Trail Running to the High Alpine Reservoires Kaprun

After I saw the High Alpine Reservoires of Kaprun, at the beginning of June 2018, the idea of running from Kaprun up to there didn't left me anymore.

So, yesterday was "the big day", although the plan was to climb the Imbachhorn. 

I started late, at 11:30 from the Kesselfall Inn.

How to reach the starting point:
By car: Kaprun bypass road, passing Maiskogelbahn and Gletscherbahn cable cars to the free car park at mountain inn Kesselfall. Kesselfallstrasse 98, 5710 Kaprun.
Public Postbus: bus number 660 takes you from Zell am See to the final stop Kesselfall in Kaprun.

Due to the indications, the trail takes about 3,5 hours as a hike trail. So I was pretty sure in less than 3 hours I will be there, without having any idea what to expect on the way.

The walk through the tunnel was weird. It was a piece of my emotional fears and my life events for the last 3-4 years .... through the tunnel without any light to walk has a sort of excitement which I do not enjoy at the moment it happens, because I feel a loss of my senses and I never know what it comes or .... if I come out to the light again .....

 As I am writing this now, 24 hours later, I see the yesterday adventure as a full metaphor of what I am going through right now and the feeling I will see the light soon again, that bright colourful light of life is even stronger than before.

Picture above: the scenery I got when I went out from the dark humid tunnel ......

And the picture below: the only possible way to go on .... steep, sliper, wet, dangerous ..... but ..... "if you do it, if you have the courage even to step into it and to try that descent, you will enter the normal path and you will can keep going your way ...."

We are never prepared for real life, especially when we decide to taste the real life! So I wasn't prepared for this challenge and I looked down with an empty and very tensed stomach!!  For some seconds I felt I cannot do it, it is impossible to be the only way to get out from the spot, it cannot be! I was so tensed, that I forgot to pray for help!

I looked behind me. Going back into the dark, black, humid tunnel seemed not to be an option for me. Not because of the "giving up"-feeling, so far I educated my ego. But because of not accepting to stop the journey because such a sort segment, even at the beginning that short segment seemed to be impossible to be crossed over. 

I analysed all options. It was none. It was only one. Wet. Sliper. Steep.

I felt I need all my courage now. 
Fear is just a thought. 
Fear is just a thought. 
Fear is just a thought.  
The intuition said to me, I can do it!! 
I listened to my intuition.
And I started the descend through the falling water trying to ignore all that noise around ..... the power of falling waters all over the place. 

In few minutes I was done. I felt safe again and I looked back. The black hole .... the entrance into the mountain which leads you after few steps to the tunnel. Incredible work indeed. The buses are driving behind that wall..... incredible work indeed!

Now, looking in front of me to the path that leads me further along the lake.

 Leaving the steep uphill path and looking behind:

Another entrance into the tunnel and the path leading to the left

 

Then about 200-300 meters on an old asphalted road, not in the use anymore, feeling safe again.

An then entering the narrow steep path again along the lake and coming into this:

As I took the first 2-3 pictures I didn't realise that I am in front of a new big challenge!

But then, looking for the connection point to the path that seemed to continue on a different part of the mountain I had to realise that ..... I am on the edge of a small rift. Not too deep, but deep enough if you suddenly crash and break your bones! And anybody hear you, find you, save you in due time!

The tricky issue was to realise you are actually not on the stabile ground anymore, but on a thin snow plateau that functions like a sort of bridge between the both edges of the long rift .....

 And here is the explanation how it looks ....

 At the point I stood taking this picture I already felt how risky can be to cross over.

I went up and down to find a more suitable place, maybe even to descend into the rift, to cross the falling water and to ascent again on the other side, but I couldn't discover any potential possibility for me.

And again, the only certain thing was the thought of "no way to go back and to climb that spot and to get into the tunnel again, it cannot be!"

Life spoke to me again ..... somehow. I know, it sounds crazy, but this is the fact, this is the translation of this day, in my case!

I put the right foot on the snow like I was walking on eggs .... Everything happened in less than 3 seconds actually ..... I was extreme tensed and I suppose I also was afraid of what it can happen, but I simply TRUSTED my decision or the Universe or my protective angels .... 

Then I put the right food and the left immediately after it and the right foot reached the solid ground and the moment before I landed on the solid ground on my right body side I heard the terrible noise of snow plateau crashing under me .... BUT I WAS SAFE ON THE OTHER SIDE of the rift/life!!!! 

