In early December we finalised the planning for our annual winter adventure and, unlike in previous years where we would tour northern Europe, we decided to embark south this year. Our target was to traverse the German and Austrian Alps.
As usual, our equipment was reduced to the bare essentials but without sacrificing a certain level of luxury and comfort. Aside our Yeti down feather sleeping bags we once again relied on our Gordigear roof top tent for a good nights sleep. Being new to the team, our VW Tiguan was thrown in at the deep end for this trip.
After a few hours on the A8 down south we reached the foot hills of the Alps, where we would get a first glimpse at what the following days would be like. We set up camp for the first night at a cosy 0 degree and enjoyed the mountain panorama.
After a stopover in Salzburg we were heading for the Bavarian Alps and Berchtesgaden. Of course there was enough time to enjoy coffee and cake at the world-renowned Café Sacher in Salzburg.
On our way to the first Alpine pass we stopped and once again enjoyed the view, followed by a night in deep snow.
Subsequent to an invigorating overnight stay and a hearty breakfast, we approached the Rossfeldstreet. As so often these days, we would start in high fog which we pierced at approximately 1300m and were rewarded with a breathtaking panorama.
A clear day was promising a beautiful but chilly night around the -18 degree mark. We were wrapped up in our sleeping bags and enjoyed the solitude from within the protection of our roof top tent.
We continued south through rough terrain and countless small mountain passes, with plenty of detours. Almost daily we would dive in and out of cloud layers and spend hours in an eerie atmosphere, just to come out at the other end and experience the magic and beauty of a true winter wonderland.
The permafrost in this area creates unrivalled winter impressions.
After a week that passed way too quickly for our liking we traversed Obertauern and reached our final destination Klagenfurt am Wörtersee in the south of Austria. With good equipment and a desire for adventure, this is a winter tale that can be recommended to and experienced by anyone.
