The fourth edition of our
Chera Hiking backcountry skiing camp has finally come around, and once again the road led us to
Italy - this time to
South Tyrol, deep in the
Ahrntal Valley (Valle Aurina). After a long drive from
Slovenia, we rolled into
Prettau (Predoi), where the mountains were already wrapped in low clouds and less-than-friendly weather. Still, spirits were high. Gear on our backs, skis ready, we set out with a simple plan: head toward the Malga Steger hut and see what the day would bring. But as often happens in the mountains, plans are more of a suggestion than a rule. Somewhere on the ascent, a few of us veered off course and decided to tag a nearby peak first - Golatsch. The climb gave us exactly what we came for: quiet slopes, a bit of effort, and that satisfying moment of standing on a small summit in winter conditions. Eventually, we made our way back down and continued toward the hut. A well-earned stop, a warm atmosphere inside, and of course a
beer that tasted better than it probably should have after a day in the cold. From there, it was time to drop back into the valley (
Garmin Connect). We packed the last of our gear into the cars and drove onward to Steinhaus, where we finally settled into our apartment- tired legs, good memories, and already half-thinking about the next day in the mountains.
Even though the weather was changing, we still reached the summit of Golatsch.
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| The ridge continued over Stege Ötschen to Lengspitz, but this cross at Golatsch was the endpoint for us. |
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| Beer at the Malga Steger hut. |
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| Our group. |
Our apartments. We occupied the whole house.
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| Some serious planning for tomorrow. |
