For our obligatory new trip this year, we decided to go to the Stubai. Just four days in length, and geographically in between the Silvretta and the Ortler, this trip allowed some folks to follow up the Silvretta with another few days, and others to slot it in before their Ortler. This meant that most folks had a good long 12 day ski holiday.

A familiar (by now) cast of characters for the most part, we were joined for the first time by Elizabeth Wesson (second from right), who caught us for a quick jaunt over from her home in the U.K., and Tom Drake from Burlington, VT. The group, from right to left, are Elizabeth ("Mo") Moceri, Elizabeth Wesson, Fred Larke (following up on his Silvretta tour), Kathy, Tom Drake, Chris Robinson from Vancouver, B.C., Marc Gallie from Ottowa, and Rich Davis from Bellevue, WA.

We began to think Spring had finally arrived as we checked in to the Rastbichhof, in Kampl.  Hah! don't be deceived....

The following morning dawned very gloomy. Our tour began with a short walk to the bus which took us up valley to the ski area at Mutterbergalm.

As we rode the lifts however, the snow tapered off, clouds thinned, and in a couple of hours the sun was shining! We took a lap or two on the groomers to warm up before heading out "into the wild".

Nearing our first pass in a bitter wind, some of the group peeled off to make a quick ascent of the Hinterer Daunkopf, while the rest of us headed over the Daunjoch and straight down the Sulztal Glacier.

Elizabeth and Tom play dueling cameras with Mark on the summit of the Hinterer Daunkopf.

Meanwhile, Kathy and the others enjoyed copious snow on their descent down the glacier. Here the groups again converge for the last bit of run into the hut.

Dinner time in the busy Amberger Hut.

Starting off in the morning from the Amberger Hut, we retraced our steps up the valley for a bit, before heading eastward up the Schwarzenberg Glacier.

The weather is kind to us again as we quickly gain elevation.

Skinning up toward a high point on the Schrankogl ridge, we take in a run before heading over the Wildgratscharte (see next photo).

The Wildgratscharte is "Wild" indeed! Short, but steep booting and equally steep but skiable descent on the other side, this break in the ridge between the North and the South Wildgratspitzes, gives us access to the Alpeiner Glacier to the east.

Descending the Alpeiner Glacier toward the Franz Senn Hut.

The large and comfortable hut was full on this Easter week. Free hot showers were a plus!

Rising again early the next morning, we climbed back up onto the Alpeiner Glacier, then veered west over the Turmscharte, to the Wildes Hingerbergl.

A short section of fixed rope helped us up the rocky south side of the Turmscharte.

Passing on the take-a-number line waiting to access the short scramble up the Vorderer Wilder Turm (though it did look like fun!), we carried on a bit up to the Wildes Hinterbergl.

We were once again rewarded by commanding views.

Kathy, ever the professional, demonstrates how to warm you bones with a refreshing beverage. Fred, awaiting his turn, says "Don't bogart that bottle!"

Glass is a bit heavy for a water bottle, but it makes a good photo.

Milking the due-north-facing slopes, we found lovely pockets of very fine snow, hiding among the otherwise crusty survival-skiing conditions. Yeee haw!

The following morning's tour was scrapped due to drizzle, zero visibility and no prospects of good snow. But we had a fun steep-trail-through-gorge-over-tumbling-stream run down to the road and awaiting taxi, which brought us back to Kampl. Au revoir, Stubai!