9 miles Ascent 1558′ Descent 2756′
We bid the Gaudeamushütte staff good-by and began the next day’s adventure. The cool, damp woods were delightfully refreshing compared to the heat of the previous day. Occasionally we crossed sections of scree around the base of Treffauer before once again walking through conifers and bushes.
We were steadily climbing, emerging onto a gravel track with a splendid view of the surrounding mountains.
One meadow was strewn with huge boulders that had tumbled down from the heights above.
Walking through this meadow we experienced one of the sounds that has always given me pleasure, cowbells in alpine pastures. For most of our trip we could hear that mountain melody daily.
The next ascent took us into and through the trees as we endured a steady rain. At the end of the climb the rain eased and we began a gentle descent on a gravel road to Riedlhutte where a cold drink and a snack were most welcome. Stopping at these mountain huts is one of the experiences that I really appreciate when hiking in Europe. One gets to interact with the locals, eat something tasty and rehydrate!
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A long, gentle downhill was welcome as the heat and humidity were rapidly rising. However, there was no shortage of beautiful scenery to distract us!
Leaving the rugged mountains behind we came upon homes with splendid arrays of flowers.
Our arrival at Hintersteinersee was at a perfect time to enjoy a late, leisurely lunch and the beauty of the area.
Taking our time to walk another mile to Pension Maier, we took in the sights along the lakeside. We had a little drama upon arrival at the pension. Our host said that he had no record of the deposit that we had paid months ago. I was so relieved to have the paperwork on hand to confirm our reservation. After settling in our room, we moved to the dining area to enjoy its lovely view of the lake. Dinner was a tasty, typical Austrian dish of egg noodles called spätzle.
