Change of plan. We need to hike out to  civilisation to get new boots for Guy. Heading to Muttekopfhütte instead, which involves another descent to a busy road crossing (ugh) at Hahntenjoch.  Loads of bikers passing. Apparently some 14000 BMW bikers descended on Garmisch this weekend. 

Then once again we disappeared into the hills with another high Joch to cross (2400m). This time cables and footholds and (much worse) loose scree.  

Got to Muttekopfhütte by 15:30 to everyone’s delight.  Beer and apfelstrudel revived us.   

 
Although this hut was built around 1890 it has been modernised to being almost an hotel.  Electricity was welcome because the solar charger not working with my phone or GPS. 

Boys headed off to explore nearby cliff before dinner.  That too was the best meal so far.   Schnitzel, just to make Ross envious!!    

 
  
Card games followed. Now we all have sore leg muscles.  Tomorrow we drop down off the mountain to Imst to shop for boots, then abandon civilisation again for the next week. 

• If I had known how difficult today would be I might have planned it differently. After a Jungle Oats start to the day we made steep 400 vertical climb to Loreascharte. Outstanding view of a vast valley below. Only problem being that we had to  climb steeply down a loose stone path that damn near killed my legs and which went on forever.   
• That was the theme of the day- about 20kms which included 1200m of vertical ascent PLUS 1200m of descent. Even Guy’s boots disintegrated and eventually (believe it or not) he was hiking in my Crocs! We crossed rivers, rock screes and snow in +30c temperatures.  At around 16:00 we still had to clear this valley and climb over the mountain with few hundred meters vertical descent on other side.  
• Snow crossings a bit hairy due to risk of caverns underneath   
• We finally got to the hut after 10 hours. It was a busy place with loads of kids around. Clearly there must be another easy route here.    Unlike last night when we played cards (game called sh..head?), tonight we were all finished and all hit bed after dinner.   
• Suffice to say that I am enormously proud of my grandsons who kept at it till the end without a murmur of complaint!