Week 191: Wildseeloderhaus & Via Ferrata Marroka
We found ourselves back in the stunning Tirol region checking off a few more must-dos from our Austrian bucket list: sleeping at the Wildseeloderhaus and completing the Via Ferrata Marroka.
The Wildseeloderhaus is an Alpine hut owned by the Austrian Alpine Club that lies below the Wildseeloder mountain in the Kitzbühel Alps in Austria.
Lush-green hills and faint mountain peaks
Views on the way to Wildseeloderhaus
Another hut along the way “Cheese Hut!”
The trail to Wildseeloderhaus
After 1.5 hours, we stepped off the trail and onto the hut balcony. The hut sits at an altitude of 6,082 feet with its very own mountain lake.
Wildseeloderhaus’s very own lake
There were maybe 12 people total on the trail. This is largely due to the gondola being down, so if you wish to stay at this hut this summer, you will have to hike up.
Looking at Wildseeloderhaus from across the lake
Me sitting on a rock
Eric standing on a rock
Reflections
The mountain lake is stocked with fish and its very own rowboat where guests can pile in and row around the perimeter of the lake.
Eric petting the fish
Rowboat details
Similar to our stay at the Berliner Hut, we got a double room at the Wildseeloderhaus! This hut felt more like someone’s home than a remote mountain refuge. We gained a lot of design inspiration for a future house.
Our room
Our room
Curtain details in our room
The weather was hot and muggy, so the mountains were not very visible in the distance, but they were still there.
The view from our room
Saturday:
Like most mountain hut mornings, I woke up around 5 am to try and catch the sunrise. The clouds were still too prominent, so the morning golden hour was a flop, but still beautiful nonetheless.
Morning droplets on the window
Morning sunrise
Curtain details
View from my bed
After breakfast, we hiked from the hut to the starting point of the Via Ferrata Marroka.
Wildseeloderhaus from the via ferrata
Via ferrata trail marker
Alpine Salamanders on the trail
This was a C-level route and the first one since Week 143
Eric on the Via Ferrata
It took a second to get my ferrata legs back (kinda like sea-legs). I could really feel the heights on this one, which is surprising since we have climbed much higher, much airier routes before.
Via Ferrata views
We were the only ones on the route and I could not figure out why other than the cable car wasn’t running, so most people probably didn’t feel like hiking an hour before climbing.
Putty holding the iron rod in place
Via Ferrata cable
After an hour ascending the wall, we made it to the top
Eric looking out from the top
Sometimes blurry pics are cool
Views from the top
Me at the top
We always look forward to signing the book at the cross.
The metal box with the mountain book
A mini succulent-looking plant in the rock
Selfie at the top
We followed the ridge trail path to the hut.
Via ferrata views
Trail back to the hut
Once we got down, we had a quick lunch and a trip around the lake in the rowboat before hiking back to our car.
View of the hut from above
Eric rowing us across the lake
The next stop was an hour away. A city that’s been on my list for years – Bad Gastein!
Bad Gastein
Bad Gastein is a ski and spa town and reminded us a lot of St. Moritz, Switzerland.
Bad Gastein architechture
Bad Gastein window details
It is most known for the massive roaring waterfall in the middle of the city.
Bad Gastein waterfall!
We were going to take a nearby cable car and stand on “the highest suspension bridge” in Europe. However, we weren’t able to make it work because of the timing and weather. Instead, we checked into our hotel and binged Netflix, ate pizza, and listened to the waterfall from our room. It was a nice, relaxing evening after a lot of activity the past couple of weeks.
