Snowshoeing the Alps

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I woke up to a long, rough tounge scraping across my cheek.

Kaya, the dog who belongs to our hosts, Rene and Steffie, chose to wake me gently...with her saliva. Yuck. Today is the day that we get to go sledding in the Alps! Steffie generously offered to take us with her to meet her parents for a day on the mountain. I sometimes have to remind myself where I am. "What country did I wake up in this morning?" Austria. Innsbruck. Im Couchsurfing with a mountain guide and her rock climber boyfriend, I mentally take note.

We packed our poles, snowshoes, borrowed ski pants and jacket, boots, thermal socks, gloves, extra rope, doggie treats, leash, water bowl, sunscreen and hat in preparation for the day. It reminded me of getting infants ready for a car trip. Do we really need all this stuff?

Its St. Patricks Day, but the Austrians dont seem to mind. They flash across the slopes in neon yellow, hot pink, and electric blue puffy jackets and matching pants. The morning began with a "warm up drink" of hot chocolate and amaretto at one of the ski lodges overlooking the main slope. I watched retirees clink champagne glasses while reclining in lawn chairs in the snow. The time came for me to ask myself again, "where AM I?"

We do a test run with the sleds down a small hill sanctioned just for sledders--skiers beware. Our group of four (plus dog) arrive at a smaller lodge to meet up with Steffies parents for Austrian noodles. After lunch, we strap on our snowshoes and begin the two hour hike UPHILL. If you dont know what snowshoeing is, Ill tell you from direct experience (my first experience being this morning). Its the opposite of skiing. Its intentional thigh burn. Its unnatural. While everyone else is flying downhill, you are going up. When others use gravity and the gradient of the mountain to speed to the bottom, you attempt to work against nature and clomp toward the top. Of course there are multiple ski lifts, but using them would be too easy. We trudged up the steep terrain, through the snow, so that we could feel rewarded once we made it to the top.

The last part of the mountain almost killed me. Exhaustion had set in. I began to fantasize that I was a mountaineer. Sir Edmund Hillary flashed into my mind, and I sudenly understood the pain and physical struggle that came with climbing Everest. "Anything worth doing is worth doing RIGHT, " my father echoed in my head. Keep going...strong finish...I was almost done. It was cold. The clouds had covered the once-azure sky and my sun went into hiding. It was then that I realized something keeps those moutaineers dreaming of climbing..its because of the summit. Its the view. Its the thrill you get when you know that you have reached the top, the highest peak. And I saw it. The highest altitude bar in all of Austria. It was our meeting point and my personal salvation. I went inside for a melon schnapps and thawed my hands, thinking it was a job well done.

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Photos

Hot chocolate and amaretto
Pre-lunch stop

Kaya
Mountain dog in training

V is for Victory!
At the top.

Roof of the bar at the top
One-of-a-kind snowboards shown here

Comments

[Miriam]

Hurray for Melon Schnapps!
Hi Rachel, It's been so great to read about all your adventures. We saw your folks this past week, and Sarah was the best tour guide we could have asked for at Sea World yesterday. James did the steel eel with Sarah, but only if she would sit in front. . . . we can't wait to see you in person, and look through all your pictures and hear the wild tales . . . Love, Miriam

[kyle]

so jealous...bring kaya back to the states!! i want that dog!

[Ashley]

WOW!!! thats all i have to say...im impressed with your hiking abilities...our lil new zealand hikes were nothing compared to this. miss you tons and cant wait to see you!!!