TOURCHASE – SILVRETTA RANGE – APRIL 2017
September 21, 2017

A trip of extremes: sunshine, blisters and fog, slush and powder, rainy snow showers and sweat

A memorable trip in the spring-ish Silvretta range. Powder snow was hard to find, and so was good Italian coffee. But as stuborn as we are we did our best to find both….and guess what- we did! We started hiking out “Bieler hohe” in the Silvretta region to our stay for two days at the “Wiesbadener Hutte” at about 2400m. And my goodness it was warm, carrying everything for the 4 days of touring. 

We arrived early in the afternoon and conditions reminded me off summersnowboarding -;) but nevertheless we did an small extra hike and descended back to the hut. After the tour the Weizen beers on the terrace tasted sweet, after diner Ben (Our Guide, Chef, Avalanche expert and Comic) was going through the possibilities the following day! Nice….we all decided to go for a tour to Switzerland (The Tuoi Hutte).

Most of us went to bed early and packed everything…and i can say there was are pretty “snoring” noise in our 10persons hut. Early rising on the next day and then starting of the first ascent (about 700hm) to the Vermunt pass with a beautiful view of the Piz Buin crossing a little glacier. On the way Ben explained the forming of different snow types…and as an acedemic in wheatherstudy’s with a major in Avalanches he is “the man”.

And the top we decided to “rappel” on the other side in a really nice unridden field…hearts were pumping because of the 45+ degree slope at the start,  but after coming down safe there were only laughing faces!!! WOW, but it became better and better…after the first tracks on already a bit “firny” snow. We arrived on a 500m field of firn schnee/powder….Woehooeeee all of us skied/rode it almost down to the Tuoi Hutte in Switzerland. 

I will always remember the carrot cake at the hut…but me and some others were “a bit” disappointed in the Coffee- you can’t have it all. After the lunch we did the same routine back and did a super gentle wide slope decent to the Wiesbadener hutte. The next morning started with strong winds and snow…yes!! the summer wetter changed, we decided to tour up behind the Wiesbadener with our full gear and decent/traverse to our new destination, the really remote Klostertaler Hutte. 

Mmm the decent was mwooaaah and challenging because of the still frozen tracks covered with some new snow. As far as the touring to the hut…it was also challenging…wind, wet snow and about 2,5hours touring everybody was really happy to see the Hut. In this beautiful hut you have to everything yourself, making fire, melt snow and make good coffee etc etc. but as i experienced we had a very strong team with a organic way of organizing. Frank “the Director”, Christian and Jason chopping wood and melting water. Ruud and Jeroen on the Risotto. Ben, Stefanie and Francesca cutting the veggies etc… And boy were were happy with the warm risotto underneath the washing lines with our socks, gloves and clothing. In the evening we still had energy to organize “the Bunte abend” with some games and one little sip of zirbenschnapps for Ben his birthday.

We kept seeing the snow flying against the window for the evening and night and were hoping for the best for the next day, will the morning brings us powder????

YES powder it was….waking up at 06.15 for melting snow and getting the stove on tp provide everything with tea etc. We had to shovel our way out of the hut because of the 25-50cm of snow…After breakfast we started ascending the Schneeglocke 3100m in snowy and misty conditions. We were al hoping on a little break in the clouds….and after about 2,5 hours walking on the wide powderfield. We waited at a little ridge just below the top, Ben just said trus me we get visibility….yeah right. And quess what he WAS right….we were ready as never before and rode and skied the glacier first tracks!!! on the way passing the other guys and girls form the hut. What a great run in deep powder and room for your own lines…..just look at the pics and smile!

After that run we packed our stuff and skind out of the valley back were we began…