Hohe Tauern Alps, Austria

Kaprun - Hike from Kaprun to Sigmund-Thun Gorge - September 20, 2017
Kaprun - Bus to lifts to flank of Kitzsteinhorn. Bus, lift, bus to Wasserfallboden and Mooserboden Reservoirs - September 22, 2017
Kaprun - Bus to Maiskogelalm, hike to Glocknerblick, descend to Kaprun - September 22, 2017
Bad Gastein - Lift to Stubnerkogel. Ridge walk and descent to Bad Gastein via Bockstein - September 24, 2017
Bad Gastein - Bus to Bad Hofgastein. Lift to Schlossalm. Descend to middle lift station. Lift down - September 25, 2017

Hike from Kaprun to Sigmund-Thun Gorge - September 20, 2017

Runkeeper Info
Route Map

12:53:43
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The snows that arrived while I was in Saalbach followed me to Kaprun.
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My hotel: Das Alpenhaus Kaprun.
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Anything high would have been snowy, so I walked to the Sigmund-Thun Gorge.
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The gorge is scenic, but its river drives a power station with an informative information area and viewing platform.

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They think the rocks resemble a witch.
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What do you think?

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At the upper end of the gorge is a dam.
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With a lake on the upstream side.
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I walked around the lake and got back to the dam at its other end.
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Walking back around to the bottom of the gorge, I passed a stone sculptor's studio.
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I rode the tourist bus up to Maiskogel Alm, where I appreciated the animals, the scenery, and a cup of coffee.
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Breakfast at Das Alpenhaus Kaprun.
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Kaprun - Bus to lifts to flank of Kitzsteinhorn. Bus, lift, bus to Wasserfallboden and Mooserboden Reservoirs - September 22, 2017

Location Map

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I was glad that I had brought my warm clothes! Many others who rode the 3 lifts up to take a look were not as comfortably clad.
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On the lower level in search of a bathroom, I noticed this tunnel/museum.
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The 360-meter-long tunnel descends steadily past various exhibits.
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Then the lower end of the tunnel emerges at an outdoor viewing platform.
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I hoped to catch a glimpse of the Grossglockner, 3,798 meters,12,461 ft, the highest mountain in Austria. But even at the 'early' hour of 11 am, the summit was engulfed in cloud.
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The tunnel was only 1/4-mile long,but at an elevation of nearly 10,000 feet, the thin air made the ascending return hike much more difficult than it should have been.
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Emerging, winded, from the tunnel, I saw the cautionary sign.
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Someone was preparing for an outdoor excursion.
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From the base of the lift, I walked up the road about a mile to this restaurant, Kesselfall Alpenhaus. From there, a bus ported tourists to a platform lift.
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The platform lift carried us up to another bus that drove past Wasserfallboden to Mooserboden Reservoir.

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I had intended to hike from here, but there was too much snow.
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Yeah, "Pfluck dir eins!" I'd say it more often if I knew what it meant.
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Kesselfall Alpenhaus as seen from the platform lift.
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Back at Kesselfall Alpenhaus, I waited for the bus back to Kaprun. I still had time for a bit of a walk...

Bus to Maiskogelalm, hike to Glocknerblick, descend to Kaprun - September 22, 2017

Runkeeper Info
Route Map

15:53:34
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I caught one of these tourist 'buses' to Maiskogelalm.
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I'd visited here the day before and made friends with this fine doggie, but I had not taken any pictures of him.

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The air was murky, but the views much improved over the previous day.
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I did not linger at Maiskogelalm, but hiked the short trail up to Glocknerblick.
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Approaching Glocknerblick.
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Perhaps on a clear day the Grossglockner would have been visible.

