a thriving UK Section which has an active indoor and outdoor meets programme to suit most members and publishes a quarterly newsletter (see www.aacuk.org.uk and Appendix A for full contact information).
About Huts
The word ‘hut’ is a misnomer as all the huts in the Hohe Tauern as described here are more akin to mountain inns or guest houses, and provide simple overnight accommodation in the form of rooms or dormitories together with some form of restaurant service (see ‘Meals and Menus’ below). This means that if you are travelling through the mountains you do not have to return to the valley to stock up on provisions every few days.
On arrival at a hut it is essential that you make contact with the hut guardian (the huttenwirt). Normally this is a husband and wife team, with the husband sometimes being a mountain guide (Bergfuehrer).
The huttenwirt will normally be found near the kitchen (kuche or at the hut office (bureau, buro). You should greet this person by saying ‘Gruss Gott’ and presenting your passport and OeAV membership card. You should then explain that you are member of the Austrian Alpine Club Sektion Britannia and that you would like some accommodation.
If you do not speak German and feel uncomfortable with asking for rooms in German, then write down the phrase noted in the language section. Be polite by asking bitte (please) when handing over the message and answering danke (thank you) when the message is returned. Trivial as this may seem these polite gestures are extremely important and will go a long way to ensure a pleasant stay.
Having made your reservation for a bed (bett) or dormitory (matratzenlager) you should stow your boots in the boot rack and hang your other clobber – rope, axe, crampons – on the pegs provided in the hallway or schuraum.
If you are wet on arrival, your waterproofs should be shaken as dry as possible outside the hut and hung up with your other tackle. If you are in a group do not mill around the doorways and again if you are wet make sure you leave as much surplus water and dirt off your boots outside the hut. Many of the huts are spotlessly clean and for the benefits of all guests should be allowed to remain that way.
The OeAV does not provide visitors with hut shoes, so you need to take your own to wander around the hut in as boots upstairs are strictly forbidden (verboten).
Should the hut be full you may have to take residence in the winterraum, which is usually reserved for ski mountaineers and those visiting when the hut is closed. Most huts in the Hohe Tauern are open from early June to the end of September. The winterraum is generally an annexe to the hut and may double as a storeroom or shelter for animals, as at the Kursinger Hut. While the winterraum can be quite cosy remember to keep your gear off the floor, as it is usually the home of more permanent four-pawed residents.
Should the hut be beyond full you will be provided with a mattress for notlager which, roughly translated, means ‘sleeping with the furniture’, be it on the floor, in the corridors, on tables, on benches or simply anywhere you can lie down.
Only on very rare occasions will you be asked to move on by the huttenwirt but only when bed space has been secured at an adjacent hut and only when there is sufficient daylight for you to reach your destination. In the Hohe Tauern all of this is an unusual scenario, and can lead to some cosy if somewhat noisy situations.
View from the Warnsdorfer Hut – the Birnlucken Pass (2667m) is the obvious gap on the left skyline and the Reichen Spitze the dominant peak on the right (Reichen Rucksack Route, Stage 3)
At the hut you will also require a sheet sleeping bag (schlafsack) for use with the blankets and bedding which the hut provides. This is to minimise the amount of washing required and reduce water pollution. This is a compulsory requirement and if you do not have one the huttenwirt will rent you one.
Elsewhere in the hut you will find male and female washrooms and toilets. Most of these facilities in the Hohe Tauern are good but a number are at best described as basic but adequate. Most huts also have a drying room, or trockenraum, which you should find close to the front door. Likewise most huts have a small shop where visitors can purchase basic provisions such as chocolate, biscuits and cakes.
Thereafter the heart and soul of the hut is the gaste stube or dining room. Here you will find all manner of activities going on from groups planning their next day, people celebrating a climb or a birthday or people just chatting. The atmosphere is best described by the German word gemutlichkeit which means homely or friendly and is something that is fostered and cherished throughout the whole of Austria.
