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Silvretta Traverse Day 4 1/2 – Tuoi Hut to Wiesbadener

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Backcountry Skiing

Silvretta Traverse

The last chapter of our tale ended with Ted and I slogging up from the Tuoi hut (Tuoihütte) into possible avalanche danger, as a deck full of European ski alpinists looked on with disdain at our rash act of defiance. Actually, I exaggerate. The situation was well under control as most paths had already dumped, and what remained could be maneuvered around. Of more concern was heat stroke as we climbed through a windless furnace that reminded me of working construction in Texas in July. Fortunately this was not Texas, and the torture lasted only an hour or so with numerous rewards at the end.

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Looking southerly, headed up north from the Tuoi Hut, red dots mark our entrance and exit.

Tuoi is a seriously cool place. Small, nicely organized, not crowded. While we decked I was thinking yeah, we could spend the night here…But I still had the legs for more vert, and I knew Ted wouldn’t have any problem with a small slog to top off the day.

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Heading to Vermuntpass (yes it's spelled that way on the map).

Luckily, as shown in photo above most of the paths had run. But a small bit of hangfire here and there kept us thinking about micro route finding, and staying separated.

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Another view south. Check out the location of Tuoi Hut! I love the way these things are situated in the alpine.

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Vermuntpass at last! The shack is an inactive border station or something like that.

Tuoi to Vermuntpass is 547 vertical meters. Combined with day’s other legs that gave us a total of 1,845 vertical meters climbing. Tired legs is an understatement, as we’d been hauling our full packs all day as well. Blessing was when about half way up to Vermuntpass we entered a nice dark mountain shadow. Along with that, I’d remembered the trick of packing snow on the back of my neck to cool off. Try it sometime — you’ll be surprised how good that trickling cold water feels as it works down your overheated back.

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At Vermuntpass looking north, and yes that's the Wiesbadener Hut down there, just a few hundred perfect corn snow turns away. Oh the pain.

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I didn't waste any time getting those turns in.

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There are so many distractions around here, it's a wonder you even get in a day of skiing!

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Hut arrival. Looking south at Vermuntpass, approx. route marked with red dots.

Upon arrival, what do you know but photographer Dan Patitucci and his crew were at it again. I really liked getting to know Dan and his wife Janine (who also works in the photo game), they’ve got an amazing depth of knowledge about European mountain sports, not to mention the ability to create very nice photography.

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Typical action on the patio. Andres teaches Susie the traditions and techniques of weiss beer sipping.

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Ted in what we thought was a normal private room. Quite spacious.

We scored a private room, but the story didn’t end there. Note the television set peeking from the corner of the photo. Why, you might ask, does a room in a mountain hut have a television? Perhaps so American tourists can view Italian television for cultural literacy to counteract their unworldly American views? Or perhaps something simpler than that? Find out the answer in my next trip report.

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Name that mountain food boys and girls.

Dinner at the Wiesbadener was a hearty pasta/meat dish with a custard desert. As those calories were grossly insufficient, we ordered up the classic athletic supplements shown above. This item is no doubt familiar fair to you Austrian mountain food experts. Anyone care to name that big plugger?

Posted by Lou on April 13, 2009 | Filed Under Trip Reports 

previous post: My Season on Dynafit FT12s – A Binding Reflection
next post: Silvretta Traverse Day 5 – Piz Buin Classic

Comments

4 Responses to “Silvretta Traverse Day 4 1/2 – Tuoi Hut to Wiesbadener”

  1. Karen Kainglsey April 13th, 2009 9:40 am

    GERMKNOEDEL!

    - enjoy reading your reports.
    Karen from Ophir (not sure if you remember me, met you through Polly and Andrew at the Jackson race a couple of years ago)

  2. Lou April 13th, 2009 9:54 am

    Karen, yep, remember you! And yeah, Germ knoedel with the plum filling! Definitely provides the calories! In English: big honking dumplings made with yeast raised dough!

  3. Florian April 13th, 2009 1:08 pm

    Germknödel!

    Very nice photos. I was about to protest that you had a German beer at an Austrian hut, but then I remembered that the Wiesbadener Hütte is actually owned by the DAV (Deutscher Alpenverein), the German Alpine Club.

  4. John H April 14th, 2009 9:52 pm

    Lou,
    Your Silveretta Tour has been a joy to read. Since touring in Europe 5 years ago I have yearned to return. Your pictures and words have brought back many memories of the culture and the big mountains of the Alps.

    Although not in the league of Europe’s huttes, have you ever toured the San Juan Hut System on the north side of the Sneffels range. I feel a tour using a couple of the huts and camping high would make a nice haute route tour right here in good old Colorado.

    Best,
    JH

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Welcome to Louis (Lou) Dawson's backcountry skiing information and opinion website. Lou's passion for the past forty years has been alpinism, climbing, mountaineering and skiing -- along with all manner of outdoor recreation. He has authored numerous books and articles about backcountry skiing and is well known as the first person to ski down all 54 of Colorado's 14,000-foot peaks, otherwise known as the Fourteeners! Books and free back country information here, and tons of Randonnee rando telemark info.

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