Ski touring in Austria

The winter 2016/2017 is brilliant. We got a lot of snow and a long lasting season. Since I stopped competing on the PWA tour I have more time again to enjoy this white wonderland. Recently I remembered the good old days, when we hiked on mountains with touring equipment. I felt it was about time to get two pairs of touring skis and walk up on the hills in Salzburg, together with Kerstin for the first time. It was a brilliant day. We have got some fresh snow and a mystical atmosphere with big clouds moving around the peaks of the rough Hochkönig summit. We walked up the gentle slope of Hochkeil and my mum was our guide. She got a lot of experience over the past 45 years. To me it was kind of a revival and I really enjoyed moving around in the backcountry and feeling the free heels during the walk uphill and the relaxed run over untouched slopes. I can’t await to start the next ski touring adventure. This first adventure was just a little warm up for more…

The new skins had a great grip (Photo: Kerstin Reiger)

The new skins had a great grip (Photo: Kerstin Reiger)

A view on our way up (Photo: Chris Pressler)

A view on our way up (Photo: Chris Pressler)

In the quiet backcountry of Salzburg's mountains (Photo: Chris Pressler)

In the quiet backcountry of Salzburg’s mountains (Photo: Chris Pressler)

On top of the little summit of Hochkeil (Photo: Kerstin Reiger)

On top of the little summit of Hochkeil (Photo: Kerstin Reiger)

Clouds over the Hochkoenig mountain (Photo: Chris Pressler)

Clouds over the rocky Hochkoenig mountain (Photo: Chris Pressler)