Start: Lizumer Hütte (2019m)
Finish: Tuxer-Joch Haus (2313m)
Today is a light day, in that it contains no special technical challenges. It's a straightforward 1200m ascent split over two peaks.
It's another sleepless night for me, which really surprised me. And another appetite-less morning, which is not really surprising.
The way out of the hut is simple, but I follow a couple that I was sure goes my way, only to realize after 100m ascent that I'm going the wrong way. Good reminder to make sure you are following the right people!
On the way to Geierjoch.
After a short part on a gravel path, the trail starts to go up on a grueling 750m ascent towards Geierjoch. There is a group of pre-teens with two guides that look to be only a few years older on some scouts-like excursion. I'm happy to see it's the girls who are taking the lead, with the boys being the strugglers.
The day is clear and from the top you can see in all directions. Below is a small lake, a slight detour from the trail, and I'm happy to cross the scree field, take of my shoes and dip my feet in the cold water. A great relief in yet another hot day. Some people are even brave enough to wade in. I'm not.
From here is an easy contour and a not too long ascent to Gschützspizsattel. While the first part is a straight forward ascent, the last 5 minutes is an almost vertical stretch that makes me laugh and shake my head in disbelief. As always, it is not as bad as it looks from afar , though it does look very bad..
The descent to the other side is long but pleasant set of switchbacks. There's an impressive waterfall at the bottom, and may of hikers I've seen in the huts in the last two days are resting there.
The road up to the hut is both longer and more difficult than expected, though it's just a gravel trail. I realize my breathing has gotten shallower and even more laboured, and I take many more breaks that I've noticed. Good thing there's a lot of marmots running around, giving me an excuse to pause as I try to catch them with my camera. And I do mean running around: two of them are even chasing each other down the trail, playing or fighting, I cannot tell.
I make it to the hut and realize I have not eaten all day. Strange, but yet again, I also did not sleep much, so that can't be a surprise. It must be the stress.
My phone rings, and it's my parents. I tell them how I have nausea, how I have no energy because I had so little to eat, because I look at food, any food, and can’t imagine eating. it. She stops me and asks how’s my sleep, and do I have headaches. I say yes, but the headaches must be because I've not been sleeping. And i'm sure my appetite will return tomorrow and all will be good.
This is where she full-names me. Headaches, nausea, lack of appetite, inability to sleep, laboured breathing, she says. THESE ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF ALTITUDE SICKNESS. She should know, she had it at 5,000m. But I have not gone above 3000, and who the hell gets altitude sickness at these heights? But I realize maybe she has a point. I know what needs to be done now - either go down the mountain a bit, or stay at the hut and acclimate - but I don't want to. I want this to go smoothly, according to plan. I want to give it another night, see if I sleep better.
Going to bed early, I discover that the beds in my 3-beds room are the absolute creakiest beds I've ever heard. I also suspect that one of my room mates, an older Austrian man, is masturbating under the covers. I've been nodding off when I suddenly hear his bed creaking in a rhythm not aligned with simply trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in. As it continues, and his heavy breathing echos in the room, I'm frozen. Do I confront him? Do I turn over and try to ignore it? does he know I'm here? Is he doing it because I'm here? I feel a panic attack coming on, and it's the absolute worst time. I choose to get up, walk past him, pretend that I have not heard anything, that I am going to the restrooms. What do I do now? how long do I wait until I go back? will he know I know if I take too long? damn, it sucks being a women.
I go back to the room and spend the rest of the night tossing and running. By 4:30 I give up, grab my kindle and borrow inside the liner to read.
At breakfast time I check in with the landlady about staying another night. She confirms she has one last bed available. She is also not surprised when I list all my symptoms. Yes, she says, it happens, you know it can happen at over 2000m already. Stay, rest, let your body adjust. I email the next hut to check on the option to move my booking by one day, and yes, they have one last bed available. It's set then, I'm going to be spending a full day at the hut.
Three days into the hike, and I'm already off. I remind myself that good planning is only half of the game, the other half being the ability to adjust, and make decisions as you go along. And that I need to rise to the test, and make the decisions that are right for me, for this specific moment in time, plan be damned.
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