Thunderstorm over the Sellrain

Towards the end of a beautiful early summer day in June 2015, I’m sitting on the terrace of the Solsteinhaus in the Karwendel mountains. From my panoramic viewpoint across the Inn Valley to the south, I watch as a thunderstorm with its rain showers slowly moves through the Sellrain Valley from the Stubai Alps.

I experienced a similar spectacle the previous year on a tour to the Schachenhaus and through the Wetterstein Mountains.

As it was still early in the season and there were still snowfields in many of the cirques and notches, the Freiunger Höhenweg or the crossing into the Eppzirler Valley still required particular experience and caution. The ascent of the Großer Solstein (2,541 m), on the other hand, was already easily doable. Meanwhile, the flock of sheep on the Erlalm is enjoying the fresh grass of the already lush alpine pastures.