Saturday, September 10, 2016

A World of Ice Giants

Back in 2014, we did a 10-day trek around Austria and Italy.  One of the things that was on our list to see was the ice caves in Werfen.  But time got away from us and we had to prioritize and it somehow didn't make the cut.  I wasn't going to let that happen again.

We awoke on Sunday morning and leisurely set out. It is only a 56 km (35 miles) but it takes close to an hour because of the winding roads and the cattle crossings (no, I am not kidding.  This is Austria).  The views are to die for so you really don't notice the slow pace.  Well, until you hit the s-turns and the steep climb that keeps your ears popping.

We parked at the top instead of taking their shuttle bus.  Ever since that what felt like life or death  experience on the ride up to Machu Picchu, I abhor shuttle busses!  Once we parked we still had to walk about 20 minutes up to the cable car that would take us to our next stop...And by up, I mean STRAIGHT up -


I have been on many a cable car in my life but in the past two days, I had simply been on one too many that went 90 degrees up instead of making a gradual ascent.  It was a bit disconcerting but thankfully this one went fast.  Or maybe that was the part that made it so disconcerting.  Hard to tell.  But finally, I was on terra firma again.


And then we began our next walk...Up, up, up...after about 15 minutes of s-curves and a not so gradual ascent we took a time out for a photo opp...


 Because we still had this ahead of us...


The views were gorgeous which made the hike doable (especially when the kids were whining that they just hiked yesterday).  Little did I want to tell them what awaited once they actually arrived at the top!


Finally - the opening of the ice cave...


And some crazy people eating lunch!!! On the ledge on the edge...


She wasn't too happy about the climb, the cold (yes, we brought pants and jackets) or the fact that we weren't done yet until she got this...
 Yep, a real life lantern.  Open flame and all!  There is no lighting in the ice caves so each 4th person got a lantern.  Which blew out when we entered the caves because the wind blowing (which keeps the ice frozen BTW) is that strong.  Strong enough actually that I couldn't breathe until I got through it.  It literally took my breath away.

And now a disclaimer...None of the pictures in the ice cave were taken by me!  Or anyone else I know.  They are from the ice caves website because they expressly forbid you to take any type of pictures inside.  And they provide you with theirs for free, so why would you need to?  And, for those who have never been, it would also be almost impossible to take any anyway.  It is dark in there!  Almost pitch black until you are on top of the site and then your guide lights it up with a single candle.  It is never as bright as these pictures make it seem.  So enjoy their pictures and their video and then go see it for yourself...




There is a short, 2-minute video that will take you on a tour of the caves here - click here.

Even though it is dark in the caves, it is still amazing!  Stinkerbell and MadHatter got to walk on that ice!  And we made it through the 70-minute tour, up and down over 1400 stairs, ducking our heads and tyring not to light ourselves on fire with those lanterns.  We didn't get frostbite (though it was below freezing, obviously) and we didn't slip even once.  And it was an incredible experience to have walked through the largest ice caves in the world!

Once outside had some lunch with a view and then we had to make our way back to the cable car (yikes)...


 We made it safely down and onto the highway before late afternoon.  Which was a good thing because I feel like all of Germany was headed back to Munich on Sunday!  But it didn't bother me because I think Austria is slowly but surely becoming one of my favorite countrysides in the world and driving through it, even slowly and in traffic, it soothing.


 




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