Today we packed our kit, tidied up, had breakfast and headed back to Innsbruck Airport to hand the hire car back. Then we took the bus back to Innsbruck Station where I waited with our bags while John collected our avalanche kit from the rental shop. After eating lunch in a cafe, we made our way to the waiting room to meet Lesley, who is leading the snowshoeing trip on behalf of the Austrian Alpine Club.
We met 6 of the others on the trip on the train back to Matrei… maybe I should have stayed there while John took the hire car back 😜 At the station in Matrei, a shuttle bus was waiting to take us up to Maria Waldrast where we’re staying at a former abbey which is now a hotel. There’s only one monk left in the order so the place is now being used as a hotel and ‘nature resort’.
It’s situated in a peaceful, secluded, spot nestled between the trees, high in the hills at 1630 metres. Today, everywhere looked particularly beautiful in the sunshine with a covering of snow. There’s no phone signal at all, and wifi only seems to be available in the communal areas.
Once we’d settled into our rooms, John and 5 of the others changed to do a 3.4 kilometre long toboggan run. It took about 20 minutes from top to bottom, where Marcel, the shuttle bus driver, was waiting to bring them back. John must have enjoyed it because he did it twice! I wimped out and relaxed in our room.
Just before dinner, 11 more people arrived. It seems the trip’s been really popular this year and another leader, Sean, has been roped in to look after us. Everyone we’ve spoken to seems very nice, and we all have a shared love of the mountains. I’ve been worried whether I’d be the weakest link but people’s experiences are varied and at least I’ve snowshoed before.
After breakfast tomorrow we’ll learn to use our avalanche kit, and hear what the plans are for the day. Sunshine is forecast and I’m really looking forward to it.
Ramblings 
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