2004 Stubai Alps Ski Tour - Part 1

Jim Frankenfield; snowman@csac.org; 1-877-604-0166

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This is the winter room of the Hochstubai hut, the highest in the Austrian Stubai at 3176m. (Becherhaus on the Italian side is slightly higher and the highest in the entire Stubai - see Part 2 for that.) The basin behind it is the Wutenkarferner which I crossed to get here, the snow slope to the right culminates at Warenkarscharte (3187m) which leads to Warenkarsferner. It is possible to ski that way, staying on this side of the ridges bounding the Stubai ski area, and arrive at the Hildesheimer hut. This would be a "purer" traverse for continuing but I had arranged to meet a friend back at Daunjoch who would have supplies for several more days in his car if I continued. (We would ski down to the end of the road and I would repack and use the cable car to return to the high elevations and the Hildesheimer hut.) With the huts being entirely closed and the wood supply in winter rooms being uncertain so late in spring I was carrying a bit more than would be necessary on a true light weight hut tour - such as a stove and fuel.

The entrance to the winter room is on its right and had a snowdrift of new snow against it from the storms which had come right before my tour. At this elevation with the help of the winds the drifts can still get pretty deep even in June. But it was light snow and easy to clear out of the way. Its small and rustic but really a quite cozy place. In addition to wood it was stocked with blocks of coal for the stove.

Hochstubai hut

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