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The view from Glocknerblick down past Maiskogelalm toward Kaprun.
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I hiked from Glocknerblick down to Kaprun. I passed Maiskogelalm, but did not stop this time.
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As I hiked, I passed places where recent trail work to improve trail drainage was visible.
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Evening shadow encroached on Kaprun as I approached.
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Not sure why the room maid was porting a dog bowl.
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My room at Das Alpenhaus Kaprun.
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Bad Gastein - Lift to Stubnerkogel. Ridge walk and descent to Bad Gastein via Bockstein - September 24, 2017

Runkeeper Info
Route Map

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I bused to Zell am See and then trained to Schwarzach / St. Veit, where caught a train to Bad Gastein.
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Informative display on the modern Austrian train made it easy to anticipate one's stop.
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Got off the train in Bad Gastein.

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I set off to walk to the Graukogel lift. A trail running race was in-progress.
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Bad Gastein is built into the sides of a steep-walled valley.
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Do-it-yourself painting.
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It was a magnificent, sunny Saturday afternoon. It seemed like the lift SHOULD have been running. I encountered others who, like me, were expecting to ride the lift.
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The next morning, I set off to ride the lift from Bad Gastein up to Stubnerkogel.
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The lift was only activated hourly. I only had to wait about 15 minutes.
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Jolly decor atop Stubnerkogel.
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Despite the snow on the route, I set off to walk along the ridge and then down to Bockstein.
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If the conditions became too gnarly, I knew I could retrace my steps to the Stubnerkogel lift and ride it back down to Bad Gastein.
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I didn't see anyone else, out on the ridge, but the trail signs gave me confidence that I was on my route.
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Trudging thru snow was slow and inefficient, but I presumed the snow would diminish as I descended.

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At the base of the cross were two abandoned ski poles. I appreciated their origin: "Dear God, if you get me down this mountain alive, I promise never to ski again!"
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Generally, I found the Austrian trails to be well marked and well maintained. But there was a nasty stretch of unavoidable mud on this route.
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Bockfeldalm appeared to be closed, but another hiker found a fine lunch spot.
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Looking down on Bockstein.
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Approaching Bockstein.
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I walked the bike path along the river from Bockstein to Bad Gastein. The river did not seem to pose any threat, but I guess that's not always the case.
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I passed the Stubnerkogel lift where my hike had started.
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My large hotel Bellevue spanned several buildings connected by elevated walkways.
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View from an elevated walkway.

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Strange photo on the wall of my hotel.

Bad Gastein - Bus to Bad Hofgastein. Lift to Schlossalm. Descend to middle lift station. Lift down - September 24, 2017

Runkeeper Info
Route Map

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As I rode the inclined-rail lift, I appreciated the anxiety that many passengers experience when the oncoming train approaches on the single rail. You can hear the sigh of relief as the carriages pass on the only portion of dual tracks along the course.
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The upper lift was a large gondola car.

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The view from Schlossalm.
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The sounds of construction were pervasive.
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If you comply with the instructions you can ride on the bounce pillow!
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The bounce pillow.

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There were minor snowy patches on the trail, but most of the trail was clear.
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Signs and sounds of construction disappeared as I hiked down a valley away from the ski area.
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I guess it had been a long time since the previous photo was taken; the teeth had all fallen out.
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I'd intended to pass 'Maurachalm' en route to 'Aeroplanstadl'. But I did not see the connecting trail segment, despite looking for it.
13:24:40
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So I found myself at this bridge to 'Neudegg Heimalm'.

13:26:32
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From this point, I sought the direct route to 'Aeroplanstadl', but I ended up on an indirect route that involved extra distance and ascent.
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But eventually I did reach the lift middlestation, where construction activities were underway.
14:21:09
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The inclined train lift.
14:21:27
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Passing the uphill car.
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14:54:28
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A poster advertising the trail race that had been underway when I arrived in Bad Gastein.
15:00:45
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Doggie Love in the lobby of my hotel.
15:31:37
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"Group robbery; hands up!" I guessed that participants in a guided hike were led in a post-hike group stretch.

15:31:54
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15:32:10
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I celebrated my own post-hike status with a nice cold beer.

