"Do I take public transport for my ski tour tomorrow or - as is usually the case - the car?" If you live in Innsbruck, you are often faced with the choice, as many of the tour destinations can also be reached by bus and train, albeit sometimes a little more time-consuming. For me, the financial consideration is now in favour of public transport anyway, as my employer thankfully covers the cost of the Tirol Climate Ticket. "But an extra three quarters of an hour's sleep at the weekend would be nice, wouldn't it? There are three of us and the car would be well utilised anyway. We could go to the sauna on the way back." And the car has already won again in view of this overall advantages! Despite the intention to leave it parked more often.
How do I manage not to be repeatedly outwitted by convenience and habit? The solution for me is to take advantage of public transport and go on trips that would be very difficult or impossible by car. To experience something that is only possible by bus and train, so that I'm happy to leave the car behind! In practice, this means: crossings with different start and end points, ideally in completely different valleys. There are several well-known crossings in the area (e.g. Tux Alps, Hoch Tirol etc.). For most of us, having several days of holiday or spending the whole weekend on the road will probably be the exception rather than the rule. Descriptions, let alone bundled collections of one-day crossings suitable for everyday use, are rare. But that can be changed (see info below)!
Ski crossing "in action"
A day off in high winter: a half-day tour, with a few errands to run in the afternoon. The Axamer Lizum - 45 minutes by bus from the city of Innsbruck - is a welcome, high-altitude starting point. Today I am one of the few who, after a short walk along the ski piste, branch off into the open terrain in the direction of Lizumer Kar. The steep section is - unsurprisingly - completely rutted and windswept from the previous days. OK for the ascent, definitely no fun for the descent! Fortunately, I don't have to descend there again. The cirque itself impresses every time with its vertical rock faces and towers - the name "Dolomites of North Tyrol" is no coincidence. The shady basin has even preserved some powder. However, this quickly changes again. On the steep ascent to the targeted yoke, I am accompanied by a constant, unpredictable alternation of broken snow and softer passages. Hopefully it will be better on the other side. After a manageable 800 metres in altitude and a good two hours of ascent, I reach the col and eagerly check out the south-facing downhill slopes. The snow cover is hard, but at least untouched and homogeneous... it could be worse! I take a short break and let my gaze wander over the yellowish rock ribs decorated with snow cushions to the main Stubai ridge. The sun tentatively makes its way through the previously overcast sky and transforms the slopes into a glistening white. Let's get going! I take off into the steep. Soon the compact snow surface is softened like a firn and, turn after turn, I make barely visible tracks in the snow. What a joy it is when a plan works out and something special, out of the ordinary, is achieved on what is actually an ordinary day with mixed conditions and a manageable time budget! As a passionate ski tourer, I hardly dare to admit that piste skiing can also be really fun. And you can get 550 metres more downhill than uphill - without lift assistance - on a (public transport) crossing!
