The preparation of winter hiking trails on Tyrol's high plateau is more than just work.

Franz is one of the four Leutasch farmers who prepare the trails in Leutasch for the TVB. His route goes from Ostbach over the Buchner Heights to Wildmoos and into the Fludertal. At 4 a.m., he is sitting in his tractor and heading out. Today is a perfect day; the night was cold, and the freshly fallen powder snow is easy to clear with the blower. Still, the experienced farmer, whose family has been taking care of the trails in Leutasch for 40 years, has the chainsaw and other tools with him. "We are always prepared for everything, a fallen tree, branches hanging dangerously over the path – that’s also part of our job."

Manfred Leitl of TVB knows this too. He is also already on his way, but in Seefeld. His machines, a so-called Holder and a small Steyr tractor, are smaller than Franz's vehicle – just right for preparing the narrower paths. "First, we tackle those close to the village that are frequented early and often, like the one around the Wildsee," explains Manfred. Later, we will address those that are further away and therefore reached by guests later.

Manfred loves it just like Franz when there is "a lot of snow." "Then it’s your track, your experience, because you are the first to reach the untouched spots." Nevertheless, one should not let oneself be distracted by the snowy atmosphere. Especially the footbridge passages at Wildsee can be tricky. "If you look away there, you might quickly find yourself down below." With heavy equipment, that’s not a pleasant, but rather a very dangerous thought.

The perfect winter hiking trail is created in early winter, after the first snowfalls. Here, the future width of the path is determined, obstacles and the air space profile are taken care of, and passing points are established. However, the most important element is the so-called snow stock, a stable, level layer from the first snowfalls, which is compressed onto the summer-formed path using rollers, heavy attached tires, or other clever devices. It is the only thing that guarantees a walkable and well-preparable path throughout the winter. "One must take their time here; the first times with the snow blower or snow plow shouldn't be set too deep," Franz knows from experience. "Because the way you start it will carry you through the entire winter."

In addition to snow, one should also love tinkering when responsible for winter hiking trails on Tyrol's high plateau for about 100 days a year. Because the necessary machines do not just sit in a shop.

"A simple snowplow or a milling machine, yes, those exist, but to work cleanly and constantly improve, you have to tinker yourself," says Franz. He and his colleagues have always developed new attachments and devices often together with machine manufacturers. Due to the changing winter temperatures, the snow is wetter, and the paths are icier. While the milling performance was important in the past, nowadays devices that make the paths cleaner roughen and grip better are in focus.

Franz thinks about the winter hiking trails all year round. The idea for his latest device, which is compact and provides a good counterweight to the milling machine at the back of the tractor and can level, roughen, or even scrape ice surfaces, came to him during the midsummer.

"I had long downtimes on a construction site and had my sketchbook with me," he remembers. "That's when the idea came about." His cousin, a blacksmith, built a model and from there things progressed. "This time it worked out brilliantly, but often you try something and it just gets discarded again."

The biggest challenge today is the weather conditions. "When wet snow and powder mix, the grinding doesn’t work properly anymore," explains Manfred. "When snow and rain alternate, it usually makes things worse rather than better when going out with the machine."

It’s often a balancing act to make the right decision. The conditions between the locations and the higher regions, such as Wildmoos, often change drastically. It’s not uncommon for a machine to malfunction due to mud, branches, or stones causing damage. However, the motivation of the drivers remains unbroken: "We want people to have fun while walking," says Manfred with a smile.

Speaking of smiles – by now the snowfall has stopped and the sun has risen over the Reither Spitze. It turns the snowy Wildmoos into an endless glittering carpet and the fountains that Franz blows into the air with his snow blower into a flying wall of millions of tiny snow diamonds.

Franz has a smile on his face as he slowly clears the path. "This is the perfect moment when I have my blissful peace. There's just me and the path."

Today, many winter hikers will likely have similar thoughts – most of them unaware that in the early morning hours, someone has prepared this path especially for them with great passion.