Darmstädter Hütte

After a late night at the mountain film festival, we weren't in a rush to get out the door Friday morning. At 11 Andreas (Herr Birkl) came home from work, picked up Christoph and I, and pointed the car up the Moosthal towards Darmstädter Hütte.

The sun breaking through

We parked at the top of the dam (built 2003), where Edeltraud (Frau Birkl) was waiting for us. She had hiked up earlier that day. That lady never stops moving! We walked the last 1.5 hours around the lake and up to the "hut".
Along the way we met some more sweet cow friends, this time a mom and her yearling calf.

 

They're just like horses and dogs, scratch them in the right spot and they melt

 I stopped one more time right next to the hut to say hi to the horses. A haflinger and Shetland pony. That's right, I it to hang out with a haflinger on the side of a mountain in Austria. Life dream achieved.

By the time I made it to Darmstädter Hütte there were 4 glasses of schnapps on the table and the Birkls were chatting with their good friend Andi, the "Wirt" (guy who owns/runs it). We all ordered our food (except Andreas, in front of whom a big plate of sauerbraten seemed to just appear) as the sun began to break through. I had a Tyroler Knödel, which had speck (bacon). Yum!

Andreas and his friends placed a traditional cross at the top of  Kuchenspize. You can just see it in this photo at 3148 m.

Dessert was one of my Austrian favorites, fluffy Kaisersmarrn with powdered sugar, lingonberry jam, and apple sauce on the side. Edeltraud ordered it off-menu because the chef passed her on the way up in the morning and knew it would be good. She and I placed the healing plate between us and meet in the middle. Some day I'll learn to make it that delicious!

I followed the men outside after coffee and up towards the top of the valley. There was a little lake in the rocks that the hut draws water from and a group of boulders at the top of the hike. Andreas was up in a flash and coached me from the top.

3/4 of family Birkl, my hosts and guides

It started drizzling as we began our hike down, but with still full stomachs and after so much laughter with Andi and his mom, we were in great spirits. At the end of our hike the sun broke through again and lit up our path home.