200° panorama of the Lodner massive from the Lodner Hütte

One of the main reasons for my visit to the Texel Group is to try and climb the Lodner (3228m). I first visited the area in 2007, on a trip by the Dutch alpine club. We didn't plan on climbing it then, just hike around it and so we did. One year later I was back in the area, and saw the Lodner from the top of the Hohe Weiße. That made quite an impression, and that's when I first thought I wanted to be up there one day. At the time I didn't think any further about it, but later I would learn that the final part of the normal route to the Lodner is from the north - and that's exactly what you see from the Hohe Weiße. So, take your pick, climb the rocks or follow one of the two snow gullies. Several more years passed and I traveled all over the world. Not that I had forgotten about it, but it wasn't before 2012 that I decided it was time for the Texel Group again. But when I arrived at the Lodner Hütte and enquired about the condition of the normal route, the hut warden explained that it wasn't in the best of states at the time. I climbed other nearby peaks and still enjoyed my visit, but the Lodner would have to wait again. Then came 2013. The spring of this year brought lots and lots of snow in the Alps, much more than normal, and as a result many routes that would usually have bare rock by early summer still had snow on them well into summer. And just as I had hoped for, the warden this time said there was still snow and ice high up on the crux of the route to the Lodner. From his explanation of the route I wasn't totally sure if I could get up there, but at least I would have a good chance now. It's on for tomorrow! 14 July 2013.