Foehn Storm Over the Inn Valley Range

A mild autumn and a foehn storm brought unusually high temperatures of up to 20 degrees to the mountain valleys on this first November weekend. There was little to no snow on the mountains, making for ideal conditions for a late-season tour. I finally had the opportunity to tackle the Pleisenspitze (2567 m) in Karwendel, as the Pleisenhütte, halfway up, is open year-round on weekends, allowing the approximately 1600 metres of ascent to be split into a more pleasant two-day hike.A blustery wind accompanied the ascent through the autumn-coloured mountain forest, with the sun repeatedly peeking through gaps in the clouds. Later, I sat sheltered from the wind on the terrace at the Pleisenhütte, watching the foehn constantly drive new clouds over the Inn Valley Range.

After a while, I decided to continue towards Pleisenspitze, as long as my energy and enthusiasm lasted.