XC Skiing in Ausseerland

This past weekend Johannes, Leinie and I packed up for a winter weekend in the mountains as we boarded the train to Knoppen.  Usually anytime we are there we head up to the cabin in the mountains, but this time we wanted to visit, relax, and enjoy the great cross country ski trails in the valley below the Stoawandla farm.

Our first adventure began when we tried to exit the train at our stop in Kainish and none of the doors would open.  We ran further up the train car and those door didn't work either! By the time we ran to the third set of doors the train was already moving as it headed on towards Bad Aussee.  The Kainish station, where we had planned to get out at, was already an hour or so walk to the farm...now we would have to wait over 2 hours in Aussee to catch a train back, then begin the walk. So of course, what do J and I decide to do instead?...We would attempt walking from Aussee to the farm- an estimated 3-4 hour walk in which neither of us had ever done, nor did we know if there were even a decent trail or path.

Johannes and Leinie along the river trail

The further we ascend the mountain trail....the deeper the snow continues to get

  
We were able to connect with a hiking trail that would take us in the general direction we needed to go, and that worked well for a while...until we began ascending a mountain.  We were still headed the right way, but didn't think we should need to climb so high.   The wooded trail gave way to deeper and deeper snow, and less and less trail markings. We decided to continue following what looked like a forest road and eventually came out at a paved access road to the Ödensee, the lake opposite the valley from the farm.. Phew.  After a few anxious minutes of silent walking, we knew where we were and headed down the road and continued on to the farm.

Leinie takes the time to stop and smell the flowers

It was a beautiful walk, and the wild spring bulbs were all in bloom.

Wild Spring Bulbs in Bloom!

The afternoon and evening were spent eating, relaxing and recovering from our hike to the house.  Saturday morning we got up prepping to head to town to rent skis and spend the day on the trails.  After breakfast (and a little bit of spontaneous knitting) Renata drove us to Bad Mitterndorf where we rented our skis and walked to the trail head.

Map of just one section of the XC Ski trails in the valley

Leinie and I down the road from the farm

Leins and the Grimming in the backgrounds

Johannes and I in front of the Grimming

The trails were great, and the scenery even better.  In total we skied 20km, or just over 12 miles.  And of course Leinie had accompanied us the entire way.   He was one tired little hound at the end of the day!  We stopped just over halfway at a nice little restaurant on a lake and had some much needed hot soup and cool drinks.

Johannes along the trail

Heading towards the restaurant on the Ödensee

Almost back to the trail head with our little skihund.

Heading back to the farm, we had a nice warm dinner and went to bed early and exhausted as we needed to catch an early train back to Wiener Neustadt the next morning.