We started the day with a fantastic buffet breakfast, with lots to choose from, and made our pack lunches ready for the day ahead. Then we met up to learn how to wear and activate the avalanche transceivers that we’d hired, and to check everyone had the kit needed for snowshoe hiking.
We put our snowshoes on and left Maria Waldrast, heading uphill past the church into the forest. It was a beautiful morning and everywhere looked stunning with snow carpeting the trail and ice crystals clinging to the tree branches.
The views of the mountains opened up as we wound our way up the trail and we kept stopping to take photos as the vistas became more and more spectacular..We’d spilt into two smaller groups and our guide was Lesley, who was teaching us how to use our snowshoes on different types of terrain, and showing us the way..
When we got to a ski lift, we sat and had something to eat before Lesley showed us what to do if we were involved in or witnessed an avalanche. Scary stuff and we were all very pleased to know the risk was low today! We practised searching for a victim (a rucksack buried in the snow) using our avalanche transceivers, probes and shovels, but hoped we never needed to use our new found knowledge.
From our lunch stop, we headed through the forest into deeper snow, eventually leaving the main track and heading uphill on a single track path through the trees. We began by following some ski tracks but then left these to change direction before heading up a steeper path. I felt rather adventurous, helping to make a new route through the forest and walking where nobody had walked before… since it snowed anyway!
At one point we headed straight up a ski piste. It felt very steep to me and I kept having to pause to catch my breath. I think a couple of the others were glad of the excuse to rest too!
Next we headed off piste through the forest where nobody had been recently… round trees and rocks and over tree roots and fallen branches. I found the pace quite fast and I got hotter and hotter until I melted and had to stop and strip… since the menopause my body thermostat is broken! In hindsight, I should have removed some layers sooner because I felt 100% better once I was cooler! Speaking of clothing malfunctions, Lesley gently pointed out that I had my gaiters on the wrong legs. Embarrassingly, this was despite John writing left and right on them for me!
We took some photos at the cross on the summit of Waldraster Jochl, before heading back down hill. Our group chose to take a longer route because we were all enjoying snowshoeing through lovely powdery snow under blue skies, and we wanted to prolong the experience. Apart from a section where we lost the trail for a short time… navigation isn’t straightforward in the snow when you can’t see the usual trail!…much of our route was now on prepared trails and easier.
We chatted, getting to know each other and made good progress back towards Maria Waldrast. At one point, we stopped at an animal feed station where deer are fed… fattened up before they’re eaten probably! From here we could see many of the places John and I had visited earlier in our holiday.
By now I was tired, but we had one more hill back to the abbey. I got left behind when I stopped to remove my hat and gloves, but John waited for me, as did the group a little further on. All day John’s looked after me, checking I’m ok using my avalanche transceiver and making sure my snowshoes were on the best setting for going uphill, downhill… even climbing fences and stiles! Today has been quite an adventure.
Ramblings 
looks like fun!
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