Thinking about the Heid Steig in winter I realized that I should know something on participants abilities before doing something really tough.
So the idea of this hike is to try out yourself in the winter conditions (and with all the equipment which might be needed later on the Heid Steig) on a short and easily accessible ferrata . You can participate also if you do not plan to do the "Haid Steig in winter" hike and you are welcomed to!
While the Heid Steig is serious this hike is mentioned to be fun (a specific kind of fun but anyway 
) and focused on getting acustomed to winter conditions and some belaying techinques.
There are two things we will try out for sure:
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doing a steep (but short) ferrata in crampons
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beeing belayed on the rope
And there is a lot of options we can try out according to our preferences:
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sliding on the rope
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trying to create a belay points in the snow using your ice pickle/poles/shovel
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searching for an avalanche beacon burried in the snow (It is not a replacement for the avalanche rescue course! see the remark below)
-
taking a snowshoe walk to some hut (and drink a beer)
The good thing is we can decide on it during the hike depending on our level of exhaustion, temprature outside and how much fun we will have. Hohe Wand is not big and we will have a car so we will be flexible. I plan to start with the Wahringersteig which is my favourite basic training ferrata (has everything needed to test if you will manage on the real ones and it is 15 minutes away from the parking lot). If we encounter no problems doing Wahringersteig, we can also try the WIldenauersteig (moving by car to Seiser Toni first) and then take some refreshments in the Eicherthutte. And if the Wahringersteig will be enough for us, then we can take a walk to the Herrgottschnitzer Haus.
Be aware!
It can not be considered a replacement of a ferrata course, winter belaying techniques course nor avalanche rescue course!
If you want to learn how to be safe, take a right course led by a proffesional guide!
Anyway if you do not know anything about it can not harm to a little experience (just do not consider yourself skilled enough after that hike) and if you did not practice for a long time it might be a nice opportunity to do so.
Quite a lot equipment is required. If you consider it strange to take all of it on a Hohe Wand hike, please remember that the aim here is to practice with all these equipment in safe conditions (beofre trying something slightly more difficult).
If you lack some equipment please indicate it in the registration form, cause I have some spare pieces and the rest can be easily borrowed from Alpenverein.
