training walk with a climb

Setting out again from the river in Bad Feilnbach, this time I traveled southwest on trails and small roads to Deisenried and Elbach, tiny villages on the way to Fischbachau. Behind me on the great plain, blue sky. Ahead, gray clouds, but they seemed to be breaking up a bit. However, once on the plateau and heading due South towards my mountain, I entered a land of strong wind, then blowing snow. It was cold, but I didn't mind because the scenery around me was etched into reality with unusual sharpness and vibrance.

I listened to an amazing podcast on those great lines from Hamlet, "to be or not to be." Then back to Vivekanandas "Jnana Yoga," a really wonderful exposition of yoga for westerners of the 1890s, and still today. He communicates subtle ideas with brilliant metaphors. Barbara listened to some of this last weekend and was impressed. I was impressed with her, because she never thinks her English is good enough, but she understood all this.

A great communicator never needs technical language.

Anyway, I heard shouting and thought a woman on a pitch was addressing me. I took of my headphones and discovered a small boy beside me on the other side of a fence... She was talking to him! I said hello. She asked where I was going and wished me luck on such a big hike.

The snow stopped, but wind ensured a mix of clouds and sun. My peak, Breitenstein, looked far away, but I knew it would approach rapidly on flat ground.

However the trail began to climb. Soon enough, I was on a dirt road side hilling up the mountain. Deer and bulldozer tracks kept me company. I eventually meet the normal way up the peak. Happily, walkers had already made a track through fresh snow. I'd been walking about three hours and it was time to stop at a closed up hut. The owner had a doctor's appointment today, according to a sign on the door. I ate my Frischkäse sandwich here.

I pressed on to the saddle, leaving my pack at a tree for the out and back to to the summit. The scenery up here was amazing. I was tired but it was worth it!

Heading down to the east, steep icy snow appeared to create a problem for me and my lightweight shoes. I hunted around to find softer snow. This worked, though sinking up to my knees wasn't pleasant. Later the post holing was worse In a forest. Happily, I came to a road with snowmobile tracks which were a good bit friendlier. My pants were encrusted with ice and snow. It was amazing how snowy this valley was.

It was wonderful the way the Jenbach valley gradually reached Bad Feilnbach. Soon I was at my car, and the day was done.