And while I am writing these now I clearly feel the empty tensed stomach again and I realize the danger and the risk I took yesterday on this journey.

I stand up in 3 seconds, I took the picture behind me to see later what I was doing and I run .... I run on the narrow steep path following the curve and wanting to leave that place behind of me ..... I felt scared indeed for several moments. That noise, that crash, that feeling on the left foot when the ground just disappear under you ......

After 13 km, about 1.000 m higher and 2 hours 40 minutes I was there, at the end of the trail. 

"Bauernsalat", tomato soup and a bier - excellent tasty, 20 euros - it took me over one hour to eat and enjoy the time there without thinking to much behind ..... I maybe start to learn how to train "moderation" in my life ... emotional moderation, so that I last longer on the path ....

Trail Running: Kitzsteinhorn Mid of June 2018

We had over 30°C during the last two weeks, the first part of June (2018). In May we already had 30°C here at the feet of Kitzsteinhorn and not so far away from Großglockner, the highest Peak of the Austrian Alps!

After a heavy long winter, Zell am See-Kaprun Area suddenly met the summer and the snows on the mountains around melted very quickly. The ski season official ends on 22nd of July and high on the glacier there are still some people skiing and children playing around in the snow.

I spontaneously decided to take the cable to the Kitzsteinhorn and to attend the guided National Park Tour. It was too late for the first tour at 10, as I reached the starting point first at 11:30. I had no idea I have to change 3 different cable cabins until the end point of the journey.

I had in mind the option to go up by cable and to descend by foot, a trail running session, so I took running clothes and some warm stuff for the Peak.

It was too late .... for a lot of stuff, but I enjoyed the journey into the clouds fields all over ..... I even enjoyed not being able to see anything from the mountain range around ....

I wanted to see this platform .... and voila, here I am! A fascinating picture at 0°C.

In July 2015 I climbed the mountain from St. Johann in Tirol, not far away from Kaprun - about 40 km I think. But I didn't know about the platform or maybe I did know, but it wasnt't interesting for me that time. 

Now I am here, fully in the clouds ........... and fully in winter inside the summer ....

The guided Tour in German was interesting. The guide told us, the glacier retreats about 2 meters every year. Less and less ice on the glacier. Two meters yearly is huge!

The brown color comes from a fine Sahara sand flying all over the Alps and also from a specific red-browny plant blowing right now under the last fields of snow. It is not dirt, it is just nature.

We went through the tunnel, another impressive work  and a scientific base lager for the area. From here, they do all the measurements and observe wild birds and animals life. There is a lot of "crazy" stuff happening here at over 3.000 meters.

Natural cristal extracted from the area and just washed with water .... in its natural form and size .....

I put the hand around ...... undescriptible cold .... but I stayed with my hands on it for several minutes and I inhealed the feeling of it .... the energy of the crystal

It was my meditation place for about ten minutes. The few other tourist walking along didn't even stop to watch the crystal despite its beauty and size and energy .... and this is what we all are doing in our life: ignoring the good, positive, healing energy fields around us. I felt blessed for reasons I cannot describe. And I think it is a matter of consciousness and stay open and curious for things, signals we meet every single step on our life path. I even prayed for a wonder to be brought to me.

Outside the tunnel, from the platform, I saw how some sunshine is trying to break the clouds .... a surreal landscape. No wind, just everything white. Down on the right side some people and children playing and skiing, the last weeks of the skiing season.

After about one hour I finally left the peak taking the cable cabin back to the next valley station. I was not decided what to do: to start running back from here or to descend by cable to the next valley station and to start my trail run from there?

I decided for the second option in order to take covered risks because of the hour, it was already 3 p.m. and descending alone on a huge mountain, partially full of snow, wouldn't be a clever decision. I read the marks and I couldn't see any good choice for me, so I decided to take the cable from 2.450 m (Alpin Center) to 1.976 m (Langwied).

 

I took a last panorama picture over the Zell am See with the lake and I took the cable to 1.976 m. From there, the plan was to descent by running to 900 m.

At Langwied were more tourists. There is also a huge construction site there and afterwards I find out what it will be!

