George Cave

Castor on Skis

The forecast was looking quite poor for the coming week, so we spent our weather window on the ski up/down Castor from the Ayas Hut. After trimming his skins to size(!), Will and I opted to make a depot lower down for speed, while the others lugged their kit to the top to enjoy the drop-in from the summit ridge. A windy day with a hard snowpack which made the skiing quite unpleasant, followed by crevasse rescue practice and ash-tray grappa for dessert!

Breithorn

Is this the easiest 4000m peak in the Alps? Despite several trips to Zermatt I'd never made the short plod from the lift station across to the summit, so it was a good choice for our day 1 tour warmup. After a short ski down we traversed around to the Ayas Hut in Italy for the night.

Ötztal Snowshoe

After yesterday's exertions, I fancied an easier day, so Erinna and I went for a small hike over the hills south-east of Ötztal-Bahnhof.

Wildspitze Nordwand

After our first tour together earlier in the year, Evelyn and I made plans for a big day out to this mini-north face route on the second highest peak in Austria.

We caught the first lift up through the tunnel in the mountain and raced down to the glacier, only to find we would be likely alone on the nordwand as the crowds headed around the corner towards the normal route. Breaking trail through the deep powder was hard work, although the crux of the route proved to be a large step across the bergschrund that needed an ice screw to protect. Shortly later we were overtaken by a band of cavalier Romanians, whom we followed to the traverse over and down to Vent. A hard, tiring ski out for tired legs and an aching head.

Cycling adventures in Prosecco Land

Two days on wheels eating cheese, meat and bread, touring the vineyards and drinking the sweet nectar of the world's finest grapes

Alpendorf Ski

As Erinna's second ski season drew to a close, we headed back to our favourite intermediate slopes at Alpendorf for some powdery red descents and a last trip to see the woodland Krampus.