15:52:40
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Modern stainless steel urinal trough in the Silver Bullet bar.
15:54:47
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And, of course, the Silver Bullet totem pole.
16:41:58
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My bed appeared to be a fold-down. I guessed that if the bed was folded back up into the wall the protuding feet would retract. I did not experiment.
16:42:13
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I was surprised that I never stubbed my toe on these threatening obstructions.
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A wraparound deck rimmed my little apartment on 3 sides.
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I appreciated the fact that the curtains matched the upholstery.
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The kitchen in my apartment was fully equipped.
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The morning I left Bad Gastein for Slovenia dawned sunny and pleasant.
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11:41:30
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I got on this modern Austrian train to Villach, where I got on an ugly decrepit Slovenian train to ride to Jesenice, Slovenia.

Home

Hike from Kaprun to Sigmund-Thun Gorge - September 20, 2017
Runkeeper Info		Route Map
12:53:43 2017:09:20 The snows that arrived while I was in Saalbach followed me to Kaprun.	12:54:11 2017:09:20 My hotel: Das Alpenhaus Kaprun.	12:54:28 2017:09:20	13:15:39 2017:09:20	13:20:28 2017:09:20
13:20:46 2017:09:20	14:55:21 2017:09:20	14:55:33 2017:09:20 Anything high would have been snowy, so I walked to the Sigmund-Thun Gorge.	14:56:25 2017:09:20	14:58:16 2017:09:20 The gorge is scenic, but its river drives a power station with an informative information area and viewing platform.
14:59:10 2017:09:20	15:00:09 2017:09:20	15:00:16 2017:09:20	15:00:39 2017:09:20	15:00:44 2017:09:20
15:01:12 2017:09:20	15:02:02 2017:09:20	15:02:24 2017:09:20	15:03:08 2017:09:20	15:03:59 2017:09:20
15:04:18 2017:09:20	15:04:47 2017:09:20	15:05:00 2017:09:20	15:05:21 2017:09:20	15:05:46 2017:09:20
15:05:55 2017:09:20	15:06:28 2017:09:20	15:07:11 2017:09:20	15:07:30 2017:09:20	15:07:59 2017:09:20
15:08:06 2017:09:20	15:08:46 2017:09:20	15:09:25 2017:09:20	15:09:53 2017:09:20	15:10:20 2017:09:20
15:10:45 2017:09:20	15:10:56 2017:09:20	15:11:14 2017:09:20	15:11:22 2017:09:20	15:12:05 2017:09:20
15:12:12 2017:09:20	15:12:31 2017:09:20	15:13:13 2017:09:20	15:13:26 2017:09:20	15:13:34 2017:09:20
15:14:11 2017:09:20	15:14:42 2017:09:20	15:14:51 2017:09:20	15:15:26 2017:09:20 They think the rocks resemble a witch.	15:16:16 2017:09:20 What do you think?
15:16:40 2017:09:20	15:17:19 2017:09:20	15:17:38 2017:09:20	15:17:45 2017:09:20	15:23:12 2017:09:20
15:23:35 2017:09:20 At the upper end of the gorge is a dam.	15:26:47 2017:09:20 With a lake on the upstream side.	15:31:21 2017:09:20	15:31:42 2017:09:20	15:39:41 2017:09:20
15:42:38 2017:09:20	15:42:52 2017:09:20	15:46:56 2017:09:20	15:47:28 2017:09:20 I walked around the lake and got back to the dam at its other end.	15:49:35 2017:09:20
