Achensee & hike to the Gaisalm

I start the day at 7 degrees. But there is an impressive sun behind the opposite Patscherkofel. First, have breakfast...

Just before 11, I am in the car and drive towards the Achensee. The sky is heavily cloudy, but it is dry 👌.

The Achensee is the largest lake in Tyrol and has an incredible color.

I park in Pertisau on the eastern shore and spontaneously decide to hike to the Gaisalm. This alpine pasture is located by the lake and can also be reached by one of the excursion boats. 

I already wonder why this route - supposedly along the lake shore - is classified as a red, meaning moderately difficult, route and is even informally marked on a sign that one should be surefooted... At first it is a nice walk, but it quickly turns into a rocky, steep and narrow path. This would be fine with dry ground and rocks, roots, etc., but it is slippery and to my right it goes steeply down the slope.

The path is often only 50 cm wide and I would be grateful for poles, especially on the sections that are also sprinkled from above and then other hikers come from the front and you have to squeeze past each other, with one person always standing directly on the slope...

At some point, you cross a field of scree and reach a forest behind it, where you can make slightly better progress, but still climb and slide over hundreds of slippery roots. 

Those who start at the alpine pasture will surely look stupid on the second half. I think of the elderly couple with the soft sneakers.... Overall, a great route. If I were to do it again, I would not do it after rainfall and without poles.

I reach the Gaisalm after about 1.5 hours. The obligatory Kaiserschmarrn must be there, although I haven't fully earned it yet. For the return journey, I still decide to take the boat, which departs once an hour. 

From the boat, you can see parts of the hiking trail again. Looks pretty harmless 🙄. In Pertisau , everything seems to be closed. Two stores are open, but the restaurants, right on the shore of the lake, equipped with great furniture and beach chairs, are all closed by now. 

There are hardly any people around, it was different at noon today. It is almost 16h now, it is completely overcast, it is 14 degrees, and the wind is unpleasant.

I drive to Vomp to a sporting goods store and buy a long-sleeved functional shirt to wear underneath because I only have two and apparently need one every day. 

The light drizzle turns into constant rain on my way back to Mutters. When I arrive 'home', it is only 10.5 degrees.

I crack an egg in the pan, make myself a tea, and lie down on the sofa. 

That's the most frustrating thing about the weather: Instead of enjoying the view from the balcony in the evening, I'm stuck here watching TV. There is no lamp in the living room to sit on the sofa and read.

I would love to either walk somewhere in the evening or just sit here and see something different than what I mostly stare at at home. 😢