Recommendations for hiking

Hi to you all,

I have checked the old posts. Last time hiking was mentioned was about a year ago. TT's not into hiking? If you are, what could you recommend as a nice day or weekend hike?

Thanks!

Theoretically hiking season starts at the start of may and a lot of huts are manned from then on. But a lot of huts don't start until June and some only in July. There is still a LOT of snow in the alps though. It will take a few weeks of warm weather before the mountains become free. Until then I would do a hike to a 'ganzjährig geöffnete Hütte' like the Bodenschneidhaus.

@[email=mysteryman]mysteryman[/email]

I am not necessarily looking for a route with a hut. We have done "Rotwand" for instance already, that was beautiful. My favourite mountains are, however, the Karwendel mountains. A short daytrip (i.e. 6 hours) would be fine. I'm worried about snow still being on top of the mountains, had a bit of a dicey experience already this winter getting lost in the snow and loosing the skin on my fingers afterwards.. How does one find out whether a route is already accessible prior to leaving? And I don't want to have to turn back 100 meters before reaching the peak, that would frustrate me immensely. Tomorrow and Sunday we want to do two hikes respectively.

Thanks for the tips!
The Major

Get the train to Tegernsee and hike to Schliersee then get the train back from there. (Or the other way around.)
There are plenty of Alms on the way where you can stop off for a radler or two.
We were half pissed by the time we got to Schliersee. Good day out

ok, if your into mountains, join the alpenverein if you haven't done so already. you'll get dicounts and priority booking on beds in the huts and they do great courses etc. and as your a self confessed karwandel friend, there are a fair few you might like to use up there. i know a great four day route taking you over the range BTW. go to the alpenvereinservicestelle its right next to hbf where the c&a is. they can give tons of info, you can buy the maps, they have a library and have the weather reports and route conditions.

That's why I recommended a hike to a hut at the moment. Because you can check if they are open and if they are open there will usually be at least one accessible route to the hut and probably a fairly well trodden path in the snow from the hut to the closest summit. Theoretically the hut owners are also responsible (at least if it is a DAV hut) for giving out info too. I often phone huts and ask for info (in winter).

It's a dodgy time of year for hiking: I usually do one of my standards (which because I live in Wasserburg are all in the Chiemgauer Alpen and Berchtesgadener Alpen). Wet snow is dangerous and at best a pain in the ass to walk through.

Just heard on the radio that it could be up over 25deg on Sunday so that will accelerate the melt, but it will still take a few weeks before ANY summits are free, I reckon.

Concrete suggestions:
Baumgartenschneid:
http://www.dullinger-web.de/touren/voralpen/baumgarten.htm
Herzogstand (ring and check):
http://bergtouren.ilo.de/b.php?title=Herzogstand

French Bloke is well into hiking as well, he goes virtually every weekend. He doesn't post any more on the board, so if you want to get hold of hi for advice, i would recommend pming AquaticMeringue and asking him to get in touch. (Or you could go to the Sitar on wednesdays for a curry with them).

@[email=mysteryman]mysteryman[/email]

Damn! No "Gipfel-Glück" in sight? Thanks for the tips, I don't really like the idea of joining a "Verein" for this though. Does that mean I have to go off with these people? What I like about hiking is being mostly on your own.. no talking, just the sounds of nature. I would hate going off with a group of loud Germans talking to me in Bavarian the whole time (my primitive perhaps uninformed vision of being a member of the DAV). Sorry, I hope I am not being offensive, but each to his/her own, I cringe at the sound of this accent and the guys up in the mountains normally speak in a very thick Bavarian accent. Yikes! The Radler-Tour sounds like fun though. Maybe I'll do just that!

@[email=mysteryman]mysteryman[/email]

Thanks for the links! Great idea!
MB

dont worry you join the verein because its an interest group, not a social group. its up to you to take part in activities or not. what they do provide is automatic insuarnce for recovery (VERY IMPORTANT HELICOPTER COSTS!), a great variety of courses including high alpine etc, organised tours including mehrtagestouren with qualified guides which can be an advantage. cheap equipment hire. discounts and priority service in the huts. cheaper entrance to the kletteranlage in tahlkirchen. 10% discount at basecamp. and wat i feel is very important, your money goes towards keeping the mountains and its infrastructure pathways huts etc in good nick. so not only are you able to enjoy the mountains alone, but your helping to preserve the alps.

but you dont have to be a member to use the servicestelle!

Nope you should join the DAV. My wife is in it and keeps up her sub every year. Keeps the paths in good nick.

Just saw a report about that a few days back. The DAV were actually relying on a yearly grant from the government to maintain the paths and it's been cut this year. The DAV have said they will probably have to cut back to maintaining just the main paths with the hut owners maintaining their own and probably many of the others falling into disrepair. I'll see if I can find a source for the story.

expect to see major erosion then, if you love the mountains you realy should help keep them in a sustainable condition. its like any other enviromental discussion. some people just take. some people try to give.

