Start of the season on the Kitzsteinhorn with ski instructor Tom
We meet in T-shirts and sunglasses. Skiing in autumn has its very own charms. Usually there is only enough snow for skiing at the very top of the glaciers. This is also the case at the end of November 2018: down in the valley in Kaprun and Zell am See, we can still stroll around in T-shirts and enjoy the autumn sun, while up on the glacier there is already the first fallen snow of the young season. That alone screams out to tackle the first turns of the still young ski season.
Between autumn colours and glacier snow
The autumn season opening is always an exciting thing. Have you packed everything? Goggles, ski socks, trousers, ski underwear? Pure stress! Tom calms me down. Everything fits anyway, if need be I can borrow everything I've forgotten right up on the glacier, no problem.
The atmosphere in the autumnal mountains is fantastic on this sunny day. Down in the valley, the last green colours are just disappearing, most of the mountain slopes are still free of snow and glow in strong brown tones. Above about 2400 metres above sea level, the first white mountain slopes glisten as if they were joyfully awaiting the onset of winter.
Of course, the snow situation is still rather cosmetic. Only a few centimetres of snow lie on the glacier ice, yet it swings quite acceptably. With a little imagination, you can already smell the approaching winter up here on the Kitzsteinhorn!
