While it was a very challenging tour including several uphill treks and crossing over the glacier multiple times, it was absolutely awesome, rewarding and humbling. The views were spectacular and the lodges we stayed in were so breathtaking-ly picturesque and perfect...and to top it off the lecturer of the week, Eis, was so amazing and his words truly touched everyone's hearts I'm sure-definitely mine at least. Romans 12:1-2. We spend the first day of the tour hiking to a lodge at the base of the glacier which leads to the peak of the Dachstein. This hike was absolutely spectacular, for example here is Aka and I at our lunch spot enjoying the view after a long journey uphill in preparation for even more uphill.
Making our way down a snow field literally by skiiing in our boots in order to make it over to our destination for the night-the alpine hut.
This is the hut we stayed in for two nights. There were the most spectacular sunsets..(unfortuneately no sunrises though because of the surrounding high mountains)
The second day of the tour was when we summitted the Dachstein. In order to do this we crossed over the glacier in rope teams of 8 or less then using klattersteig we climbed to the peak. Once the whole group made it to the top Martin, the Director or Principal of Upward Bound, talked about the mountain top experience versus the times when we are in the canyons of life. We then all sang Reign in Me and Amazing Grace before making our back down the mountain and glacier back to the hut for dinner and another lecture by Eis.
Here is Katie and I right before breaking off into rope teams and preparing for the climb up.
Rope teams making their ways up the glacier.
At the top of the Dachstein feeling very exhausted and exhilerated all at once.
The next day we packed up our things and made our way back over the glacier to the other side to stay at a hut on the opposite side of the Dachstein. Another very challenging hike and slide through snow, but once again utterly amazing. We also had the opportunity to summit another mountain via klattersteig before arriving at our hut for the night. Once at the hut most of us ran on down to a nearby lake of melted snow from the glacier to swim, relax, sunbathe, fellowship and wash up before Eis's last and most challenging lecture and supper. That night was the most amazing lightning storm that we all watched safely inside the hut as the sky lit uptime and time again with lighting and thunder. Paige and I on the other side of the glacier before arriving at the hut.
Thankfully the rain subsided for our last day of the tour in which we set off to cross over the glacier once again this time via a different route. Once at top...or what most people would consider the top, we got on our klattersteig sets once again and set off to summit another amazing mountain with another spectacular view and lunch spot. Here is Kay and I getting ready to make the climb.
The rest of the day was then spent going down...much harder than it sounds. This included several snow fields we slid down and a few gravel fields we ran down before making it just in time for the bus to take us the rest of the way to Schladming.
Unfortuneately I do not have time now to describe our latest tour from this week-involving tenting and hiking and lots and lots of learning-as I have an very important appointment with a milk shake in town before dinner. I will do my best to update later this evening after the talent show...yes I did just say talent show, but no promises as we leave once again tomorrow on another tour. Please keep the health of everyone here in your prayers as many (myself included) have fallen victim to nasty blisters and sore joints and muscles.
Peace.
Matthew 6:33-34 (these are the verses I did my devotion on this past Monday)
1 comment:
Glacier climbing looks exhilerating! I love the picture of yourself with the ropes around your waist--so hard core. I did a similar hike in Alaska...want to go back. xoxo
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