ParticipantReport | With risk'n'fun at the "Next Level" on the Kitzsteinhorn

The good old Alpine Club map

Immediately afterwards, we continued with a theory session on mapping, which I personally found particularly exciting. There were lots of helpful tips and information about reading topographical maps and how to use them for planning. It also showed that, despite all the technical progress, the good old paper Alpine Club map is far from obsolete. Apps and online maps with features such as displayed slope inclination simplify reading immensely and are great for getting an overview of the tour and the terrain. However, they quickly reach their limits when it comes to more detailed planning. With a topographical map, you can read the shape of the terrain much more precisely. And it's also nice not to be completely lost if your cell phone breaks down on the mountain.

After dinner, our mountain guides gave us a short talk on tour planning, which we were able to put into practice immediately afterwards by planning different variants for a tour tomorrow in teams of three.

Different conditions

As a dream day was already on the horizon at breakfast, we decided to put the most extensive of our three variants into practice. In brilliant conditions, we set off highly motivated, only to be confronted with the first complication as soon as we started skinning up. Despite his best efforts, Sven couldn't get his skins to stick to the freshly waxed splitboard. In an exemplary group effort, these were then provisionally fastened with a considerable amount of cable ties plus our mountain guide's Skifix, so that we were all able to make our way to the summit together with a little delay.

While we were still a totally homogeneous group on the descent, different conditions quickly emerged on the ascent. For most of us, it was a fully enjoyable tour, but the only participant with snowshoes had to make a much greater effort. And our solo entertainer Dimitri was able to fight his way to the summit "by willpower alone". After all, it was the first time he had ever stood on a splitboard. However, the hairpin bends worked out quite well and the exertions were rewarded with a magnificent view and a fantastic descent.

The tips on track setting, optimal use of the terrain and how to avoid typical terrain traps were totally helpful and our mountain guide Herwig also made sure that nobody, no matter how exhausted, could avoid the track work, as you learn a lot more than if you just trudge along blindly. We ended the day with a short reflection on the tour, independent planning for the next day and a little exercise on our own willingness to take risks.

In case of poor visibility: FORGET!

Because of the unclear weather forecast, we had made two plans as a precaution. The first time we looked out of the window, it was cloudy, but the visibility was actually quite reasonable. But by the time we had finished our bowls of muesli, the accommodation was already shrouded in fog again. Objectively speaking, there were of course a few factors against our Plan A, a fairly short and easy ski tour. Despite everything, our motivation was unbroken. We thought it could be a nice orientation exercise with a map and compass, and we also had a mountain guide with us. When we presented our plan to him, he told us that he thought it was pretty rubbish to start the planned tour in the conditions.

To reinforce the learning effect, we then went straight onto the ski route to test out how you feel in the terrain without any visibility. We felt our way from marker to marker at a snail's pace and definitely not at the peak of our skiing skills. The idea of starting this action in open terrain without any artificial clues and with all kinds of alpine dangers really didn't seem very well thought out to us. So the conclusion of the day was: "In poor visibility, REALLY do without." Nevertheless, we didn't get bored and we were able to use the day perfectly for practising again and simulating an emergency in the form of a multiple burial and an avalanche path.