At the end of your stay you should remember to make your bed and fold your blankets, to look around to make sure you’ve left nothing behind and to search out the huttenwirt and thank them for a pleasant stay. You should then fill in the hut book to record your stay and to indicate where you are going next.
The cost of accommodation is published annually and available on the Austrian Alpine Club website – www.alpenverein.at. Click on the Hütten/Wege link and choose Tarifordnung. (At the time of going to press dormitory accommodation in a Category I hut was €10 and in a Category III hut €16.)
Reservations
For small groups of three or four people it is not necessary to make a reservation at many of the huts. However, if you are a group of six or more, it is strongly recommended that you make contact with the hut using the address provided in the hut directory at the back of this guidebook, and sending a prepaid stamped addressed envelope, before you go. It is also essential to book if you intend to climb the Gross Glockner and Gross Venediger as these huts are always busy.
Most of the huts in the Hohe Tauern now have websites and email addresses, which makes it easier than ever to get in touch with the hut to make reservations. Again, see the Hut Directory for details.
It is worth noting that members are only allowed three consecutive nights at any one hut, although this is not strictly enforced.
Meals and Menus
All huts have some sort of restaurant service to cover the three daily meals: breakfast (fruehstuck), lunch (mittagessen) and dinner (abendessen).
Breakfast is served from about 06:00hrs to approximately 07:30hrs. Thereafter no meals are available until lunchtime as the hut staff are busy with general housekeeping. Breakfast is seen as the worst value for money but unless you are carrying your own provisions you will have little choice other than to accept it.
Lunchtime usually takes place from 12:00hrs to 14:00hrs but varies depending on the hut. It is also possible to purchase simple meals like soup, kase brot and apfelstrudl at most of the huts throughout the afternoon.
Dinner is the main meal of the day and is generally served from 18:00hrs to 19:30hrs. Apart from meals listed on the menu, bergsteigeressen will be available along with other meals. Literally translated the word means ‘mountain climbers’ food’ and in reality that is what it is, even if it is pot luck what you get! However it is a low-priced meal and must contain a minimum of 500 calories. The meal generally comprises spaghetti or pasta, potatoes, some meat or sausage, sometimes a fried egg or maybe a dumpling. There is no hard and fast rule other than that it is relatively inexpensive and that there is usually a lot of it!
Comfortable accommodation at the Sankt Poltener Hut – note the mountain rescue donations tin on the table (Venediger Rucksack Route, Stage 6)
Generally the procedure for ordering meals is that you first organise a table. There is no formality, but sometimes, when mountaineering training courses are being run, groups of tables may be marked private or reserved (privat reservierung). Having sat down one of the waitresses (frauline) will take your order. Alternatively, you may have to go to the counter or kitchen (kuche) to order, or there may be a sign saying selbsbedienungs, which means self-service.
The general rule for paying for food and drink is to pay an accumulative bill. Keep notes of what you eat and drink to aid checking at the time of paying. Bills can become considerable when staying at a hut for more than a couple of nights.
Because of the excellent service the huts provide it is obvious that very little of one’s own food needs to be carried. However, you may want to take your own dry rations such as tea, coffee, bread and cheese. This permits you to make your own snacks and by borrowing cups and purchasing eine litre teewasser you can brew up for a little cost. The only facility not provided for is self-catering, which does seem a little pointless when all the meals are reasonably priced.
Tea, coffee, hot chocolate, lemonade, beer, wine and schnapps are all available at the huts. Breakfast (fruehstuck) is served between 06:00hrs and 07:30hrs and comprises two or three slices of bread, a portion of butter, jam and cheese and tea or coffee. If you don’t finish it, take it with you! You pay for it all. Lunch (mittagessen) and dinner (abendessen) are served with a selection of vegetables or salad and there should be vegetarian (vegetarische) options. Drinks are served in quarter (viertel) or half (halb) litres, or large (gross) or small (klein), and may be hot (heiss) or cold (kalt). See the glossary (Appendix B) for some useful words and phrases when reading menus or ordering food and drink.
