We had talked about crossing the alps on foot for a number of
years. The decision whether to go east to west or north to south
was finally made with the toss of a coin. North to south it will
be!
Now for a route...should we select the 'dreampath' from Munich
to Venice? Or the just as well known trail from Oberstdorf to
Meran? Neither option fit in our time table, the first route requiring
about 30 days, the second around 10. So we poured over maps and
internet sites, looking for an in-between option. Innsbruck toward
Feltre seemed doable. Well, as one can see from the map, we didn't
get all the way to Feltre. Flexibility is a must when hiking in
the higher regions of the alps as the weather can be unpredictable,
huts are closed for renovation or lack of guardian, and a lunch
stop can turn into an unintended 3 hour nap!
We walked about 230 km, ascended around 13,000 m, climbed five
peaks, multiple ridges, and crossed several mountain passes. This
has been the most challenging and exciting adventure we have undertaken.