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Austria: Glacial Course on Stüdlhütte and Fanotkogel

Our alpine section AO Tržič organised a 2 day trip to Veliki Klek / Großglockner, the highest Austrian peak, with an glacier travel and crevasse rescue course. On our first day the bus took us to the end of the Kals Glockner road at an altitude 1920 m and from there we started with the hike to Stüdlhütte, 2802 m. After the break, our instructors taught us the basics of how to travel over the glaciers and how to rescue someone if he falls into the crevasse. For some of us, this was just a rehearsal to refresh our memories. After the course, I did a short hike to nearby Fanotkogel, 2905 m and I explored the ridge to the South of the summit. When I returned back to the mountain hut, we continued with dinner and a few beers and we set the clocks to 4:30 a.m. in the morning.

Start of our trail along Ködnitzbach.

 

We had a lot of time ti reach the Stüdlhütte mountain hut.

The path that we already left behind.

Approaching Lucknerhütte.

 

Next to the stream we found a few alpine marmots.

Alpine marmots survive extreme changes in weather and food shortages during winter by hibernating. Once winter arrives, alpine marmots will huddle next to each other and begin hibernation, a process which lowers their heart rate to five beats per minute and breathing to 1-3 breaths per minute. Their body temperature will drop to almost the same as the air around them, although their heart and breathing rates will speed up if the environment approaches freezing point.

Play time.

And here it is, our today's final destination, Stüdlhütte, named after the Prague merchant Johann Stüdl.

The eagle guarding the mountain hut.

Start of the glacier travel and crevasse rescue course.

Kuhar and Beno were official instructors.

 

Some knots used on the rope, while you travel in a rope team across the glacier.

Crevasse rescue simulation.

While the course continued, I did a hike to nearby Fanotkogel.

Barbi and Seba were already at the top, watching me.

At 2905 meters, which is higher than our highest mountain.

Exploring the ridge towards the South.

Static in the air.

Stüdlhütte with glacier Teischnitzkees and Grossglockner.

View over the Teischnitztal valley.

The weather quickly changed and the Glockner was hidden again.

 

We ate like in a hotel and we also drank a few beers.

Geocache found:

- Blick in die Berge 2.473 m, GC4AXQJ

#hiking #mountains #HighTauern #geocaching