Ahornspitze

Published on 2021-7-2 by Michael Stanton

Day One

I took Mantra out for a couple of days of vanlife and hiking, as the weather was just too good. I had an excellent guest staying at my place for the week -- they'd have it for themselves for their last couple of days! We'd had a great time exchanging ideas.

After a night in a campground, I decided to hike up to the Edelhütte in the basin underneath the Ahornspitze southeast of Mayrhofen. Starting from a parkinglot in the Zillergrund, it would be a pretty big day for me. Since my hike up the Alpspitze a few weeks ago, I learned I've got to keep the elevation gain down to about 1500 meters if I don't want to lay in bed all the next day! As it was, it ended up being around 1700 meters up and down today.

But I went up through beautiful forests. I had my Sony fvr-x3000 "Action Cam" and had a great time making a little film. Here it is:

I share an idea I have that the Christian emphasis on forgiveness, backed with the powerful image of the crucifixion creates a strong society if a critical mass of the people in that time-place really meditate on the image. You'll get a society that does more looking forward than back.

It may be riven by ancient conflict, but it will "put away childish things" and move beyond them. At least, often. This doesn't "fix everything," clearly. And the properity itself leads to new problems (I call this "hollowness").

Anyway, it's just my 2 cents about a topic folks aren't much interested in, but it's what I call a good day off.

The trail led up past a farm called the Ahornachalm, then into a steep slope, an abandoned farmhouse, then a traverse of a mountainside to a beautiful pass with some picnic benches called "am Glatzel." The hut was nearby, and I had a beer and a cigar.

Going down was tough right away. Foot pain was real! But I had a long ways to go. I kind of muscled my way through, sometimes feeling dominated by the pain, other times emerging on top again. I went down the Fellenbergalm, then a steep and beautiful trail with an equally beautiful wayside cross that deposited me at the terminus of the rushing Arbesseitbach.

Pictures:

In the Ahornachalm.

On the summit.

The Ahornachbach.

Dristner in the distance.

The amazing alpine crest above the Floitenbach.

Day Two

Conceding to reality, I figured if I took the lift to get back to the high country, I could just manage a hike to the summit. I did this, and walked swiftly back to the Edelhütte and then direct to the Ahornspitze. The final scramble to the summit was interesting and enjoyable. There were a handful of other people this day (Saturday). It was a bit of a grindd because of my foot on the way down. I can't wait to get the metal out! It's coming soon!

Thanks folks.