As a guideline for working out a budget, typical meal price lists can be obtained from the UK Section of the Austrian Alpine Club. (At the time of going to press, their website – www.aacuk.org.uk – was estimating the cost of dinner in a hut at between €7 and €16, depending on what you opt for.) Alternatively a budget cost can be worked out on the basis of prices charged in most British pubs for a decent bar meal plus drinks. (The unit of currency in Austria is the Euro, as in Germany and Italy.)
Using This Guide
Paths, Tracks and Waymarks
Paths throughout the Hohe Tauern are waymarked roughly every hundred metres with a daub of red paint.
At intersections, paths frequently have a signpost or alternatively have a red and white paint marker with a designated path number; this in turn is cross-referenced by maps and guidebooks including this one.
Emergency information on a signpost
A Helicopter recognition number
B Telephone number for mountain rescue
C European emergency services
D Grid references
E Altitude
Routes described in this guide, such as on the Reichen Group Runde Tour and the Venediger Hohenweg vary from traditional mountain paths to tracks across boulder fields and rough ground. There is also steep ground, late summer snow and fixed wire ropes here and there to aid stability.
Paths for hut-to-hut routes are frequently marked with a signpost just outside the hut, which will give the standard time in hours for the distance between huts without stops (treat these times with caution: see below).
The tracks onto and across glaciers are not normally marked as the route may vary from year to year. Also if venturing onto glaciers you are expected to have the necessary know-how and route finding skills. However, sometimes the local guides will place marker poles on the glacier to aid route finding, such as on the heavily crevassed Obersulzbach Kees glacier.
Where the route follows a river, stream or glacier and reference is made to the left or right bank, this is when viewed in the direction of flow. So when ascending the left bank will be on your right. To avoid confusion, efforts have been made throughout the text to add a compass bearing to ensure that you go in the right direction!
In general, no great demand will be made on your route-finding skills. If there are any places that require particular care, they will be highlighted in a pale blue box at the end of the description. However route-finding is naturally made much more difficult in mist, rain and snow.
Please note that routes may change from the published description as a result of landslips, avalanches and erosion.
Route descriptions and sketch maps
The routes described follow recognised paths and tracks corresponding to those indicted on maps and signposts.
However, to aid route-finding across unfamiliar ground, each daily tour itinerary is fully described and illustrated with a sketch map indicating the main topographical features that will be observed en route.
Route grading
The route described is for people who are already involved in some sort of mountain activity on a regular basis. It goes without saying that the tours are moderately strenuous and require the ability to carry a full pack for an average of six hours a day. In terms of alpine grading, the majority of the routes fall into the mountaineering grade of easy to moderate, comprising sustained mountain walking, requiring the ability to negotiate steep ground, scramble over rocks, cross late summer snow, make use of fixed wire ropes and have a good head for heights.
MOUNTAIN GRADES
Alpine ascents are often given a descriptive mountaineering grade:
F Facile – easy
PD Peu Difficile – a little bit difficult
AD Assez Difficile – quite difficult
Plus or minus signs are often added to these grades to signify that they are at the higher or lower end of the grade respectively.
Technical climbing ascents are also sometimes given a UIAA (International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation) technical grade:
I British grade of moderate
II British grade of difficult
III British grade of very difficult/mild severe
Standard times
At the beginning of each route description a standard time in hours (stunden) is quoted as an estimate of time required from hut to hut. This standard time generally equates to that given in the Austrian Alpine Club’s green Hut Book. The standard time stated is for hours spent moving and does not include lunch stops and other breaks. Most British parties find some difficulty in meeting standard times indicated by signposts outside huts. Do not worry. A lot of these standard times are unattainable or seem to have been set by Olympic athletes. With this in mind, the route descriptions in this book give the actual time required when carrying a heavy rucksack.
If you undertake any of the tours with children you are advised to add at least one hour to the given time to allow for frequent picnic stops. Similarly, aspirant alpinists should make due allowance to the standard time while they learn the rudiments of glacier travel and the very time-consuming activities of roping up and putting crampons on and taking them off.
