Alpine vacation in Krakow (Styria), 19 to 21 July 2019
Thanks to fortunate circumstances, we could end of July for a weekend on a small privately rented hut. This would actually have been our 2nd stay on a mountain hut. However, the stay at the Hochkönig in April / May has failed due to heavy snowfall.
The cabin we rented over the weekend is in Krakow – but in Krakow in Styria, not in Poland.
For the trip we were recommended the route via the Obertauern – not least to save the tolls. 😛
About 1.5h later we arrived at our destination. Unfortunately, the last kilometer to the hut was a pretty bad mountain road. Since I was traveling with an SUV, the whole thing has impressed me little. However, in addition to the SUV, there was also a VW Golf. There it was a fight for each centimeter of ground clearance. After this nerve-racking final spurt, we settled down at home and fired up the stove. The evening program was rather sparse, as we wanted to hike to an alpine pasture the next day.
Go to the scrapbook here
as usual.
Hiking Day – Saturday, July 20, 2019
Our destination for the day – the Schober hut – was about 1.5h away from our accommodation (in good condition). So it was not necessary to set off early in the morning. 😀
Around 11:00 we have then set out. After a short hike we have reached the Etrachsee.
Etrachsee with view of the Dürnberg
Our way led us across the “real” nature:
Between relaxed horses and cows lying in the sun, the forest and hiking trail winds uphill, fallen trees were left where they were and there were spacious green areas – Only a fence prevents the animals from making a trip to the next village. 😀
After about 20min we came to a crossroads. The signs awakened motivation: since the Etrachsee we would have been probably already 30min on the way – to the Rudolf Schober hut it is only 45min. That we will make easy!
Well…. that the time information was not correct in front and behind, we realized later.
already 30min – allegedly – on the road and only 45min ahead of us. We have that right away!…
Shortly after the path fork, it then became apparent that the path could become a little more challenging from now on. The last kilometer to the hut looked like this: large and small stones and everywhere furrows from the rain.
After about 30min (with short breaks) we reached another intersection with the incentive “shortest way to the beer” – 20min only.
So let’s go!
However, we did not know at that moment that the next “20min” for us “trained athletes” ( 😉 ) would be another level more strenuous. The previously relatively pleasant path turned into a narrow trail through the forest over sticks, stones and streams.
The last meters were a real challenge and the path became a climbing adventure.
Around 13:30 we had finally reached our destination! After a good 2h from Etrachsee – although it is supposed to take only 1:20…
Rudolf Schober Hut at 1667m
Some of us still wanted to hike to the “nearby” lakes – but that would have been another 1h further. The path would probably have been in a similar condition as the last steep piece from the forest up to the hut. In addition to this, the approaching thunderstorm made a decision superfluous. There was then only one way: back down and back to the hut before the weather caught up with us. A first rumble of thunder could already be heard in the distance.
Fortunately, we found out that there is also a forest road to the hut – so of course we chose this way back, as it is much more pleasant to have paved paths.
True, right at the beginning the path was converted into a riverbed. Obviously, this must be so, because it had not rained in the region for a long time. But there was a small footbridge over the course of the stream.
After a little over 1h we have then again reached the Etrachsee. The storm clouds always sitting in the neck.
From the lake it was then only a short distance to the hut.
The Dürnberg, surrounded by storm clouds.
While everyone was getting ready for dinner, more and more thunder and rain clouds gradually moved out of the mountains.
Around 18:30 the heavy rain started. If we had still hiked to the lakes, we would have been in the middle of the storm and could have held out for some time in the rain and come home sometime in the dark. Or we would have hiked back through the rain and would have been sick in bed for the next few days….
As quickly as the weather came, it went away.
On Sunday – the day of the return trip was not worth mentioning. We had only chosen the highway for the return trip, because it is much more relaxed to drive than over a winding pass road over the mountains.