My first experience of an AAC tour in 1950

by Molly Gilbert (néee Graty)

Invited to join group of 9 visiting the Austrian Alps for a ski-touring holiday. First holiday abroad, an epic and exciting adventure. Join the AAC; my first membership card.

What to wear? Borrowed everything and hand-knitted socks, gloves and hat. Borrowed boots, ½ size too small awaited me at Victoria Station: "Put them on Molly, they will fit by the time we get to Kolner Haus!"

Rough cross-Channel crossing to Calais, join overnight train to Basel, 4 a side and sit up all night. Rolls and Swiss cherry jam in Basel and then onwards in cattle trucks (slatted seats!) on the long, slow journey to Landeck where we changed to the Post bus. Hairpin bends, reverse technique at each bend and we eventually arrived at Serfaus 24 hours later. The luggage taken somewhere on sledges.

Proper food at last with plenty of garlic! So quiet with deep snow in all directions, a magical experience in that small farming village.

Where was the Kolner Haus, our final destination? Sitting two at a time in the goods lift, we were catapulted into the unknown but we hoped the 'thing' would stop at the top.

Kolner Haus in the 1950s

Welcoming lights gave us a first glimpse of the Kolner Haus, sitting like a castle with a distinctive lump of rock beside it. Bunk beds, 5 in a room. Food was eaten with relish so it must have been good: breakfast of black bread, spread and jam with white rolls on special days. Dinner plates always cleaned into the soup cauldron. Lights out at 10pm.

Skis fitted the next morning and we were left to get on with it, mostly on our bottoms or noses. Next day Herr Lenz gave us our first lesson. It was like skiing in paradise with miles of plateau waiting for us to leave our marks. One evening there was a nail-biting ride on a hay toboggan, five astride, to the weekly hop. All men dressed in their Sunday best with grey heavy suits. Oh, the garlic! Long walk back to the Kolner Haus.

All-in cost of holiday was £33!

Following year (1951) to Kuhtai and the Dortmunder Hütte. 4 hour walk in blinding snow and suitcases left in hay hut. Again so blissfully isolated and no crowds on the ski slopes. 2 day wait for cases. These huts were so welcoming in a sometimes very bleak environment. Memories of Matratzenlager and Fussende blankets, Kachelofen and always superb views, especially from some loos.

Molly now!

The Rock and Ice Course with Serafin Fender in Solden and the Siegerland Hüitte and many ski-touring weeks organised by Alpenverein Innsbruck.

Glorious isolation no chat on skis, peace and tranquillity, the slopes and snow fields to ourselves.

Return to the top of this page, or to the complete Index, or to this section's Index.