A storm to remember – Easter 2018
The plan
We planned a four days snowshoeing tour from hut to hut together with two other friends.
Starting point: Ramsau
Finish point: Königsee
Huts to stop and sleep:
- Ingolstädter Haus http://www.ingolstaedter-haus.de/
- Riemanhaus https://www.dav-ingolstadt.de/riemannhaus/
- Kärlingerhaus am Funtensee https://kaerlingerhaus.de/
What we packed
This is what we had with us for more days on the way.
- two sandwiches pro person,
- spaghetti,
- pesto,
- shrimps (yes, no joke),
- avocado,
- tomatoes,
- bread,
- brezel,
- cheese,
- ham,
- salami,
- eggs,
- salt,
- butter,
- paprika,
- onion,
- chocolate,
- honey,
- jam,
- beer,
- water,
- dry fruits,
- tea bags
- 2 x hiking trousers,
- 3 x t-shirts,
- 4 x underwear,
- 4 x socks
- fleece jacket,
- ski jacket,
- winter cap,
- gaiters,
- gloves
- snow shoes,
- poles,
- sun glasses,
- medicine ( at least aspirin, nurofen, plaster ),
- wet wipes, small towel, trash bags,
- rubber band,
- rescue blanket,
- first aid set,
- small soap,
- tooth brush and tooth paste,
- deo,
- sun cream,
- toilet paper,
- handkerschiefs,
- labello,
- hut sleeping sack
Day One
It was Easter Friday, a beautiful sunny day. Our adventure began early in the morning around 5 AM since we had a two hours drive to the starting point, in Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden. We prepared the backpacks already on Thursday and they ended up pretty heavy.
The path drove us in the beginning through a sunny spring landscape and ended up in a winter wonderland. It is amazing to observe how the nature changes in front of your eyes while hiking more and more up.
The route itself was not easy. It took us nine hours to reach the Ingolstädter Haus. There was so much snow and some passages were quite difficult to cross.
We were alone in this white immensity and the feelings were mixed: amazed by what we saw but a bit concerned that we will not reach the hut before getting dark.
Looking now at the pictures we took, I am not sure I would have the courage to do this again. The adrenaline was pushing us further.
We arrived at the hut around 6 PM. I was almost crying, relieved that we made it during daylight. The wall of snow around the hut was gigantic.
The hut itself was closed, therefore we slept, as planned, in the small winter room which was open. Nobody else was there and it was so romantic and cosy. I mean don’t expect four stars conditions in such a room, but for us it was more than perfect. We did the fire and it got quickly warm and comfortable.
We cooked a delicious dinner to refill our batteries and we pretty soon felt in a deep sleep.
I must admit that from time to time I had doubts we will reach the destination while still bright. At that time I used to think more pessimistically: “Oh no, we still have so much in front of us !” In the meantime, I learned to control my thoughts a bit and think like: “With every step we get closer ! I will keep going !”
With every step I get closer ! I will keep going!
mountain dreamers
Some might say that this is easy said, hard done. I agree, but once you set up your brain to produce these thoughts, something happens there and you get the strength to move further. I cannot explain it, I just write what I felt and I wouldn’t have put it down here if I haven’t have sensed it myself.
Day Two
The second day we woke up recovered after a good sleep and had a good breakfast.
The weather was not that friendly, but we wanted to move further to the next hut. Deep inside I was wishing to stay one more day in the Ingolstädter Haus since it was so romantic to have our own small, warm and comfortable corner in the immensity of snow, totally isolated from the noisy life, no handy signal, no other people around, just the two of us and a lot of things to talk about. Only the wind was blowing and singing a stormy song.
It took us some time to get ready and while stepping outside the hut a pretty shocking view opened in front of us. Everything was white and foggy and the visibility was extremely reduced. We walked around 100 m away from the hut and when we looked back there was no hut to see anymore.
This made us realise it is too dangerous to continue, therefore we got back into our warm winter room to wait for the weather to change. But it got worse and the wind increased in intensity. The melody it sang was not so pleasing to the ears anymore. We were forced to stay for one more night.
In the afternoon the storm lost a bit from its power and we could go outside and build a snowman. I didn’t make a snowman for ages. It was such a good feeling to act like kids again, away from so many thoughts and preoccupied only about how to make our snowman as cool as possible with what we had. We named it Nebulino :D.
Day Three
The next day the weather didn’t improve. I think it even got worse and the sound of the wind was quite scary. Snow entered in the corridor of the winter room and we had to put blankets at the door.
Wood got slowly less and less, but it was not yet a problem. To get it we just had to go deeper into a small hole under the terrace :D. Going outside was a provocation and I pretty much avoided it, being afraid that the wind will blow me away.
We were melting snow for water and it was an adventure to fill up the pot.
The food was concerning us a bit since it didn’t look like the weather will stabilise soon. That is why we reduced the portions and ate only in the morning and evening. Somebody left in the hut two cans with spaghetti in tomatoes sauce. We were really happy to cook them and enjoy a warm meal.
Our energy dropped a bit, but we were still enjoying the days in isolation. This adventure brought us closer together since we had all the time in the world to talk and know each other better. I would go through this again just to get back to those magical moments.
Day Four
During the third night in the hut, the wind was still hitting the walls furiously and I asked myself how long it will last.
We didn’t have any handy signal, so nobody knew where we were and I was concerned we will not make it to the wedding of Thorsten’s sister :)).
But the fourth day started like in a fairytale: the snow was shining, the sun was smiling, the visibility was perfect. There was a lot of new snow around the hut, our Nebulino was partly buried, but it was so peaceful now.
We enjoyed a reacher breakfast than the other days since we needed the energy and this was the last day of the adventure. The day was indeed perfect, the way back was long and hard through the new snow, sometimes quite steep, without any traces. But we enjoyed it 100%.
In the end we shortly refilled our batteries at Kärlingerhaus and afterwards we had to hurry to reach the last boat that was bringing us to Königsee.
At Königsee it was spring, a lot of tourists were enjoying the beautiful weather. We were looking probably like from another world: with huge rucksacks, tired and carrying the snow shoes with us while others were probably tempted to have a swim in the lake.
From Königsee we still had to walk about six km to our car which was parked in Ramsau. It was a long last day which ended our beautiful adventure.
Impressions
These were some of the most beautiful and romantic four days of my life. Locked up in the small winter room while outside the nature went wild, having no handy signal and no other distraction, being able to talk and get open to each other, it filled up our hearts with incredible feelings, trust, hope, love.
Up there in the mountains we always find our peace of mind, learn our limits and push them. The reward is worth it.
- Continue being sporty with two small children - January 31, 2024
- “Training Camp” Vacation as a family of four - January 28, 2024
- First Hike as a family of four - November 21, 2023
Each time I read your posts with such a pleasure! Thanks for sharing. They constantly remind me about the little things that really matter ?
Thank you Julia. Sometimes I forget that we need so less to be happy or that the things that matter the most are usually in front of our eyes. When I have no handy signal up in the mountains I must admit I am the happiest because then I can really concentrate on the present moment ?.