Most beautiful views ever! Hiking in the Austrian alps

This weekend I went hiking with the Buddy Network. About 25 people from my school and others in Vienna. We hoped on the bus friday morning with our packbacks and headed west to a town called Windischgarsten, Austria. About a 3 hour bus ride. I didn't know exactly who was going to be on this trip but I knew I would know someone and surprise I knew almost everyone :)

Just got off the bus going to drop the bus driver off at his "hotel"

Yup that is the mountain we stayed on!

About to start the up hill 

Beautiful Valley!

A hiking we will go

Lisa our leader

This is the valley we walked through before getting to the step uphill climb. It was so beautiful and I want to go back so bad! I have never hiked with my backpack so full and I have to say my back definitely hurts today. I didn't even bring that much stuff, just a change of cloths, and tooth brush and whatnot, and a small fleece blanket. But actually I have never stayed at the top of a mountain  usually I hike up and down in the same day.

Love these girls!

Almost there, me, frances, kristi, and jessica

Frances and Kristi were the two girls I traveled to Spain with for easter break, and Jessica and I have hung out many times in Vienna, it was great to get out of Vienna for a weekend with these 3.

Hanging out after dinner

View from the cottage at night

After about 2 and a half hours of hiking we arrived at our cottage, there are some pictures of the cottage below from the morning. Everyone decided to stay and wait for dinner and avoid getting rained on. But actually it never ended up raining so we were able to make a small fire. It could have been bigger but it was too windy and would have been dangerous. Dinner was a traditional Austrian dish called Kasnocken, which is basically mac and cheese with bits of bacon. Perfect meal after hiking.

Camp fire

 Some people sat around the fire while others sat inside playing board, and card games. I played a really fun game of Uno, and Taboo with others, we were able to enjoy a beer or two and just have a chill night. We were not the only ones staying in the cabin there was about 10 other people that were there and they were Austrian hikers, probably trekking through many mountain ranges.

Night Haze 

 Everyone went to bed pretty early and I was able to sleep peacefully with the help of earplugs. There were many snorers.  In the morning a group of 10 got up at 6 a.m. to hike to 700 meters left to reach the top! I decided to stay behind just because I knew I haven't been hiking since last summer and you use completely different muscles. I don't want to strange my ankles. Too much of Europe left to see. Also I really enjoyed my relaxing morning of taking pictures while the clouds lifted around the valley. I woke up around 7 and had breakfast with some others, before heading outside.

Foggy morning

They went up to the top, which you can't see
But they were able to have a view above the clouds!

Spider making his home

Our beautiful Cottage!

The EBN team!

Jumping picturee!

Inside the cottage, where we ate and played games

Our sleeping arrangements

Clouds lifted

Hiking down

After everyone returned from who decided to go to the top we hiked down to the bus. It was a steep downhill and I can definitely feel it in my butt today, haha. The valley below was absolutely beautiful! I am obsessed!

At the bottom of the mountian

Group Picture!

 Once on the bus we drove 15 min to the town, where we got to go tobogganing down a mountain! Ahh it was so much fun, and such a great day for it.

Love little Austrian Towns

Chair lift up!

Selfie!

Jessica on her chairlift 

BEAUTIFUL VIEW
Representing VT

Love these girls!

Toboggan!

After the toboggan we loaded onto the bus one last time, stopped at a grocery store for lunch and travel snacks and were on our way back to Vienna. On the bus ride a few of us played 20 questions which helped the time pass. It was great! Such an amazing trip, and I am so happy I went.

Toboggan!