Last weekend I spend my first days in the mountains since summer ended. There was this tiny problem of no snowfall for nearly one month in the whole of Austria.

And, I have to admit, I’m feeling really sorry for some people: tons of money and energy were wasted producing artificial snow which just melted away, ski-openings were more something like hike-openings, and a lot of private little pensions have empty beds and can’t earn any money. I’m actually not a fan of artificial snow, I think that we as a society have to rethink the way we use our natural resources in a sensible environment like the Alps and I’m definitely not a fan of turbo tourism and heated chairlifts.

Normally I’m also willing to wait for snow.

But I’m weak and I’m addicted, there was no sun in good old Vienna, capital of high fog, for ages, I had to see the mountains. While I was there, I spent two hours in the afternoon on the glacier of Kitzsteinhorn sliding on the icy slopes, trying to avoid the masses of people with the same intentions and free riding in though and icy conditions with a lot of rocks exposed. Luckily I used my old board. And still: that was a lot of fun

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The next day we spent hiking in the area in beautiful autumn sunshine, and that was even more fun. Not that many people, a relaxing good vibe and we even spotted some lines that might be nice riding, if the snow arrives finally. I came back to Vienna and to university totally relaxed. Sometimes I’m somewhat jealous of people studying in Innsbruck.