Base Camp - Dachstein
Dave
Up insanely early (5.30am!) and Frank drove us to the Dachstein-Sudwandbahn cable car station, arriving just in time for the first cable car at 7.50. A slightly laborious trek over soft snow brought us to the beginning of the via ferrata up to the summit of the Hohe Dachstein. This ferrata was easy but exceedingly airy, at least for a novice like me. We topped out at around 10.30.
The second part of the ferrata down the western ridge was easier and much less busy, and we soon emerged on the snowfield. Here we swung to the right to rejoin the cables across the northern spur at Steinerschart'n. Three of us laboriously trekked down the other side, while Frank bumslid down a snow slope at an angle of about 50°; he was with difficulty persuaded not to climb back up and have another go.
By now it was getting really hot, so we hurried (as best we could on soft snow underfoot) back to the shade of the cable car station, returning via Liezen in absolutely stifling heat. This is definitely the way to do it: get up early and do the walking before it gets seriously sunny.