Camping-Season just closed - Waiting for tons of snow !

[Schneewurm]

(according to this)

Hi volks, autumn is comming and I'm seeking for snow.
Last Year I did the mistake, going carving that time to Sölden and other Austrain Glaciers.
But why should I scratch my edge once again on their well groomed hard mix of artifical snow and invisibel stones, assortet with a view amount of natural snow ?

Well, earth clima is on change and OECD told us, than in future 70% of Austrian and nearly 100% of German skiareas will come in trouble.
So I decided to go to a Country from the alps, where we can find real cool mountains, mountains they reach up to 4000 meters over sea-level and more. Mountains, where I can find some real natural snow and not only this funny hills from childrens sand-boxes, with an meal-overlay from mothers kitchen!

So why shouldn't I go to the mountain paradise, why not to bella Italia?

We pick up our backpacks, tent and a gas-cooker (but no snowboard, because of thin layers over open gaps on Glaciers) and leaved at Gd. St.Bernardo Switzerland to go to the beautyful autonomous Aosta valley in Italy. We just hike up on the very sightseeing nice landscape, to reach a now a days very lonely hut, as high as Sölden Glacier parking.
But for the next days we wanted more. Why not hiking, as the first poeples since days, up to the Paradise and staying over night there. Why not conquer on fresh powder-snow glacier-snowfields without any footsteps from others. Why should we share the paradise with other peoples for some days. There are no reasons against!
And what was it good for the legs, ascending with about the third of my own wight on my back. Just a good workout for the upper legs - I need it for carving next winter!
So we reach the peak at the afternoon on 4061 meter over sea-level, where we have been welcome by a Madonna. It's just the highest mountain of bella Italia, which is full in Italy. Than, at 4000 m we dig a nice place for the tent deep in the snow on the flank with a great sight to France. Digging snow on 4000 m was quite similar, like digging sand on 0 m at Rimini beach! At the warm sun there, we are been very sweat after that! Freezing level was at 3800 m and on the rocks on peak water is droping down from melted snow.
Then we enjoy with a cup of warm tee a very nice warm sunset out of our camping-platform. The sun disappears at 19:09 as a big ball of fire behind the high French mountains.

[Schneewurm]

After a long and fresh night, we jump in our iced boots, to hike up the 60 m of high to the peak to watch sunrise.
07:52 - the sun starts to rise, spending the warm rays to all over the sunny state Italy.
- Gran Paradiso -
on 4061 m over sea level - whole Italia steep under my feets - what a feeling !
I beleave now why they call it the grand paradise. 15 minutes after sunrise we enjoy this scene for a longer time (2 hours!) with a wide opened mouth, just coverd only by a thin Odlo shirt and a fibre-pullover. But we have to be carefull where we step, on east side the wall is going down several hunderts of meters to the Glaciers world.

[Schneewurm]

So there was time to go back, we put all things together in our backpacks and had to walk downwards - a verry bad thing without snowboards - but you know carring a rope is yet a must!

Full text of last pic:
Mt-Blanc in background, just look at the right flank - just a carving paradise! Wouldn't it be nice to do EC here?
I beleave, there are peoples on the world, they like to carve on a Kaunertal flat Glacier. Italians seems to have even more passion - yes carving should be done with emotions like Italiens have. At this view I was verry sad about, to be without my snowboard there!

[Schneewurm]

The way home we take it easy and spend one more night in the hut, sharing the experience with the other people they want to ascend.
Back on the bottom of the valley we had a taste of very fine Italian food, but unfortunately I had to think about traveling home.

After this hearty days I ask myself, why should I travel now back in a personal car? Why should I destroy just this glacier paradise, producing pollution of CO². Is it the one and only way, just to pray to the Madonna on top of paradise mountain for tons of snow for next winter, or can I do something more!
Of course I can do more - I just travel by train (and a short distance by bus). Aosta has good access to railway and bus.

So I enjoyed at 4 p.m. on Piazza Grande of Aosta a bowl of 7 assorted sweet Italian icecreames and a strong coffee.
At 16:25 I took the bus back at Autostatione to Martigny - the rest of the way was by train - a great relaxing thing!
- why should I drive a car, just breathing some pollution, after some great time in crystal clear air?
- why should I ride on a Sunday evening never ending compact rope of cars on highways, just for get troubel in my mind?
- why should I travel a long ride around the alps at a speed of 100-120 km/h, instead of undercrossing them at 160 km/h to 200 km/h through a great railway tunnel?
- why should I arrive at home tired from driving up to 6 hours, when I can arrive fully relaxed after travelling the same time by train.
- why should I be in a thight room of a car, instead of sharing the impressions of the great days with them of other peoples on a round table at a cup of coffee or a bottle of beer in the hand, like on a bar?
There are realy no reasons to drive by car!

So I was long time before midnight back at home, on fresh and happy mind - just for a good next morning start on work.

[starikashka]

Nice pictures

Schnee, can you please write PEOPLE instead of POEPLE Thanks

[kurtsk8]

great trip! i think you have a good idea of traveling and living!
you have visit one of the most beautiful part of Italy