The Skiers

It was a beautiful day in February, I was in Innsbruck visiting friends and fancied a walk on the edges of the Karwendel. I was somewhat irritated as previous tours had not brought what I hoped for, relaxation. As the desire to penetrate the Karwendel deeply was great, I intended to stay a night in the Hallerangerhaus or Karwendelhaus. However not much was possible as snow covered the mountains and I did not want to ski. To rescue my holiday I decided to make a short day-tour in the Giesenbach klamm, near the small village carrying the same name. The walk was beautiful and easy because of the hard pressed snow. The weather was great. A shiny sun in the clear blue sky. I managed to get to the Gaissburg boden where there was a feeding ground for animals. It was not possible to any further. The hard pressed snow turned into powder, a meter or more deep. I ate something, read a book and finally found what I had be looking for, the feeling of being alone in a magnificent world.

Before I knew, it was getting late and I had to return to Giesenbach. So I started the return in good spirits. I was halfway when the sun, so far putting the valley in a gentle light, disappeared behind the mountains and a cold wind started to blow. In this wind I heard, vaguely and on the edge of hearing, a festive 'slager' music. Slightly annoyed by this violation of my peace, I tried to bring order in the tunes that reached me while I had a magnificent view on the still lighted Arnspitzgruppe. Slowly I faded away in a kind of trance that was broken when suddenly three skiers descended from a hill, between trees, in my direction. They came from the direction of the music, that I had not noticed had stopped. It was completely quiet, even the birds had stopped singing. Although the skiers were not carrying any equipment it seemed they wanted to go where I came from, into the Karwendel in a direction where there were no cabins or other places to sleep. After a short greeting I asked them what their plans were. "We are making a super-Karwendel tour" one of them said, "do you want to join us?" He presented me two skis, I did not notice he was carrying. The temptation was, to my own surprise, great but I remembered the friends that were waiting for my return. "No thanks" I said, "I would like to, but my friends expect me in Innsbruck." The skier shrugged his shoulders and they went on, without making a noise and with surprising ease. As they went out of sight I realized I was totally benumbed with cold and could hardly move my arms and legs. After a short warming up I quickly continued my hike. Back in Innsbruck I heard that day three skiers died in an avalanche near Seefeld, just one hill away from Giesenbach.