15:54:48 2017:09:20	15:54:55 2017:09:20	15:55:12 2017:09:20	16:00:12 2017:09:20 Walking back around to the bottom of the gorge, I passed a stone sculptor's studio.	16:00:29 2017:09:20
16:00:40 2017:09:20	16:00:52 2017:09:20	16:01:15 2017:09:20	17:51:55 2017:09:20	17:52:15 2017:09:20
18:01:42 2017:09:20	18:01:59 2017:09:20	11:18:03 2017:09:21 I rode the tourist bus up to Maiskogel Alm, where I appreciated the animals, the scenery, and a cup of coffee.	11:18:19 2017:09:21	11:19:11 2017:09:21
11:19:40 2017:09:21	11:19:58 2017:09:21	11:20:15 2017:09:21	11:21:34 2017:09:21	11:22:06 2017:09:21
11:30:53 2017:09:21	12:23:27 2017:09:21	12:23:35 2017:09:21	12:23:55 2017:09:21	12:24:12 2017:09:21
12:25:11 2017:09:21	12:25:29 2017:09:21	12:26:04 2017:09:21	12:26:36 2017:09:21	12:36:13 2017:09:21
12:36:39 2017:09:21	12:37:04 2017:09:21	12:50:53 2017:09:21	12:53:33 2017:09:21	12:53:42 2017:09:21
15:10:33 2017:09:21	07:57:42 2017:09:22 Breakfast at Das Alpenhaus Kaprun.	07:57:49 2017:09:22	07:57:57 2017:09:22	07:58:02 2017:09:22
07:58:09 2017:09:22	07:58:19 2017:09:22
Kaprun - Bus to lifts to flank of Kitzsteinhorn. Bus, lift, bus to Wasserfallboden and Mooserboden Reservoirs - September 22, 2017
Location Map
09:38:03 2017:09:22	09:57:03 2017:09:22	09:57:26 2017:09:22	10:06:44 2017:09:22	10:07:00 2017:09:22
10:09:16 2017:09:22	10:09:39 2017:09:22	10:09:46 2017:09:22	10:16:31 2017:09:22	10:16:59 2017:09:22
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11:00:59 2017:09:22 I was glad that I had brought my warm clothes! Many others who rode the 3 lifts up to take a look were not as comfortably clad.	11:01:17 2017:09:22	11:02:46 2017:09:22	11:03:13 2017:09:22	11:03:54 2017:09:22
11:04:11 2017:09:22	11:04:21 2017:09:22	11:04:44 2017:09:22	11:04:55 2017:09:22	11:05:01 2017:09:22
11:05:59 2017:09:22	11:09:31 2017:09:22 On the lower level in search of a bathroom, I noticed this tunnel/museum.	11:10:01 2017:09:22	11:10:33 2017:09:22 The 360-meter-long tunnel descends steadily past various exhibits.	11:11:30 2017:09:22
11:12:30 2017:09:22	11:14:46 2017:09:22	11:15:06 2017:09:22	11:16:17 2017:09:22 Then the lower end of the tunnel emerges at an outdoor viewing platform.	11:16:32 2017:09:22
11:16:37 2017:09:22	11:16:50 2017:09:22	11:17:34 2017:09:22 I hoped to catch a glimpse of the Grossglockner, 3,798 meters,12,461 ft, the highest mountain in Austria. But even at the 'early' hour of 11 am, the summit was engulfed in cloud.	11:18:13 2017:09:22	11:18:20 2017:09:22
11:18:34 2017:09:22	11:18:49 2017:09:22	11:18:55 2017:09:22	11:18:59 2017:09:22	11:19:14 2017:09:22
11:24:59 2017:09:22 The tunnel was only 1/4-mile long,but at an elevation of nearly 10,000 feet, the thin air made the ascending return hike much more difficult than it should have been.	11:25:25 2017:09:22 Emerging, winded, from the tunnel, I saw the cautionary sign.	11:26:27 2017:09:22	11:26:39 2017:09:22 Someone was preparing for an outdoor excursion.	11:27:37 2017:09:22
11:27:48 2017:09:22	11:28:10 2017:09:22	11:28:44 2017:09:22	11:35:35 2017:09:22	11:37:23 2017:09:22
