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What a day! One to remember. Our destination was to Hintertux about an hour from Mayrhofen but on a steep and winding road. I'm not sure what the significance of Tux is but the name kept cropping up for place names, chalet names, peaks, rivers and alms. On arrival at Hintertux there was a huge carpark so the area was more significant than we expected. Our goal was to take the Seilbahn (gondola) up to the top of the mountains and then visit an Ice cave whilst there.
There were three cable cars to take to get to the top and each of the cars deposited skiers who were zooming down a groomed piste from the top down to the finish of snow. That is one huge run. The first stop was at Sommerberg at 2100m, the next at Tux-Ferner-Haus at 2660m and the last at Gefrorene-Wand-Spitzen at 3250m. Here it is spring and we were in a winter wonderland of vast snow area, ski tows and lifts in all directions and mountain peaks stretching out into the distance. Why do we visit this area of the world so often? Because NZ simply does not have the facilities to get
up into the high Alps. It's locked up for those on foot or bike. Or you have to be well off enough to fly in.
On alighting at the top, we walked out onto a large glacier where skiers take off for their downhill run and others, like us, line up for the glacier ice cave guided tour. The ice cave is 30m below the ski field and you follow a roped path through tunnels and caves of ice and long icicles. The tour is completed with a ride in an inflatable raft along a narrow lake. It is very beautiful. The cave has been made from a crevice in the glacier which is very deep but has not moved for years, so it is considered safe for visitors. The only downside is that you have to walk down the snowy hill to the cave entrance which is steep, then back again uphill afterwards at a level of 3250m. At this level you feel very short of breath so the walking is not easy. Another downside is that there was only 4 of us who spoke English and the guide gave us next to no time compared to the
German speakers. We also had to wait for ages for him to speak to them and then freeze while he took them on the boat until it was our turn. Never mind, it was a worthwhile and unique visit.
We stopped on the way down for some lunch and then continued back to Hintertux where we met the bus to take us back to Mayrhofen. I think the vista we encountered today will be embellished on our brains for a long time to come.
Our day was completed with a BBQ on the back deck accompanied by many song birds getting ready for bed.
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