MOUNTAIN TERMINOLOGY
The following German words may be useful in route-finding and getting about.
Maps and Guidebooks
The following are available from the UK Section of the Austrian Alpine Club.
Also useful and available from major map retailers are:
Freytag & Berndt Wanderkarte sheet 152 scale 1:50,000 (Mayrhofen-Zillertaler Alpen-Gerlos-Krimml).
Rudolf Rother Wanderkarte 1:50,000 scale (Glockner, Granatspitz and Venediger groups).
For guidebooks, see Appendix C (Further Reading).
Alpine Walking Skills
So how do the skills you need for walking in the Hohe Tauern differ from those needed for walking elsewhere?
Boots
It really is essential that you have a relatively stiff boot with good ankle support and a stout Vibram-type rubber sole. Many of the walks involve sustained hard walking over rocky slopes and glacial debris plus encounters with patches of old hard snow. It is important to think of your boots as tools that can be used to kick steps and to jam into rocky cracks without causing damage to your feet. While bendy boots may be a tad lighter and more comfortable they are no match for a good pair of four-season mountaineering boots when it comes to dealing with difficult ground.
Some basic Alpine walking kit
Instep Crampons or Microspikes
While crampons are normally associated with climbing, a pair of these little tools (pictured) comes in very handy when the weather decides to dump some unseasonable snow in August and they may just help provide that little bit of extra security when you get up close to some old hard-packed snow.
Improvised Harness
Many of the routes are equipped with fixed wire ropes to aid some support over bits of difficult terrain. While these maybe relatively easy to cross, the consequences of a fall could be serious. Also not everyone is vertigo free and the use of an improvised harness will help provide confidence and security of passage. Constructed from a 2m long x 10mm wide Dyneema sling, three or four overhand knots and a large screw gate karabiner (see picture above), it will allow you to clip into those fixed wires whenever the need arises and arrest a fall when you least expect it!
Improvised harness
A Tape joint at your back
B Overhand knot tied around the waist
C Overhand knot tied slightly above the knee
D Tightoverhand knot at the end of the sling to hold the karabiner captive
Trekking Poles
Poles are almost a standard accessory for most folk these days but in the Alps they come into their own, being very handy when crossing glacial steams and for traversing those steep patches of old snow.
Glacier travel
The glaciers of the Hohe Tauern are in the heartland of the Tyrol and the Eastern Alps, with the Gross Venediger’s glaciers covering the greatest area, while the Pasterzen Kees glacier adjacent to the Gross Glockner remains the longest single glacier in the Eastern Alps. Quite a few of the mountaineering routes described in this guide involve crossing or negotiating glaciers that can be heavily crevassed, depending on the time of year and varying from season to season.
Crevasses (spalten) will be encountered but they should not create a serious problem for the mountain traveller and most will be easily bypassed. As is common to most glaciers, the main crevasse zone will be on the steep sections, at the edges and where the ice breaks away from the underlying rocks to form bergschrunds, randkluft. If difficulties do arise it will be in negotiating bergschrunds such as those below the Romariswandkopf on the Fruschnitz Kees glacier.
Orientation on the glacier is described as being in the direction of flow along the right or left-hand bank. This means that in ascent the left bank will be on your right. To avoid confusion, as when route finding in mist, a compass bearing has been added in the route description to aid direction.
Although most of the Hohe Tauern’s glaciers are relatively straightforward, they can vary quite considerably from season to season, the Obersulzbach Kees and Umbal glaciers being good examples. This scenario is further exacerbated by large temperature variations generally because of the glaciers’ relatively low altitudes. This means that while routes may be straightforward one year, with minimal snowfall in the following year previously hidden crevasses may become exposed and enlarged. The result is that glacier travel becomes more problematic.
The ideal number of people for glacier travel is four. Two is the absolute minimum although two cannot be entirely safe, and solo travel should be avoided. For a party of two some added security could be gained by teaming up with a second party, gaining strength through numbers.
