Even though I had already stood on the summit of Pleisenspitze (2,567 m) the day before, I didn’t want to miss the chance to do the tour again, as originally planned, for sunrise. Siggi, the hut warden, had predicted a sunny day for today, the first Sunday in November, despite yesterday’s persistent Föhn storm. He was right, as was his forecast that it would remain warm, dry, and predominantly sunny for the next three weeks, with winter arriving late. So, I crept out of the dormitory, where everyone was still fast asleep after the atmospheric hut evening. Read more

After a longer rest at the Pleisen Hut I decided late in the afternoon to set off again and continue following the path to Pleisenspitze. Initially, the path led through dwarf pine forest, then became steeper, reaching the broad rocky ridge that leads to the summit from the south. Thanks to the mild and dry autumn, the further ascent over rocks and scree was completely snow-free on this first November weekend. The Foehn storm over the Alps also ensured comparatively mild temperatures, which, however, could not be perceived as such due to the strong gusts of wind. Read more