We are always on the lookout for a new powder mecca every week. Easily accessible, extensive terrain and few off-pistoholics - these are our desired criteria. Last week, all three points were exceeded. Where? In the Wildschönau, the quiet high valley in the middle of the Kitzbühel Alps.
"Where are you going?" my friends asked in amazement. "Wildschönau? Where is that exactly!" Admittedly, the Wildschönau is a little hidden and a completely unknown place in freeriding circles. It's a different story among ski tourers. Schwaigberghorn, Lempersberg and Großes Beil are popular touring peaks.
Day 1: Meet at 11am in front of the Tiefentalhof in Oberau. The old farm is our base camp for the next three days. Before we can set off, I have to cut the new Kohla skins to fit my Watea slats. Then off we go. It's snowing. And at -18 degrees! From Melkstatt at the head of the valley, we head left towards Feldalphorn. We work our way up the wide slopes of the Prädastenalm, meter by meter. In these Siberian temperatures, the warming ascent is really pleasant.
The wind picks up on the summit ridge. With a scarf over our faces, we climb the last few meters up to the cross. Down in the valley, the Kelchsau lies at our feet. I have rarely enjoyed warm tea as much as I do at this moment. Although, according to the number of tracks, there must have been a whole hundred up here since the last snowfall, we find Rider's Right still untracked slopes. Not bad for a start.
Day 2: -20 degrees. Lift or reach the summit under your own steam again? We opt for our own strength. The Lempersberg is our destination. At 2202 meters, the Lempersberg dominates the mountain range between Wildschönau and Alpbachtal. With a groaning engine, our car makes it to the parking lot of the Schönangeralm. The alpine pasture at the end of the road is the perfect starting point for tours in the area. The Großes and Kleines Beil, the Sonnenjoch, the Wildkarspitze and the Lempersberg can be climbed from here in around three hours.
Hairpin bend after hairpin bend, we make our way up through the forest belt. Not so easy with a 191-centimetre-long full-blooded freeride ski underfoot. Yes, I admit it: I prefer a fat ski with which I have to work a little harder on the ascent, but which allows me to lay a real big line in the snow afterwards. The best thing about the ascent under your own steam: you get an immediate impression of where the snow is best and can pick out your own line.
A good three hours after we set off, we reach the summit. Unfortunately, the view is now cloudy. The sun that had accompanied us this morning has disappeared. No problem, the base is more important to us anyway. With a burst of joy, I hit the first slope. Turn after turn, I sink into the white gold. There's that surfing feeling again. Simply awesome. The ascent was more than worth it. I descend over a thousand meters in one go. We return to the Schönangeralm via the high-altitude trail, where we replenish our energy levels with a really good Kaiserschmarrn pancake.
Day 3: The view out of the window suggests that we will have blue skies today. I can't quite say yet. Icy roses have now overgrown the entire window. Stepping outside the front door confirms the suspicion. It's blue bird day. The thermometer shows "only" fifteen degrees below zero. But the cold wind makes the temperature seem even colder than the day before.
Today we leave our skins at home. It's freeride time. The Schatzberg ski area is visited almost exclusively by families and youth groups. You won't find wide skis here. From the gondola, we can already see our first run to the left in the direction of travel.
We descend into the basin with a swing before attaching our skis to our backpacks. Shoulders are not the order of the day today. The skis are too cold on our hands. Partly sinking in up to our thighs, we march up to the summit plateau of the Gern. The inconspicuous elevation is the starting point for the descent into the Aschbach valley. A photo at the summit, then off we go. The convex slope only hints at what is to follow over the next few meters. Nothing wild, just enjoyment. We let it run with speed turns. On the right, we spot a cliff hidden between the trees. A drop and on we go. Alpine meadow by Alpine meadow, we approach the valley. Once again, there are around 1000 meters of altitude without any significant traverses. No intermediate ascent, no obstacles. Just a huge natural playground with pillows, undulating terrain and small streams.
Once we reach the bottom, we don't even need a real hike. Three-four minutes and we're back at the Schatzbergbahn. Time enough for another round of Aschbachtal.
Yes, the Wildschönau really surprised us. There are more than enough freeride runs, whether you want to put on your skins or just put your skis on for a short time. We have already decided on our next destination: the large Beil with its impressive steep slope. More on this when we return to this hidden corner of Tyrol.