In summer, many of the Hohe Tauern’s glaciers are dry glaciers at their lower levels and are quite safe to traverse un-roped, as the crevasses are obvious and easily avoided.
However, when crevasses pose a threat, for example where they overlap, are deep or when they occur on steep ground, as will be found on the Reichen Spitze and Gross Venediger, then the party should be roped up. Equally parties should be roped at all times while crossing glaciers that are snow-covered as will be found on the Koednitz Kees glacier on the approach to the Gross Glockner, no matter how well trodden the route. It is worth remembering that crevasses have no respect for people and can open up beneath the best of us.
Practise before you go
For a roped party of three, the group leader, the most experienced person, is best placed in the middle, since it is the group leader who will contribute most to a rescue in the event of a mishap. The second most experienced person should take the lead position at the head of the rope so as to route find, and the last person, preferably the heaviest, should take a place at the back to act as anchorman.
For parties visiting the Alps for the first time, particularly those of equal ability, some experimenting will be necessary to gain more experience. However it is absolutely essential that you practise roping up and crevasse rescue before you go; particularly, practise a crevasse rescue scenario were the fallen climber is out of sight of their companions and when another member of the party has to go to their assistance and enter the crevasse as would be the case if your companion hurts themself.
The following technique is suggested (only suggested because the style varies between German and French parts of the Alps). If you learned glacier and crevasse techniques in the Western Alps you may well have been taught a different but equally valid approach. This method works and will ensure that a group has a safe anchor at all times.
In ascent and descent the lightest person should go first at the front to route find. Should the route finder fall into a crevasse (unlikely) it is improbable that the rest of the group will be dragged in after them, but in a full-on fall you will be dragged off your feet. In case such a mishap occurs then the heaviest person is best placed at the back to act as anchor. For a party of two the most experienced person should be at the back in both ascent and descent.
To rope up a party of three, the middle man (group leader) should tie on 15m from one end of the rope, with the rope leader tied on at the front end. The back man (anchorman) should then tie on about 12m behind the middle man (group leader). The surplus rope at the end should then be coiled by the anchorman and carried over the shoulder and rucksack or, as the author prefers, it can be loosely coiled inside the top of the rucksack from where it can be easily retrieved in the event of being needed for a crevasse rescue. In addition to roping up, two Prusik loops are needed for attaching to the rope by each person, to be stored in their pockets.
On most glaciers the party will move together, keeping a respectable distance between each person. When there is no crevasse danger a few rope coils may be carried in the hand of each person to make the rope more manageable and to help prevent it snagging and being dragged along the glacier’s surface, making the rope wet and heavy.
When crevasse zones are encountered, the rope between individuals should be kept taut to limit the effect of a fall. Where crevasses pose a very real risk, such as when they are large or their extent is unknown, the rope leader’s second (middle man) should belay, while the rope leader traverses or jumps the crevasse. At the same time the group’s anchorman will be similarly belayed a safe distance away. While these procedures may seem complicated and time-consuming, with a little practice they should become second nature.
The purpose behind these techniques is to prevent climbers falling into crevasses and to ensure glaciers are crossed safely. Most mountaineers will spend many hours crossing glaciers without any serious mishap. Experienced mountaineers will be able to recall falling into crevasses up to the waist, a few to the chest and the odd one falling through the surface to the glacier below. In most instances during a fall climbers can react quickly enough to spread their weight by outstretching their arms or by falling backwards to prevent themselves falling further. Once the fall is arrested, the group’s second (the group leader) should belay while the anchorman uses their weight and position to secure the belay which then frees the group leader to make use of the anchorman’s coiled spare rope to affect the rescue and haul the leader free.
Should the leader fall free and end up inside the crevasse, it is important the rest of the party work quickly. If falling into a concealed crevasse it is likely the rope leader will be hurt. This is due to the fact that their rucksack will have jarred, pushing the head forward and banging it on the ice during the fall. In such situations there are a number of options to choose from, but all will be useless unless the group has spent a little time practising crevasse rescue techniques. This is absolutely essential.