11:41:38 2017:09:22	11:41:46 2017:09:22	11:43:54 2017:09:22	11:44:18 2017:09:22	11:44:36 2017:09:22
11:44:57 2017:09:22	11:45:21 2017:09:22	11:46:25 2017:09:22	11:46:32 2017:09:22	11:46:40 2017:09:22
11:49:52 2017:09:22	11:52:43 2017:09:22	12:06:38 2017:09:22	12:38:05 2017:09:22 From the base of the lift, I walked up the road about a mile to this restaurant, Kesselfall Alpenhaus. From there, a bus ported tourists to a platform lift.	12:50:28 2017:09:22 The platform lift carried us up to another bus that drove past Wasserfallboden to Mooserboden Reservoir.
13:15:50 2017:09:22	13:16:21 2017:09:22	13:32:58 2017:09:22	13:33:59 2017:09:22	13:34:07 2017:09:22
13:35:58 2017:09:22	13:38:01 2017:09:22	13:38:34 2017:09:22 I had intended to hike from here, but there was too much snow.	13:40:45 2017:09:22	13:41:22 2017:09:22
13:41:29 2017:09:22	13:41:59 2017:09:22	13:42:19 2017:09:22	13:42:45 2017:09:22	13:43:02 2017:09:22
13:43:14 2017:09:22	13:45:06 2017:09:22	13:46:14 2017:09:22	13:47:23 2017:09:22	13:47:35 2017:09:22
13:48:04 2017:09:22	13:48:23 2017:09:22	13:48:51 2017:09:22	13:50:27 2017:09:22	13:50:56 2017:09:22
13:51:31 2017:09:22	13:51:43 2017:09:22	13:52:48 2017:09:22	13:53:30 2017:09:22	13:56:14 2017:09:22
13:57:25 2017:09:22	13:57:44 2017:09:22 Yeah, "Pfluck dir eins!" I'd say it more often if I knew what it meant.	13:59:33 2017:09:22	14:16:05 2017:09:22	14:17:11 2017:09:22
14:17:16 2017:09:22	14:17:23 2017:09:22	14:18:54 2017:09:22	14:21:18 2017:09:22	14:25:11 2017:09:22
14:28:54 2017:09:22	14:37:01 2017:09:22 Kesselfall Alpenhaus as seen from the platform lift.	14:48:54 2017:09:22 Back at Kesselfall Alpenhaus, I waited for the bus back to Kaprun. I still had time for a bit of a walk...
Bus to Maiskogelalm, hike to Glocknerblick, descend to Kaprun - September 22, 2017
Runkeeper Info		Route Map
15:53:34 2017:09:22 I caught one of these tourist 'buses' to Maiskogelalm.	15:53:46 2017:09:22	16:18:03 2017:09:22	16:18:57 2017:09:22	16:19:09 2017:09:22 I'd visited here the day before and made friends with this fine doggie, but I had not taken any pictures of him.
16:19:32 2017:09:22	16:19:36 2017:09:22	16:21:01 2017:09:22	16:21:08 2017:09:22	16:21:15 2017:09:22
16:21:24 2017:09:22	16:21:34 2017:09:22 The air was murky, but the views much improved over the previous day.	16:22:54 2017:09:22	16:23:04 2017:09:22 I did not linger at Maiskogelalm, but hiked the short trail up to Glocknerblick.	16:34:01 2017:09:22
16:35:59 2017:09:22	16:40:11 2017:09:22 Approaching Glocknerblick.	16:40:16 2017:09:22	16:41:11 2017:09:22	16:41:18 2017:09:22 Perhaps on a clear day the Grossglockner would have been visible.
16:41:56 2017:09:22	16:42:10 2017:09:22 The view from Glocknerblick down past Maiskogelalm toward Kaprun.	16:42:23 2017:09:22	16:43:34 2017:09:22	16:45:57 2017:09:22
16:46:07 2017:09:22	16:46:16 2017:09:22	16:56:04 2017:09:22	16:56:17 2017:09:22	16:56:29 2017:09:22
16:56:59 2017:09:22 I hiked from Glocknerblick down to Kaprun. I passed Maiskogelalm, but did not stop this time.	16:58:24 2017:09:22	16:58:37 2017:09:22	17:02:24 2017:09:22 As I hiked, I passed places where recent trail work to improve trail drainage was visible.	17:02:47 2017:09:22
