Lessons in Paradise

After an exciting Olympic winter 09/10 with a lot of travelling, I was looking forward to spending a quiet summer and a snowy winter 10/11 at home in the Allgäu. In early summer I ended up in the Hornbach Range. The Hornbach Range belongs to the Allgäu Alps, even though it's located almost completely on the Austrian side of the Lech Valley. It consists of around 35 summits, all lined up like a pearl necklace – one mountain more beautiful than the next. There are enormous combs in the north and the south. The highest summit, the Große Krottenkopf, reaches to 2,656 meters. But it's not the height that distinguishes this mountain range.

Rather it is the unique remote location, and the mountain solitude which can still be found here, north of the Lech Valley. This one coincidental tour sparked an idea, as I immediately noticed the countless, fascinating freeride lines. I decided to do as many tours as possible, getting to know the area well before winter, so I could then draw a beautiful line down all 35 summits – or so I cockily planned. By late fall in 2010, I had done 22 wonderful tours within the Hornbach Range and it slowly dawned on me that I had taken on quite a lot. Winter 10/11 arrived quite late, and along with many dream days it also brought a few spectacular lessons with it. The first lesson took place in December.

Although there was a meter of snow in higher elevations, there was no base. After a few quite "material-intensive" attempts I realized that I just had to wait a bit. Around Christmas more snowfall then created a very unstable avalanche situation. So, adhering to the motto "better half full than half empty" I exercised advanced levels of patience and positive thinking, and completed several smaller scouting expeditions. I cancelled New Year's Eve, because finally the time had come! The alarm clock woke me at 5.30am on New Year's Day, announcing a dream day. About an hour later I met the photographer Anton Brey in the Lech Valley and we started in Häselgehr. The excitement grew with every step we took while starting out through the Hagler Valley.

This time the conditions were awesome. The Sattelkar was our target. When doing my excursions I had seen several beautiful gullies and I was excited to find what conditions awaited us at the top. Once we arrived at the Sattelkar, I thought I must have died and gone to freeride heaven. What luxury to be spoiled with so many choices! Why look so far afield when there are such good things right around the corner – how clever Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was. The south-westerly exposure already had a slight crust from the day before and was only second choice today. I decided on the south-eastern gully at the eastern extremity of the Noppenspitze. Through the binoculars it looked as if I could go up to the shoulder of the mountain.

The gully pitch is about 50 degrees at the top and leads to ledges with around 60-65 degrees. Is it doable? Is it really safe? I talked to Toni and started. The conditions were great, about 20 centimeters of fresh snow, with a good crust underneath. After around 20 minutes I had to take off the skins and strap the skis onto the rucksack. Now the real grind started. It was getting steeper and steeper, and knee-deep. Pulse of 160, 20 steps, short break, again 20 steps. I kept running the line in my imagination and was extremely excited. Suddenly I was hip-deep and it was quite slippery underneath. With ski boots I couldn't progress another centimeter, so I decided to start here. First I had to get my pulse down.

My routine preparation movements calmed me. Putting on my helmet, goggles, checking the helmetcam, slamming shut my ski boots. When I put on my skis I realized again how steep the fun was here. Nevertheless, I stopped to think: "What a privilege to stand up here." Last check – everything ok! 30 seconds followed which made everything meaningful. That was motivation for more! In January I was heavily involved in the organization of the first Ski Cross World Cup in Germany and therefore had to exercise my patience again until the end of January. Right after the World Cup I arranged to meet Toni again in order to tackle a line on the Kreuzkarspitze. The ascent through the Hagler Valley was pleasant.

After about 1,000 vertical meters we stood in front of the Luxnacher Sattel at 2,093 meters. The exposure of the ascending slope is north-east to east. From the bottom we could see the blowing snow. However, following a wisely chosen track, we assessed it as being doable and safe. I knew that a band around a meter wide would lie under the rock shelf, which would make it possible for us to get through to the col in the steepest area. The direct route was completely wind-affected, the cornice was laughing at us, admonishing us from the bottom. Anton left a good distance while I took the last horseshoe bend. I went about five meters, another four meters separated me from the rock shelf. Right then I heard a loud crash, WUMM!

A crack about ten centimeters wide, five meters long and 30 centimeters deep opened up between my legs. My adrenaline level spiked off the scale. I made the next steps to the rock shelf as if on egg shells, and was now standing on solid ground with a pulse of 200. Anton came very carefully after me. We were lucky that day. It sharpened our senses so that we became even more vigilant during our last ten visits to the Hornbach Range until the end of winter. Now 16 months have passed since my first excursion into the Hornbach range and I have spent 50 days in these wonderful mountains. I not only got to know it very well, but also learned to love it. It gave me so much back and also taught me the art of patience.

Well, surely not enough to become a "Jedi of patience", but I've learned my lessons. Now I'm looking forward to the other summits in the unexplored Hornbach Range and I'm hoping for a safe winter 11/12 full of snow and experiences – and if need be... but really only if need be – being a "Jedi of patience".