Fall Line Gaper: Kreischberg, Austria

Where should I start ...

Kreischberg, Austria 2003

Some Vital Statistics: Vertical - 3999
Peak - 6949
There are two peaks - Rosentranzhohe &
Kreischberg

Gondalbahn - "Gondola Lift"
Doppelsesselbahn - "Doubleseat Lift"
Ger-Sesselbahn "Six Pack Lift"

Gaper Cam View - "Awesome"

I was in Austria for about 32 days working on an automotive issue in 2003. My boss asked if anyone (looking directly @ me) had a current passport. I was given an airplane ticket to Graz, Austria later that morning and sent home to get packed. I was told that I would be staying in Austria for about three days. The first trip to Graz was all work and little time for anything else. Two week later, I was asked to take a second trip. This time, I was determine to experience Austria. I had become good friends with a resident engineer from the United States and his family. Just before one weekend, he asked if I would be interested in going skiing with him and his family and other friends of theirs. I jumped at the chance. It's Austria, everyone skis! It's a national past time and passion. "An Austrian citizen with no skiing ambitions cannot be considered a true Austrian". After driving for about 2 hours into Stier's mountain region (The Alps), we reached our destination, Kreischburg Ski Resort. Upon arrival and after getting gear, we hopped the gondola and headed to the mittelstation.

There was a very relaxed atmosphere being late into the season on a Sunday morning. Many people were eating and drinking outside on the porch @ the grillboden. I was more interested in skiing as I hadn't hit the slopes in many years and now I was going to get re-introduced in the Austrian Alps. Everyone's has heard of Innsbruck (Olympic Fame) and Kitzbuhel (World Cup Fame), but Kreischburg is a favorite in the Stier region.

By the way, while staying in Graz, I was convinced that Austrian Beer is by far the best in the world. I became a huge fan of several Austrian Beers including: Gosser and especially Puntigamer (sponsor of SK Sturm Graz of the Austrian Bundesliga). Austria is just a great place to visit as it's know for incredible Ski resorts, World Class Soccer and some awesome beers.

When ready to hit the slopes, we skied together as a group for awhile, then broke off onto different trails. The rental ski boots were the strapped from the back type and skis were long and narrow, similar to my own ... difficult to maneuver especially on the steep narrow trails covered with deep moguls. I had great fun skiing in Austria and now I wanted that thrill of racing down the slopes for the rest of my life. My skiing buddy's added to the moment by getting me ski upto the very top of Rosentranzhohe peak. The scenic view of the Alps was utterly unforgetable. As it was a perfectly clear day, the 360 degree look was for miles in every direction and I didn't have my camera. That won't ever happen again. Later in the afternoon, my legs began to burn after every run, but I didn't want to stop. I couldn't keep up with my friends on the expert trails and would need to take breaks between running laps on the intermediate slopes (at least the grillboden served beer to damped the pain).