In this situation, provided the rope leader is uninjured it may be possible to:
a) simply haul them out of the crevasse using brute force.
b) help the rope leader to Prusik out of the crevasse under their own steam.
c) by lowering the end of the end of the surplus rope, rescue the rope leader by using a combination of hauling and Prusiking using the assisted Hoist Rope Pulley Method. (See diagram).
If the rope leader is injured, then the actual group leader will have to go into the crevasse to perform first aid and secure the second haulage rope. Thereafter once the group leader (the middle man if there are three of you) is back on the surface it is just about possible for the group leader and anchorman to haul the rope leader to the surface, using the Prusik loops to lock off the hauling rope. In this scenario a full-blown mountain rescue is perhaps the correct decision.
The UK Section of the Austrian Alpine Club organises basic training for glacier crossing and crevasse rescue through the OeAV Bergsteigerschule. Contact the AAC Office for details.
The National Mountain Centre at Plas y Brenin also runs similar introductory courses. Contact www.pyb.co.uk.
A DVD of ‘Alpine Essentials’ is also available from the British Mountaineering Council (BMC).
KIT LIST
As a general principle a good rule is: one on, one off. When travelling as a group try to share items that have a commonality of equipment to minimise the weight each person has to carry. For example you will only need one comprehensive first aid kit, one repair kit, one set of maps, one guidebook, one phrase book, one pair of binoculars, and only one set of spare batteries if all the headlamps are the same.
Rucksack (50 litre)
Boots (suitable for all seasons)
Trekking poles (optional)
Long socks (2 pairs)
Short socks (2 pairs)
Trousers or breeches
Shorts (optional)
Underwear (3 pairs)
Shirts (2)
Pullover
Fleece jacket
Waterproofs, jacket and trousers
Hat, gloves
Gaiters (optional)
Torch or headlamp
Toiletries plus small towel
Water bottle or Thermos flask
First aid kit with sun cream and lip salve
Sunglasses plus spare
Repair kit: needle and thread, super glue, candle, binding wire
Pocket knife
Selection of polythene bags
Maps and compass
Whistle
Notepad and pencil
Hohe Tauern guidebook (this one!)
Emergency gear, bivvy bag, food rations
Personal optional items, such as: German phrase book, camera, film, binoculars
Also recommended for walkers
1 set of instep crampons or Microspikes
1 2m long x 10mm wide Dyneema tape sling with a large screwgate karabiner
Should you intend to climb some of the peaks then you will need to add the following to your kit and know how to use them:
Ice axe
Crampons
2 large slings with screw gate karabiners
3 Prussik loops
Climber’s harness
Ice screw
2 spare karabiners
A length of climber’s rope such as 50m x 9mm for each group of 3 people
A small selection of slings with nuts/a pulley/universal rock piton
Other items, which are useful (one of each within a group) are:
Altimeter
Ice hammer
Dead boy
Snow belay
Figure of eight abseil device
Prusiking devices such as Petzl Tibloc or Wild Country Ropeman
Hut wear
Lightweight change of clothes
Hut shoes or socks
Trousers
Shirt
Sheet sleeping bag
Inflatable pillow
Statue of Annasaule on Maria Theresien Strasse looking toward the Alte Stadt
Mountain Guides
Professional mountain guides (Bergfuehreren) can be hired direct through the UK Section of the Austrian Alpine Club, through the British Association of International Mountain Leaders (www.baiml.org), in Mayrhofen through Peter Habeler’s Office on Haupt Strasse, in Matrei in Ost Tyrol via the Guide’s Office on Rauterplatz (info@bf1.at), and in Kals am Grossglockner via the Guide’s Office (info@glocknerfuehrer.at).
I can also recommend my good friends Harry Holl (team-alpin-austria@aon.at), Hannes Bartl (hannes.bartl@aon.at) and Hannes Wettstein, Nr 167, A-6152 Trins, Tyrol, Austria.
