The weather forecast did look well for the upcoming friday and the weekend, avalanches risk did drop to level 1 - 2, so on wednesday i'm making the decision to go. On thursday afternoon, right after work, i'm starting the drive towards Oetztal Alps. The journey goes quickly and at half past 11PM i'm parking some 10 kilometres before Vent, my final destination.
I'm waking up before 7 AM, making a little breakfast, packing all the stuff into the backpack and moving the last kilometres to Vent. Traditional parking space next to cable car station was closed, so i had to search for another one, which was found next to the Hotel Vent. At 9 AM, i'm starting the walk toward Similaun Hut, which lays already in Italy. Right on the edge of the village i could put the snowshoes on and start the walk-up.

way through the Niedertal Valley to Martin Busch Hut, in the back Similaun

above Martin Busch Hut (2501m), in the back Diemkogel Ridge (3400m)

walking towards Similaun Hut, on the right Hauslabkogel (3404m)

After the short steep section, the route gets flatter and the really boring walking through Niedertal Valley begins (the route is one very long traverse with only very slow gaining of the height). This route is during the winter very much exposed to avalanches - many snow barriers laying over the way are the proof.
The weather was pretty good, sunny, only few clouds on the sky, but as i was slowly reaching Martin Busch Hut it was getting worse with grey clouds and cold wind coming from the south. Above 2800 metres, the fog comes. Also my speed turns down, so in the end it took me a little bit over 6 hrs to reach Similaun Hut (3019m) from Vent.
After getting inside, i realized how wise it was to make a reservation - hut is full. Later in the afternoon i'm taking a dinner, pack things for the next day and after 8PM i'm going to sleep. Still foggy outside, visibility only some 20 meters.

early in the morning on the second day...

Similaun seen from the hut

summit is getting closer...

I woke up shortly before half past 5 and first going to make a look out of the window. Already enough light outside and it looks very good - no fog, direct view to Similaun. So i take my stuff downstairs, eat little breakfast, finish the packing and take all the gear. Another people starting to roam around and waiting for the hut warden to prepare the breakfast. After quarter past 6, i'm leaving the hut as the first one. The route is pretty flat, than get's steeper to reach a larger nearly flat plateau over which the way leads to a steep snow shoulder. I walked most of the way in shadow, only the 3300 metres the sunshine did reach me. I climbed the steep part before final ridge diretissima, which did't turn out to be the best idea as it was simply to steep and i was more than happy to be having an ice axe. While already reaching the ridge leadig to the summit cross, the first skialpinists were only on the plateau or below the steep slope. In another 5 minutes i stand on the summit - alone, as first one. For a good quarter an hour the summit was just mine and i could enjoy the wondeful view around - Oetztal Alps, Ortler in the south, Stubai Alps in the east. Shortly after first other climbers came, i started the descent.

western part of Oetztal Alps

8:18 AM summit reached

Hinterer Brochkogel (3635m), Wildspitze (3772m) and Kreuzspitze (3457m)

Down to 2900 metres, it goes pretty quickly as the snow is more or less powder. But further lower, also due to intensive sunshine, the snow is very very wet and pretty uncomfortable to walk in with snowshoes. By the Martin Busch Hut i'm making a short pause and then continuing through the Niedertal Valley. When being at it's nearly end, i hear a thunder from the back - a big avalanche was falling down (also over the way) the bottom of the valley. Being some 45 minutes slower... After 2 PM i'm by my car a in less than an hour i'm on the 600km long way back to Prague!

Niedertal Valley, Grosses Ramolkogel (3551m), in the back Stubai Alps

descending, left Kreuzkogel (3340m) and Kreuzspitze (3457m)

and once more view back...