Hiking in the Alps
Hiking in the Alps
Yesterday (July 7) and today (the 8th) we finally did some hiking. About 1 p.m. yesterday, we started out with a reasonably level path, about 8 km. around Lake Eisbee (the destination of our bicycle trip: see previous blog). We drove to the lake, packed up our things, and found the path around the hotel. After about 15 minutes we felt rain drops but sat down on some rocks on a small beach and ate our lunch—truthfully there has been so much rain lately that we had to get out anyway and besides that, it was like one of those dry Oregon rains. Our path followed the clear green and blue lake which reminded us of Crater Lake and occasionally away from it but in the forest. Our walk went well, only a little uphill, but about 2/3 of the way, the rain really poured. We had our rain gear (how we wish that we had brought our rain pants which we used in Ireland on our first bike trip!), so we didn’t have to run, but as soon as we could, we went in to the restaurant at the Eisbee pier.
After shedding our wet jackets, we sat down at 3:20 p.m. to apple pie, coffee, and tea to warm ourselves before heading out to the car and our trip home—the rain coming down even harder. We definitely went at the right time.
This morning, we saw some sun, so we decided to get up on the mountain as soon as we could since the rain seems to come in the afternoons. The sun didn’t last for long, but we started up the mountain at Hammersold about 10:15 a.m., again with lunches made from the breakfast rolls, meats, fruit from the hotel and our own waters. Mark had noticed this hike while we were biking and assured me that it was an easy hike. Although he has about four maps of the region (he and Brian both say that you can never have enough maps!), he misjudged the terrain, though it was completely manageable. The biggest surprise of this supposedly meandering trail was coming to a closed restaurant and ticket booth, where a young woman was selling tickets to see the Hollental Klamm (gorge). We did not know where we were going, but followed the narrow path built in 1902 for tourists.
To describe the gorge and the water tumbling through it would be difficult, but the sight was literally breathtaking, another reminder of the grandiose power of Nature and our relative insignificance next to it. We followed it around from side to side, stepping carefully because the trail was narrow, wet, and rocky. At one point, a grandmother and her grandchild stopped to tell us with signals (she spoke German) that we really needed rain gear for the rest of the trek, so we opened up our pack and were happy for the warning because as we went along further, the water began dripping more from the rocks around us.
I do think we still might be climbing that gorge, but Mark suggested we turn around, and I am not one to argue (on matters like that). We slowly wound our way down the mountain, happy for the surprise of the day, the gorge. There is a more famous one on a nearby mountain, the Partnach Klamm, but I wonder if it can match the wonder of this one. Although we planned to do tennis shoe hikes, Mark and I are determined to get boots now, because no lines on a map, no matter how many you have, can prepare you for where your foot is going to land.
Yesterday (July 7) and today (the 8th) we finally did some hiking. About 1 p.m. yesterday, we started out with a reasonably level path, about 8 km. around Lake Eisbee (the destination of our bicycle trip: see previous blog). We drove to the lake, packed up our things, and found the path around the hotel. After about 15 minutes we felt rain drops but sat down on some rocks on a small beach and ate our lunch—truthfully there has been so much rain lately that we had to get out anyway and besides that, it was like one of those dry Oregon rains. Our path followed the clear green and blue lake which reminded us of Crater Lake and occasionally away from it but in the forest. Our walk went well, only a little uphill, but about 2/3 of the way, the rain really poured. We had our rain gear (how we wish that we had brought our rain pants which we used in Ireland on our first bike trip!), so we didn’t have to run, but as soon as we could, we went in to the restaurant at the Eisbee pier.
After shedding our wet jackets, we sat down at 3:20 p.m. to apple pie, coffee, and tea to warm ourselves before heading out to the car and our trip home—the rain coming down even harder. We definitely went at the right time.
This morning, we saw some sun, so we decided to get up on the mountain as soon as we could since the rain seems to come in the afternoons. The sun didn’t last for long, but we started up the mountain at Hammersold about 10:15 a.m., again with lunches made from the breakfast rolls, meats, fruit from the hotel and our own waters. Mark had noticed this hike while we were biking and assured me that it was an easy hike. Although he has about four maps of the region (he and Brian both say that you can never have enough maps!), he misjudged the terrain, though it was completely manageable. The biggest surprise of this supposedly meandering trail was coming to a closed restaurant and ticket booth, where a young woman was selling tickets to see the Hollental Klamm (gorge). We did not know where we were going, but followed the narrow path built in 1902 for tourists.
To describe the gorge and the water tumbling through it would be difficult, but the sight was literally breathtaking, another reminder of the grandiose power of Nature and our relative insignificance next to it. We followed it around from side to side, stepping carefully because the trail was narrow, wet, and rocky. At one point, a grandmother and her grandchild stopped to tell us with signals (she spoke German) that we really needed rain gear for the rest of the trek, so we opened up our pack and were happy for the warning because as we went along further, the water began dripping more from the rocks around us.
I do think we still might be climbing that gorge, but Mark suggested we turn around, and I am not one to argue (on matters like that). We slowly wound our way down the mountain, happy for the surprise of the day, the gorge. There is a more famous one on a nearby mountain, the Partnach Klamm, but I wonder if it can match the wonder of this one. Although we planned to do tennis shoe hikes, Mark and I are determined to get boots now, because no lines on a map, no matter how many you have, can prepare you for where your foot is going to land.
posted by Kathy Sohn | 1:44 PM
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