17:12:55 2017:09:22	17:14:08 2017:09:22	17:27:45 2017:09:22	17:28:36 2017:09:22	17:32:17 2017:09:22
17:32:19 2017:09:22	17:32:55 2017:09:22	17:46:22 2017:09:22	17:55:44 2017:09:22 Evening shadow encroached on Kaprun as I approached.	17:57:51 2017:09:22
08:25:09 2017:09:23 Not sure why the room maid was porting a dog bowl.	08:25:21 2017:09:23	08:26:02 2017:09:23	09:46:01 2017:09:23 My room at Das Alpenhaus Kaprun.	09:46:18 2017:09:23
09:46:45 2017:09:23
Bad Gastein - Lift to Stubnerkogel. Ridge walk and descent to Bad Gastein via Bockstein - September 24, 2017
Runkeeper Info		Route Map
10:53:40 2017:09:23 I bused to Zell am See and then trained to Schwarzach / St. Veit, where caught a train to Bad Gastein.	10:53:57 2017:09:23	11:32:18 2017:09:23 Informative display on the modern Austrian train made it easy to anticipate one's stop.	11:36:03 2017:09:23	11:47:20 2017:09:23 Got off the train in Bad Gastein.
13:17:19 2017:09:23 I set off to walk to the Graukogel lift. A trail running race was in-progress.	13:20:38 2017:09:23 Bad Gastein is built into the sides of a steep-walled valley.	13:20:49 2017:09:23	13:21:49 2017:09:23 Do-it-yourself painting.	13:26:01 2017:09:23
13:26:17 2017:09:23 It was a magnificent, sunny Saturday afternoon. It seemed like the lift SHOULD have been running. I encountered others who, like me, were expecting to ride the lift.	13:26:38 2017:09:23	13:27:56 2017:09:23	13:32:01 2017:09:23	13:36:02 2017:09:23
13:37:25 2017:09:23	13:39:05 2017:09:23	13:41:21 2017:09:23	13:42:42 2017:09:23	13:43:11 2017:09:23
13:43:36 2017:09:23	13:43:56 2017:09:23	13:44:10 2017:09:23	13:44:32 2017:09:23	13:45:19 2017:09:23
13:50:51 2017:09:23	13:51:03 2017:09:23	14:08:44 2017:09:23	14:09:35 2017:09:23	14:12:50 2017:09:23
14:15:01 2017:09:23	11:52:07 2017:09:24 The next morning, I set off to ride the lift from Bad Gastein up to Stubnerkogel.	11:52:25 2017:09:24	11:59:33 2017:09:24	12:06:58 2017:09:24
12:09:09 2017:09:24 The lift was only activated hourly. I only had to wait about 15 minutes.	12:09:27 2017:09:24	12:16:45 2017:09:24 Jolly decor atop Stubnerkogel.	12:17:11 2017:09:24	12:22:39 2017:09:24
12:23:28 2017:09:24	12:23:49 2017:09:24	12:29:40 2017:09:24 Despite the snow on the route, I set off to walk along the ridge and then down to Bockstein.	12:32:37 2017:09:24 If the conditions became too gnarly, I knew I could retrace my steps to the Stubnerkogel lift and ride it back down to Bad Gastein.	12:32:59 2017:09:24
12:37:53 2017:09:24	12:38:46 2017:09:24	12:41:47 2017:09:24	12:43:06 2017:09:24 I didn't see anyone else, out on the ridge, but the trail signs gave me confidence that I was on my route.	12:48:51 2017:09:24 Trudging thru snow was slow and inefficient, but I presumed the snow would diminish as I descended.
12:53:40 2017:09:24	12:54:05 2017:09:24	12:56:16 2017:09:24	12:56:41 2017:09:24	13:04:19 2017:09:24
13:04:36 2017:09:24	13:05:59 2017:09:24	13:08:07 2017:09:24	13:08:18 2017:09:24	13:10:51 2017:09:24
