The first snowfall is always somehow magical. When big snowflakes drift down from the sky, the world turns into a winter wonderland. Everything looks so peaceful and inviting, like the inside of one of those kitschy snow globes. And yes, it warms my heart. That same warmth spreads through me as we round one of the last bends before Tux and suddenly spot the first snow by the roadside. It’s back. Hello winter, we’re going to have a wonderful time together.
10 cm of snow in the village
I’m amazed at how much snow has already settled even in the village. Cars, rooftops and trees are covered in a 10 cm layer of snow. It’s lovely to walk through snow again, to hear it crunch beneath my soles and sink into it a little with every step. I’ve missed this, really missed it.
With every step towards the gondola, my urge to ski grows. I’ve missed that too. The anticipation builds. My heart beats a little faster. I’m looking at the world through rose-tinted glasses. But I have to take them off when I inspect the base of my ski. It doesn’t look rosy at all. White patches suggest it could definitely use a coat of wax, and the edges have seen better days too.
Warming up for the start of the season
While my edges are being polished at the ski service, I take care of my rusty body. I swing my arms in circles, stretch my thigh muscles and loosen up my legs. I have a few unfamiliar movements ahead of me, so it can’t hurt to warm up beforehand.
That makes me even more excited. After all, I’m not here to do creative exercises in the snow and jump around doing jumping jacks. I want to race down the frozen wall. Now. Right now.
Finally skiing again
The binding clicks. It sends a lovely shiver through me. Ah, that sound is so familiar. I pull my goggles down over my eyes and grab my poles. I’m ready to go. Full of enthusiasm, I glide down the slope and … wait! What am I supposed to do again? Stay low. Start the turn. Up. Around. Oops, forgot to plant my pole. My bum is sticking out too far. Oh dear, there’s so much to remember.
And now there are a few bumps in front of me too. My movements aren’t quite coordinated yet. I simply bounce over a bump or two. Never mind. I remind myself to relax and stop for a moment. Let’s start again. That’s already better. Hop, hop, hop. Three bumps conquered. I only half manage the fourth one again.
But halfway down the run, I already feel more comfortable. Little by little, I dare to press my edges into the snow a bit more. The speed picks up too. Yes, I’m going a little faster, and it’s wonderful! It’s wonderful to be on skis again. It’s wonderful to feel the wind rushing past my face. It’s wonderful to glide through the soft fresh snow without feeling a single icy patch. It’s wonderful to be so completely focused and in the moment. I feel great!
But let’s not kid ourselves: I didn’t quite do enough training to prepare for skiing. To be honest, I didn’t do any at all. My thighs are making their feelings about that known now. They’re burning.
A break at Natur Eis Palast
Time for a break. But instead of heading to a mountain hut, we’re going inside the glacier. More precisely, into Natur Eis Palast. It’s an underground snow cave. We’re given helmets, leave our skis at the Gefrorene Wand mountain station and follow the guide into the deep snow. Just getting to the entrance is an adventure in itself.
The entrance is incredibly inconspicuous, by the way, and reminds me a little of the entrance to a homemade snow cave. That impression disappears as soon as I step inside. Everything is much bigger than in the snow cave I had in mind. We pass through icy tunnels and descend stairs and ladders deeper into the glacial crevasse. Icicles, some of them metres long, dangle above my head. It’s like being in another world. Somehow magical.
And then we even take a boat through an ice channel. An inflatable boat, underground. On water that really ought to be frozen. It’s crazy. It could be a scene from a fantasy film, it all feels so unreal.
Let the winter games begin
Afterwards, I have the energy for a few final turns and a grin that won’t leave my face. That was the perfect first ski day. Glorious weather, great slopes and a cool underground experience. Everything came together here. Now I’m looking forward to many more ski days and many more days in the snow.
At least there’s no shortage of snow at the moment. It snows and snows and snows and snows, and it seems like it never wants to stop. In some ski areas, the lifts have even had to stay closed, while roads in other regions have been shut because of avalanche danger.