Coffee, fire and the choice of free lines

We started searching for a suitable place for our purposes: There needed to be a roof over our heads, in the middle of a territory diversified enough so we could have days filled with variety amongst the white gold. We intended to trace the fundamental ideas of freeriding and to find freedom in the snow. The Carschina Hut in the Rätikon fulfilled our desires. Apart from the architectural charm and luxurious furnishings of this winter shelter, diverse terrain waits virtually in the garden, making it a very special attraction for freeriders. At the car park in St. Antönien – careful, they check for tickets – the ascent to the hut is signposted as 2.5 hours away. Down here in the valley, it's clear what path to take thanks to good signage.

The higher you go, however, the rarer the signposts get. Sometimes they even lie hidden under a thick layer of snow. It is also advisable to get information about the different possibilities for ascent before starting the journey. Long ascents are still out of the question for many freeriders. I am no exception and I constantly ask myself "Why?" while listening to the rhythmic clicking of the bindings. Why this effort? After all, it's exhausting enough to get up to the hut. Now, the backpack filled for a four-day stay is also pulling on the shoulders. Why not enjoy a beer on the sofa at home instead and give way to vegging out in front of the TV?

I imagine my friends are having similar thoughts as I listen to their silence during the ascent in the night. Luckily we can see the way thanks to the full moon. It draws soft shadows on the surrounding mountain flanks and dips the scene in gentle, unreal light. It looks magical. And suddenly the incessant "Why?" has disappeared from my head. The first rays of light awake us and reveal the great diversity that alpine life has to offer. There are no ski buses to catch early in the morning, and no day that comes to an abrupt stop when the lifts close. The slightly hilly terrain around the hut invites us to the few first relaxed runs in the morning sun, along our trail of ascent back in the direction of St. Antönien.

The summit of the Schafberg east of the hut looks just as attractive, with its long descents, smaller cliffs and interesting changes in terrain down onto the western high plateau. Hours before the first tour groups come anywhere near the summits, we have an almost unlimited choice. We decide on a short tour in a northwesterly direction to Drusator, which marks the border between Switzerland and Austria. From here, we enjoy the view into the Montafon, over the northern flank down to Maurenwald, an alternate ascent to the Carschina Hut from the Inn Valley. Countless cornices and ridges mark the terrain between Drusator and the Carschina Hut. Seeing them makes the surfer heart in the freerider leap for joy.

Euphorically, we carve the first long turns of the day into the snow. Back at the hut, we meet the first backcountry skiers, coming up from St. Antönien. Especially on weekends with good weather, the plateau at the foot of the Sulzfluh is a popular destination. But after the intensive early morning in the snow, nothing prevents us from having an extensive break with some company. There's no rush at all. After all, the location of the Carschina Hut, near the ridge, makes it possible to have a little hike with three or four enjoyable turns in the red light of the descending sun before it sets. With happy thoughts of the evening and steaming tea in the winter shelter, the struggles of the ascent on the previous day completely evaporate.

We only have what is necessary, so that little things become valuable. A simple piece of paper and pencil for example, almost forgotten in the digital world, now have emotional value. The calm of the night with the quietly burning flames in the wood stove in the background create a very special perspective on friendship. Again, the "Why?" appears in my thoughts. Why prefer a beer on the sofa and vegging out in front of the TV, if you can feel just as at home here in the winter shelter of a mountain hut enjoying such intensive moments? Invigorated by the regular pasta dinner with a spartan sauce and the motivational flashback of the previous day, even sleeping between dry functional underwear and a down jacket pillow seems very special. Anticipation.

Another day! The life up here seems so full of ease, so simple, but is really anything but simple... Especially because it's not simple to find.