Thursday first looked like we’d be socked into rain clouds, but after we finished breakfast is was clear that we would have a good day, so we decided to take a hike in town that the hotel fitness center manager recommended. We walked up past the church and to the beginning of the trail to Hahnbaumalm, which was a very long staircase that went past a large pasture. The trail led us to the many farms and homes in the higher elevations, through many pastures, under ski lifts and along a stream with many footbridges, trail turnstiles and switchbacks. It was taxing at times, but when we finally reached the top at the area ski lodge, it was well worth the effort. We climbed about 1500 feet to exactly 5000 feet or 1600 meters. When we got to the top it was about 10AM and the lodge didn’t look open. There were people inside, however, and a woman came out and greeted us and asked us to come inside if we wanted. Turns out that several people (locals) were around and some even arrived after we had already gone in. We weren’t sure if they all worked there or if some were simply a visiting. We asked if we could have a beer and she said of course! So, we all enjoyed a draft after our climb and then proceeded to make our way back. ‘Alm’ is the word for a restaurant on the top of a mountain. Someone lives there all the time and usually makes their own cheese and meats from the livestock. This one was at a ski resort so I don’t think they made cheese or anything there. No one spoke English up there either but I asked a man sitting at the locals’ table with a old lady which was the best road down because there were two. He said one was the new road and the other the old one so I asked which one was better to which he replied, “Ganz egile” which means “exactly the same” and he just turned his head and looked over at me like what does it matter. We took the new one. I said thank you and the old lady chimed “Viel Spass!” which means “Have fun!”
Before walking back to town, we finally got in touch with our friend Thomas in Reutte. We all worked with Thomas at Stowe Mountain Resort back in 1999. Our Austrian boss had hired him and two other Austrians to work at the resort as chefs for a year. We knew he ran a hotel with his family in Tirol, so we got in touch and he invited us to come a visit and stay as his guests one night. So, we called him (after a couple of days of not being able to get in touch with him) and we planned our trip to Reutte for Friday.
Meanwhile, we had decided to simply walk down the road back to town since the trail on the way up had been wet and slick in some spots. This was a grand plan until we couldn’t quite figure out if the road did, indeed take us back to St. Johann or another town. A couple of direction changes, and a couple of dead ends later including one with two heifers with horns and two calves standing in the way, we found ourselves walking the long way back. What we thought would take about an hour to get back probably took more like two. But it was a good hike and the scenery was breathtaking. We were happy to have been able to go, because the weather hadn’t been so great on Tuesday, and we heard that we’d have more of the same.
We got back to town and were famished, so we grabbed sandwiches at the supermarket which probably saved us a combined $15 rather than going to another restaurant. We had a good portion of the day left and thought we’d try to see the big hydroelectric dam that was only about 40km from us. While we were in the car on our way, we realized that the elevated tram you had to take to get to it made the last trip at 3:30. It was just after 2:30 so we tried to make it there in time for the last tram. It was a bit hard to find, and when we got there, we entered “The Twilight Zone” parking garage. It was desolate and all you could do was go up. And up. And up. We didn’t feel like we were getting anywhere but then, finally, we reached the very top and saw other cars and the walkway to the tram area. We ran. We missed the bus that takes you to the tram. Oh well. Jason got an earful from some Austrian guy there who told us that we could still go up, but it would take 40 minutes to get up there and then we’d have to basically turn right back around so we were “too late!!” and you need at least 3 hours. So, we walked around for a few minutes and then headed back from whence we came. We drove by a gondola on the way that was taking people up to a glacier for skiing. From where we were it looked like it was taking them to nothing, but it was taking them up and over the mountain to a HUGE bowl of a glacier where you can ski almost year round. A ski pass there for 6 days of skiing was only 62 Euros! We’ll be coming back for a ski vacation there!!
We headed back to St. Johann and relaxed a while and did a little bit more laundry. Then we headed for dinner to one of the two Austrian restaurants in town named “Havannah”. It was a very nice meal and every enjoyed what they had.
Next post: To Reutte!!
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