The Toms Barnetts' Escapades in the Dolomiti & Zillertal Alps: Schlegeis Stausee, Olpererhütte, cool suspension bridge

This was our last day together in Mayrhofen and the last full day of our trip. For our final adventure, we headed back up to the Schlegeis Stausee (reservoir near the Austrian Italian border) to do a hike. Our plan was to do a loop hike to Olpererhutte, have some strudel, and then get back into town in order to get our COVID tests for our flights back home.

First off though, Maya, Carla, Anna, and I walked to a bakery to get some goodies for breakfast which opened at 6:30, so that's when we arrived. A little rain did not deter us. We purchased a sampling of just about everything to fuel folks for the day's hike. The Lucas Lehmann's had to pack up everything to leave before we left for the hike, so we met them at the reservoir. The description of the hike mentioned sure-footedness which we thought would happen in the steeper part of the hike up to Olpererhutte, so we decided that Paul and Petra would hike clockwise and we would hike counter-clockwise and they would just turn around when we met up. The hike up to the hut was beautiful. The views of the turquoise water of the reservoir combined with big mountains and waterfalls was breathtaking. The kids went ahead and we met them at the hut.

It's so hard to decide what delicious snacks to get

Posing next to a poster for the band Die Mayrhofen which is the band that Claus, the person renting us the apartment is in.

The views got better and as we ascended

The clouds were rolling in and out throughout the hike

The sheep owned the trail so we just went around them

The kids almost at Olpererhutte

Olpererhutte was a really cool hut. It was a relatively new hut and was situated perfectly for a sweet view. We enjoyed some yummy strudel and kaiserschmarrn before heading out on the next leg of the hike. Paul and Petra texted us to let us know that they bailed part-way into their hike and instead were enjoying a lovely lunch at a restaurant along the reservoir.

Olpererhutte was so nice inside.

Our 1st 'topfenstrudel" - yum!

Kaiserschmarrn again - it's so delicious

After our snack at the hut, we continued on our hike. There was a cool suspension bridge that made for a cool photo opportunity. We were able to time it so that we could see the reservoir and mountains when there was a break in the clouds. There were chunks of time where we were completely socked in and couldn't see anything.

The statue looks like it is floating

Along the loop hike, there were lots of cool blazes. Clearly, the folks who built the trail were creative with where and how they painted the blazes.

Hiking along the beautiful rock trail with the Italian Alps in the background.

Paul and Petra met us in the parking lot. When we saw them, they told us that they had a romantic date together. In fact, they told us it was the 1st time they had been alone on a date since they have had kids. Everyone in our family was flabbergasted by this fact. We hung out chatting in the parking lot, essentially putting off saying goodbye as long as we could. So, we took a few final group photos and said a teary goodbye to our dear friends. Goodbyes stink.

Another view of the dam with the via ferrata

Once back in Mayrhofen, we bought some gifts of local products for folks back home. Next, we got our COVID tests. They were done by a pharmacy, but it was in a converted garage which made it kind of an interesting setting. Then we went to a yummy Italian restaurant for our last vacation meal together and capped it off with gelato. Once back at the apartment, we packed up our bags and got everything ready for an early departure in the morning.