Not realizing exactly what I was going to face, I agreed to go up to the highest peak in Austria, Grossglockner.

Unfortunately we only had today and it was raining with fog going up.  Not seeing  what was down below the road actually was a good thing. Did I tell you, I am not great driving in extreme heights?

We followed a tour bus through the fog and that gave us a little more security. The driver stopped at one of the rest stops and some of the senior men passengers got out and had a snow ball fight! They were from the Netherlands and I guess they don’t see snow too often. It was fun to watch them.

Once we were up high and my feet were back on the ground, I was able to breathe again and with the fog lifting I was able to get some photos.

We descended to Malnitz and took a car train through the tunnel in the mountains and down into another range.  It saved time going all the way down on switchback roads with buses, trucks, and cars coming at you or locals ( yes there are people who live up there)  trying to pass you.

All in all it turned put to be a great day. Would I do it again?  Of course, practice makes perfect!

Added footnote:

The day we left St. Johann we had a chat with the manager of the hotel (he registered us) and  we told him about our trip on the car train. Apparently, up until the middle 70’s that was the only way through the mountains from the Pongau region into the top part of Austria and into Italy.  Today, you have a choice of a road Or the train. Now, that is progress!

We saw people living up there so they must have really been secluded Or at only had one way out.