The construction site is working on Maiskogel and on Kitzsteinhorn, a huge project. An amazing challenging project ..... Why do they do it .... no idea ..... to get more money?! No idea really .... or just to proof the can do it? There are pretty fantastic engineering work all over Austria ..... I sometimes ask myself how good the the nature all these interventions are .... To connect these both mountains it seems to be a huge step and "performance", no doubt, but I do not see any reason for the project .... an investition over 8 million euros .... what for? To be admired, to be wondered ....

Due to the strong marketing work - here the source -, this is the project:

 We’re bringing together, what belongs together

The K-onnection to the future:
Kaprun – Maiskogel – Kitzsteinhorn
This gondola link is a long-held dream come true.  
Directly from the village of Kaprun with the aid of two new gondola lifts, first up the Maiskogel, from there to the Langwiedboden and the very heart of the Kitzsteinhorn glacier ski area!
Ski-in-Ski-out, 100% snow guarantee from October until well into springtime, along with a wealth of new opportunities – priceless benefits that further solidify Zell am See-Kaprun’s position as a top destination in the Alps. For unsurpassed winter sports, memorable family holidays or high-alpine sightseeing that reaches all the way to the TOP OF SALZBURG at 3,029 meters above sea level. As of December 2019, an ultra-modern tri-cable gondola, the 3K Kaprun-Kitzsteinhorn-K-onnection, will link the Maiskogel with the Kitzsteinhorn.
With this K-onnection, the Maiskogel family ski area essentially fuses with the Kitzsteinhorn glacier ski area to create a single compelling ski destination. This new, second access means of riding up to the Kitzsteinhorn isn’t the only reason holidays will now become more attractive than ever: Beginning in December 2018, Maiskogel Family Mountain will also offer guests added comfort and convenience, along with whole new dimensions and perspectives, in the form of a 10-passenger gondola known as the MK Maiskogel Lift.
Also under development at the valley terminal of the MK Maiskogel Lift, right in the heart of Kaprun, is the Kaprun-Center: a service hub with ticket offices, a ski depot with over 2,000 storage lockers and a modern sports shop.
HIGHLIGHTS:
The direct K-onnection from Kaprun up to the Glacier.
This new connection essentially fuses the Maiskogel family ski area with the always-snowy glacier ski area to create a single compelling ski destination. 

• Total Convenience - Ski-in-Ski-Out
  On foot from your hotel to the gondola. Now ride the new, ultra-modern MK and 3K lifts, first up the Maiskogel, then to the heart of the glacier ski area, where great snow conditions are 100%guaranteed. And when your winter sports are over for the day, hop back on board the lift with skis in tow for an enjoyable ride down to the valley, all the way back to the town center of Kaprun.

• Maiskogel Family Mountain - more summer experiences
  Thanks to the new MK Maiskogel Lift, Kaprun becomes more attractive than ever for families and their children. This lift will also run in summer, providing convenient access to the hiking paths and bike trails close to town.

• Kaprun-Center
  The Kaprun-Center is being created in parallel to the MK valley station – a highly modern service hub which brings together modern services, ticket offices, a ski depot and a rental center/sports shop under one roof.

• Superlative Lift Axis
  With the longest lift axis (a 12 km-long continuous string of pearls rising from 768 m to 3,029 m) as well as the greatest elevation gain (2,261 m) in the Eastern Alps, the K-onnection proudly boasts several superlatives.

• More Opportunities
  With the opening of the K-onnection, visitors now have TWO different ways to reach the Kitzsteinhorn:
  -    K-onnection from the town center: Recommended for everyone who is staying within walking distance of the MK valley station.
  -    Gletscherjet/valley station: Recommended for day-visitors and everyone who wants fast, direct access to the glacier on the Kitzsteinhorn.

• www.k-onnection.com

Crystal clear, it is all just about money! More money!! Because everything will be much more expensive in the area, no doubts. It is already a non-affordable area to live.

Reaching Langwied Valley Station I started my descend crossing the construction site and following the path 711 to Wüstlau via Salzbürger Hüte. The man from the cable was very friendly to explain me the possibilities of descending. He said, by running I should reach the road near to Kitzsteinhorn Basis Cable in about two hours.

It was 15:20, so I still had plenty of time to enjoy the mountain by daylight. If he said 2+ hours for me it meant no longer than two hours. And indeed after 90 minutes I reached the road at the feet of the mountain! Too early.

The descend is beautiful and easy, no technical stuff or so. Just the right trail running shoes and water are essential. I had more than enough, including rain protection, sun protection (my cap, I never use cremes or so). 

to be followed ..... eventually