The excursion to Schöne Aussicht and Im HinternEis

Traditionally, the program shows an excursion scheduled for the Sunday. However, the excursion was planned on Tuesday this year. Unlike previous years, the weather forecast was fair and allowed us to visit the region properly.

Early morning on the 16th the majority of the students and teachers left by bus for Kurzras where we took the 9 o'clock cable car up to Grawand. After a photo moment and some explanation from our guide, Paul Gruner, we had the opportunity to visit a museum dedicated to Otzi the iceman, discovered by two hikers on the glacier. Then, we walked down to Hochjochferner glacier. We stopped at the weather station where Hans explained its research goal and functioning of the sensors. Everything went very smooth and we arrived at the Schutzhütte Schöne Aussicht around 11. There we enjoyed a nice pasta lunch before the bravest of us started the ascend to the ridge (Im Hintern Eis, 3269 m). Indeed, the weather conditions turned to be foggy, making the ascension more difficult for unused climbers. Over there, we had a magnificent view on the Hintereisferner, and although global warming melted a significant part of this massive glacier remained covered with snow. The hike up was certainly worth it! Although the busses to Karthaus were a bit packed, everybody came back to Karthaus in time for dinner.

Some students also participated to some local shepherd festivities in a village close to Karthaus (beer drinking and loud Tiroler music). Traditionally, the sheeps grazing high up the mountains are brought down for the winter season in mid September and the shepherds organise some celebrations for the occasion.