If only we had taken photos of Gloßglockner yesterday, as while every
other peak around us is beautifully clear - a little bit of cloud is
just sticking to the highest peak!!!
Still, it is a fantastic sunny day for venturing up into the mountains
and enjoying the stunning views. Starting at Lucknerhaus, the first
leg was up the valley to Lucknerhütte - where Marea who hasn't been
feeling 100% decided that this was high enough. While I continued up
to the next hut - the Stüdlhütte, sitting at 2,801 metres above sea
level.
As I got higher and higher, the green meadows and wild flowers that we
clinging to the steep sides slowly became petered out until the rocks
and the last of the recent snow took over - it made me feel as if I
was right up at the top of the world. Of course, all it took was a
look up into the cloud covered peak to realise we weren't going to be
at the top at any time soon!!!
With a bit of energy left, I wasn't quite satisfied with 2,800 metres
- I just had to go that little bit higher to see what was over the
brow of the next hill. The reward was a glacier bending over the edge
of a cliff off to the left, while straight in front was the still
cloud covered Gloßglockner. It was so frustrating for the fact that
everywhere else was beautifully clear.
20 minutes of sitting at the highest point of my trek, willing the
clouds to part just for one photo!!! Then it was time to return,
looking over my shoulder every minute 'just in case'. At one point,
one side of the peak showed itself just to give a brief glimpse and a
reminder of how high it does go.
Back to Marea and the van, then down to the bottom of the valley and
onwards to Leinz and some food shopping. Then up the Drau valley
towards Italy where we found a great view point for a sleeping spot.
Our side of the valley was your typical Austrian farming villages
(about 5 houses per 'village'), while across the valley was our first
glimpse of the rugged, rocky Dolomites.
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