This time we were headed to Fieberbrunn which is located just northeast of Kitzbuhl. This is a smaller ski area than Serfaus with 35 kilometers of pistes and 10 lifts, but the views are just as spectacular.  Again we decided to split the drive down into two days with a nightstop in Hilpotstein, Germany.  Hilpoltstein is located off the A9 (E45) between Nurenburg and Munich.  Though the origins of the town can be dated back to the 10th century, it didn't receive town privileges until 1354 and in 1799 became a part of Bavaria.  It's a fair size town with a market square and a castle though we never did get to it.  There wasn't much snow on the ground but there was snow.

That Saturday morning we drove on to Fieberbrunn. There weren't many hotels in town and nothing available for this particular week so we had booked a house instead.  This meant a much longer shopping list since we would have to supply our own breakfast spread such as cheese (Dutch of course), jam and hagelslag (sprinkles that the Dutch are so fond of putting on their bread) as well as dinner for two or three nights. We had ordered bread service so every morning in the hall ourside our door, there was a covered basket full of fresh rolls and croissants. What better way to start your day.  As for dinner, we ate-in 3 nights and kept it pretty simple. The rest of the week was pizza, spaghetti and schnitzel.

When we arrived, it was still early to pick up the key to the house (still in the process of being cleaned) so we decided to walk up to the ski school, sign up for a few lessons, rent our gear and check out the area. The school was around the bend from the house and up a "little" hill. Apparently we had a different idea than the landlord as to what "little" meant.  What a hike ! The rest of the week we took the car. Though the plows did a good job keeping the streets clean, we still had to put on the snow chains.
We were quite surprised at how much snow had fallen the previous days.  At one of the lifts, a worker was busy shoveling snow, which was piled higher than he was tall, off the roof before opening the lift.  I had never seen so much snow before.  And the icicles hanging from the edge of roofs !  One could be impaled if an icicle fell while walking under the eaves.

As for the weather,  the first day was alittle cloudy but the rest of the week was once again sunny and bright.  We were getting spoiled.  At one point during the week, we saw a parapanter running down a piste before taking flight.  So impressive that I was tempted to sign up for a ride.  But the mere thought of how cold it would be, brought me to my senses.  Maybe one of these years I'll give it a go.