Starkenburger Huette or not - That's the question!!

13 September 2014

The rain continues to be a constant each day, but I've now accepted that a sunny summer experience in Austria is not to be. Well, not this year any way. With now 4 weeks to go until my return to Australia, I continue to venture out mostly locally and sometimes beyond to find new trails. Invariably there's always something to surprise me, as indeed there was today when within 3 km of the house I encountered a sliding mud wall of about 300m length in front of me. The Garmin reads 44.5% gradient at the steepest point!! Needless to say, I couldn't cycle up it, in fact, given the falling rain, I really needed crampons on my shoes to prevent me sliding back further than I was able to climb on foot! Nonetheless, eventually we made it (GT and I) and found some very nice asphalt as well as heavier rain and descending mist waiting for us at the top of this 'walking' section. Coincidentally, many of the trails are marked with 'Schiebe' (push!) sections. 


These are found both on the uphill as well as downhill sections. Mostly they are intended as a suggestion, but sometimes too, I think they take on a stronger kind of 'command' voice. A sort of 'push now or you're coming off'!! Anyway, at the top of this 'push' section today, GT and I continued to head higher in altitude on the black difficulty level mountain bike trail (# 599 in the Tirol MTB Trail Guide) in the direction of Starkenburger Huette. The Starkenburger is the highest mountain bike trail in the Stubai peaking at 2240m (currently in snow). I guess in fact that there must be quite a bit of snow because already at 1400m the trail was blocked and a farmer told me I couldn't pass and would have to go back to Fulpmes and round the other way if I wanted to get to the Starkenburger. Hmmmmm, sounds inviting, but no thank you!!


I'd noticed on the way up a sign heading through a narrow forest trail to Verghoer, which I know from some of my early morning runs, and so rather than head back down the asphalt - but fast - road, we took the narrow forest trail.  This was a delight, presenting me with opportunities to carry GT on my shoulders, slide on mud, pull on trees to hoist me up steep banks and enjoy some potentially spectacular views (on a clear day!!). From Verghoer the route descends over a familiar, winding, fast pebble trail parallel to the Schlik cable car run and on in to Fulpmes where I decided to give the GT a clean. After all this, the Garmin was still only recording about 12-13km!!! Another lazy morning in the saddle ;-)