13:17:55 2017:09:24	13:24:48 2017:09:24	13:37:33 2017:09:24	13:40:08 2017:09:24	13:40:23 2017:09:24
13:40:46 2017:09:24	13:41:23 2017:09:24 At the base of the cross were two abandoned ski poles. I appreciated their origin: "Dear God, if you get me down this mountain alive, I promise never to ski again!"	13:47:33 2017:09:24	13:53:11 2017:09:24	14:00:57 2017:09:24
14:02:27 2017:09:24	14:12:31 2017:09:24	14:21:32 2017:09:24	14:43:02 2017:09:24 Generally, I found the Austrian trails to be well marked and well maintained. But there was a nasty stretch of unavoidable mud on this route.	14:56:25 2017:09:24
14:56:49 2017:09:24	14:56:58 2017:09:24 Bockfeldalm appeared to be closed, but another hiker found a fine lunch spot.	15:14:37 2017:09:24	15:16:34 2017:09:24 Looking down on Bockstein.	15:16:52 2017:09:24
15:41:35 2017:09:24 Approaching Bockstein.	15:42:08 2017:09:24	15:42:29 2017:09:24	15:44:46 2017:09:24	15:45:00 2017:09:24
15:45:38 2017:09:24	15:50:46 2017:09:24 I walked the bike path along the river from Bockstein to Bad Gastein. The river did not seem to pose any threat, but I guess that's not always the case.	15:54:08 2017:09:24	15:56:51 2017:09:24	16:02:23 2017:09:24
16:21:33 2017:09:24 I passed the Stubnerkogel lift where my hike had started.	17:22:46 2017:09:24	17:25:13 2017:09:24 My large hotel Bellevue spanned several buildings connected by elevated walkways.	17:25:21 2017:09:24	17:28:49 2017:09:24 View from an elevated walkway.
17:30:32 2017:09:24 Strange photo on the wall of my hotel.
Bad Gastein - Bus to Bad Hofgastein. Lift to Schlossalm. Descend to middle lift station. Lift down - September 24, 2017
Runkeeper Info		Route Map
10:20:28 2017:09:25	10:44:13 2017:09:25	10:45:38 2017:09:25 As I rode the inclined-rail lift, I appreciated the anxiety that many passengers experience when the oncoming train approaches on the single rail. You can hear the sigh of relief as the carriages pass on the only portion of dual tracks along the course.	10:59:56 2017:09:25	11:00:31 2017:09:25 The upper lift was a large gondola car.
11:05:19 2017:09:25 The view from Schlossalm.	11:05:28 2017:09:25	11:05:40 2017:09:25	11:07:10 2017:09:25	11:07:23 2017:09:25
11:07:35 2017:09:25	11:08:09 2017:09:25	11:08:28 2017:09:25	11:09:21 2017:09:25	11:09:39 2017:09:25
11:09:53 2017:09:25 The sounds of construction were pervasive.	11:11:39 2017:09:25	11:12:02 2017:09:25	11:15:15 2017:09:25 If you comply with the instructions you can ride on the bounce pillow!	11:15:25 2017:09:25 The bounce pillow.
11:15:42 2017:09:25	11:15:58 2017:09:25	11:17:30 2017:09:25	11:18:00 2017:09:25	11:22:48 2017:09:25
11:24:38 2017:09:25	11:29:03 2017:09:25	11:32:28 2017:09:25	11:33:22 2017:09:25	11:35:47 2017:09:25
11:38:18 2017:09:25 There were minor snowy patches on the trail, but most of the trail was clear.	11:40:42 2017:09:25 Signs and sounds of construction disappeared as I hiked down a valley away from the ski area.	11:45:16 2017:09:25	11:45:41 2017:09:25	11:49:05 2017:09:25
11:49:11 2017:09:25	11:49:23 2017:09:25	11:49:53 2017:09:25	11:50:15 2017:09:25	11:52:31 2017:09:25
