Last Saturday was designated for a solo tour, as my wife had other commitments. The weather forecast promised a day of sunshine and warmth, with snow to be expected above 1400 meters in altitude. I knew that conditions could differ dramatically between the north and south faces, or in shaded areas. Especially as we had snowfall down to 700m the week before! With this in mind, it was time to evaluate my options for the day:

Initially, I considered a mountain with two possible routes: The first route was not explicitly marked for winter hiking, which meant I might very well be the first one out there after the last snowfall. However, since I was completely unfamiliar with this trail, I hesitated to take it on without a clear understanding of the path. The second route mentioned a tricky part near the summit with potential for avalanche danger. Both options seemed questionable – especially for solo tours, so I moved on to the next mountain in my mind: My second choice, while feasible, followed a route that skirted near a high drop-off at the summit. Yet my wife would not feel at ease with this, so I discarded this option as well.

Finally, I settled on a mountain we had hiked together in summer already. This trail had no dangerous sections, and the final ascent was a steeper incline that might be shaded but offered a south-facing route in the sun for the last stretch towards the summit. With a total elevation gain of about 1000 meters, some guidebooks mentioned a round-trip time of around five hours – in summer, without snow. However, it was essential to remember that temperatures could be significantly cooler at such an elevation, especially in the wind.

The Ascent

I began my journey a bit later than usual, as I had been craving a little extra sleep. Along the trailhead, I noticed two other couples embarking on the trail without snowshoes. This left me pondering whether or not to carry mine. They added quite a bit of weight to my pack, but I was uncertain if that shaded incline would necessitate them. After contemplating for a moment, I ultimately decided to strap them onto my backpack.

As I set out, I was greeted by bright sunshine and good spirits. It was warmer than I had anticipated, which made for an incredibly pleasant start. It wasn’t long before I checked my GPS and realized I had passed the junction where the trail forked off the forest road. Luckily, this wasn’t overly bad as the road bent back and crossed the trail later again. I would just make some extra distance. The advantage of this little detour was that I came by a nice little hut that I would have missed otherwise.

Entering the Snowy Realm

At around 1400 meters, I first encountered the snow – exactly as mentioned by the forecast. As I approached the previously mentioned incline, I was already walking through snow. Luckily not very deep as I could follow a well walked route. Fortunately, the right side of the incline was bathed in sunlight, which eased my worries about needing my snowshoes – always a welcome break from the labor of climbing steep, snow-covered sections.

After leaving the perimeter of the forest, the trail opened up to a larger meadow, blanketed in snow. I was quite glad that I had brought my sunglasses! Here, I also was exposed to the brisk, chill wind, prompting me to finally put my snowshoes to use for about 50 additional meters of elevation. Though it wasn’t strictly necessary, I relished the chance to use them during my ascent. The final climb was across grass, offering breathtaking views on all sides.

At the Summit

Upon reaching the summit, I was pleasantly surprised by the conditions. The sun filtered down gently, and there was little wind, making my time at the peak thoroughly enjoyable. I struck up a conversation with another hiker, exchanging stories about our respective adventures from the past week.

After sharing a few memories and capturing some photos, I decided it was time to begin my descent as more hikers arrived at the summit. Walking back down through the snow was a joyous experience. I found it far more comfortable on my knees compared to the equivalent strain of the ascent.

En route down, I took a slight detour to visit another viewpoint that I had missed earlier. I savored the view while munching on a snack and taking in the beautiful surroundings.

Reflections on the Journey

The remaining trail down was uneventful, yet peaceful. After approximately 6 hours and 15 minutes of hiking – including my breaks for photographs and snacks – I finally reached my car. Surprisingly, this total time felt longer than I had anticipated, given my mental impression of the ascent.

Looking back on the day, I found several lessons to take home with me: I had prepared for lower temperatures at the summit, leading me to carry unnecessary layers. My snowshoes had become extra weight and served little practical purpose for much of my adventure (let’s just call it extra training for my legs). Finally, I recognized the need for packing a bit more food for the next excursion.

But overall it was a gorgeous day with a lot of memories that I wouldn’t like to miss.