Through Powder Snow on Sonntagsköpfl

For me, a ski touring day usually starts very early. This is mainly due to the expected traffic, to avoid getting stuck in a jam. There had been some fresh snow during the week, the avalanche risk was moderate to low, and sunshine was forecast – perfect conditions! – so I wasn’t the only one who wanted to head to the mountains. As the Easter holidays were also starting, there was already heavy traffic on the route from Munich towards Rosenheim and the Brenner motorway. A colleague joined me at Irschenberg (which is why there are pictures of me this time), and we managed to reach our destination, Hochfügen, without getting stuck in traffic. That’s where Sonntagsköpfl is located, a ski touring mountain with an ascent of around 780 m to an altitude of 2,244 m, ideal for beginners like me.

From the car park at the ski resort, we initially ascended steeply through the mountain forest. Soon the forest thinned out, and we followed the well-laid ascent track in numerous switchbacks to the summit, first via a forest road, then through hollows and steeper slopes. I was also able to practise kick turns repeatedly.

Once we reached the summit cross, a magnificent panorama unfolded – from the nearby Gilfert over Kuhmöser, Kellerjoch, the Zillertal and Tux Alps, and the Karwendel. The north-facing descent slope was now also visible, where several tracks already snaked through the loose powder snow. The descent was a delight – even if my deep powder turns weren’t as elegant and rhythmic as those of experienced skiers. 

The tour concluded with a break at the cosy Schellenberg-Alm, where we sat in the warm sun, with the entire route laid out before us, reliving it in our memories.