11:53:23 2017:09:25	11:53:54 2017:09:25 I guess it had been a long time since the previous photo was taken; the teeth had all fallen out.	11:54:04 2017:09:25	11:55:14 2017:09:25	11:56:03 2017:09:25
11:56:14 2017:09:25	11:56:29 2017:09:25	12:01:03 2017:09:25	12:03:28 2017:09:25	12:19:54 2017:09:25
12:21:26 2017:09:25	12:26:29 2017:09:25	12:26:54 2017:09:25	12:34:43 2017:09:25	12:39:03 2017:09:25
12:39:28 2017:09:25	12:41:42 2017:09:25	12:44:12 2017:09:25	12:46:41 2017:09:25	13:00:50 2017:09:25
13:01:19 2017:09:25	13:02:31 2017:09:25	13:15:17 2017:09:25	13:24:15 2017:09:25 I'd intended to pass 'Maurachalm' en route to 'Aeroplanstadl'. But I did not see the connecting trail segment, despite looking for it.	13:24:40 2017:09:25 So I found myself at this bridge to 'Neudegg Heimalm'.
13:26:32 2017:09:25 From this point, I sought the direct route to 'Aeroplanstadl', but I ended up on an indirect route that involved extra distance and ascent.	13:29:40 2017:09:25	13:30:02 2017:09:25	13:50:19 2017:09:25	13:50:30 2017:09:25
13:50:54 2017:09:25	13:54:51 2017:09:25	14:08:12 2017:09:25	14:10:06 2017:09:25	14:17:18 2017:09:25
14:18:25 2017:09:25 But eventually I did reach the lift middlestation, where construction activities were underway.	14:21:09 2017:09:25 The inclined train lift.	14:21:27 2017:09:25	14:23:27 2017:09:25	14:23:32 2017:09:25
14:23:42 2017:09:25 Passing the uphill car.	14:24:40 2017:09:25	14:54:28 2017:09:25 A poster advertising the trail race that had been underway when I arrived in Bad Gastein.	15:00:45 2017:09:25 Doggie Love in the lobby of my hotel.	15:31:37 2017:09:25 "Group robbery; hands up!" I guessed that participants in a guided hike were led in a post-hike group stretch.
15:31:54 2017:09:25	15:32:10 2017:09:25	15:32:19 2017:09:25	15:34:42 2017:09:25	15:37:13 2017:09:25 I celebrated my own post-hike status with a nice cold beer.
15:52:40 2017:09:25 Modern stainless steel urinal trough in the Silver Bullet bar.	15:54:47 2017:09:25 And, of course, the Silver Bullet totem pole.	16:41:58 2017:09:25 My bed appeared to be a fold-down. I guessed that if the bed was folded back up into the wall the protuding feet would retract. I did not experiment.	16:42:13 2017:09:25 I was surprised that I never stubbed my toe on these threatening obstructions.	16:42:25 2017:09:25
16:42:44 2017:09:25	16:42:58 2017:09:25	16:43:20 2017:09:25	16:43:54 2017:09:25 A wraparound deck rimmed my little apartment on 3 sides.	16:44:36 2017:09:25
16:44:49 2017:09:25	16:44:54 2017:09:25	16:45:11 2017:09:25	16:46:11 2017:09:25 I appreciated the fact that the curtains matched the upholstery.	16:46:20 2017:09:25
16:46:37 2017:09:25	16:47:07 2017:09:25 The kitchen in my apartment was fully equipped.	16:47:26 2017:09:25	16:47:35 2017:09:25	16:47:45 2017:09:25
16:47:58 2017:09:25	16:48:13 2017:09:25	16:48:35 2017:09:25	16:49:11 2017:09:25	16:49:34 2017:09:25
16:50:10 2017:09:25	10:27:10 2017:09:26 The morning I left Bad Gastein for Slovenia dawned sunny and pleasant.	11:39:06 2017:09:26	11:41:30 2017:09:26 I got on this modern Austrian train to Villach, where I got on an ugly decrepit Slovenian train to ride to Jesenice, Slovenia.