I also read about the funding being cut for sustaining the paths. There was a small article in the "Munich" section of the SZ a couple of weeks ago. Another major bummer, I'm afraid. The local communities are expected to pay for the upkeep from now on, I very much doubt they will. But thanks for all your tips and info about the DAV, I will go there and get myself informed.. and otherwise keep a low profile.

My "local" hiking club (which was started by a guy from Leeds as it happens) recently became a section of the DAV and I've been thinking abut joining
becasue as Jeremy mentioned above they do maintain the paths etc etc and are suffering the cut backs in finance from the state government.

I have to concur though that the "Verein" thing terrifies me. I have twice turned up to go on group hikes and when I saw the crowd I literally ran away in the other direction!

I usually go hiking in Slovakia and have only done a little bit in Bavaria. Maybe I'd try out some of the huts here sometime, I love staying in remote huts!

it may be nice but climbing mountains on your own is downright dangerous and silly. This is how people die in the Alps. Really you should be a group of four people, three at the very least.

do it join mate! just the dicounts and the insurance are worth it! and the huts, which i've heard are now all non-smoking, are one of the best ways to spend a weekend i now of. no telly no radio no newspapers. fresh air and quiet.

@[email=grtho]grtho[/email]

I can fully understand your reaction when you saw the group. This verein-thingy is a very German thing indeed and I don't like the concept at all. But Gideon is making a point, sometimes one must bite into the sour apple. Safety first, believe me I've been in some hairy situations already out there in the mountains! Gideon's arguments make sense.

if you know what your doing have good equipment on you, and are ready for an emergency (first aid kit, rettungs decker and bivouac sack, water and food, whistle and flare and torch), if you've informed the hüttenwirt and signed in the book (always reserve your next destinations hut, they alarm the bergwacht if you dont turn up), if you've kept your handy charged (not switched on) and you know the drills. if you keep your common sense , you'll be fine. if your just doing a one dayer leave a note in the windscreen of your car where you're off to aswell.

dont forgot compass, map and the ability to use them. came down of the hochkönig in cloud once over the steineresmeer. was very happy that i was in control of every eventuality. great tour by the way you sleep at 2950 metres! waking up there was just fab!

I'm going for a hike in Garmisch tomorrow. I'll let you know aboot the snow height and conditions...

@[email=mysteryman]mysteryman[/email]
Hey MysteryMan,

did Bodenschneidhaus on the weekend, was great! Lovely views and good weather, thanks for the tip! Unfortunately the hut wasn't open. There are two huts, the other being the one on the Kreuzbergalm. Went up there afterwards, hoping to score a Radler or something. Bummer. Both were closed although a sign at the bottom claimed them to be open. Still a little bit of snow up there, but nothing dangerous.

Climbing mountains perhaps. Hiking in the mountains, nope.

DAV is an organisation with the right attitude. But if you want to join them in the hope of using their hut booking facilities then I'd think again. Huts tend to get booked up pretty early (particularly at weekends) sometimes by whole groups. That's why I quit again.

Looking at the mountains from a distance yesterday I did seem to be able to see a lot of white in there. This winter they had a lot of snow and some of it quite late and a couple of days of 20+ temps are not going to make an impression on the snow level. Not so good for hiking (pretty average for biking too).

@canuck Just mind those trees eh

It is good to have a mobile phone when you are hiking BUT:

1) The DAV think people are now more foolhardy becasue they think that in any difficulty they can just call the rescue service.

2) There are some places where your mobile just won't work. I witnessed an emergency last year near the top of Mt Rysy in Slovakia (it's the highest mountain in Poland with the border at the summit) and the people running the hut had to radio down to the valley to get a helicopter to airlift some stupid twat out who had climbed an icy rockface without any precaution and broken his leg.

Can I make a BIG Bergwacht slag off here?

I was once up Wendelstein and the bergwacht crew were rushing for the last train down. My ex and I were walking down the other side towards Sudelfeld. It was getting colder, misty and darker. We asked them the way and becasue they were in a rush to get to their train gave us the wrong directions!

There is nothing better than a night in a remote hut! A girlfriend and I almost got rained in at Mount Rysy last and we weren't going to be upset about it.

Point 1 is certainly true.

Take map and GPS and the ability to use both and you'll not get lost. At least not in the Alps.

Strange, they should have been... We were going to head there yesterday, but went somewhere new instead (http://www.dullinger-web.de/touren/chiemgau/spitzstein.htm). Encountered bits of snow in shaded areas and in the forest but the summit was free. What little was left was melting fast. Hopefully will stay like that.

As for mobiles: in the Bavarian and Austrian alps you are virtually certain of good reception on the summits. In the valleys it will be patchier.

In fact if you have a German SIM card then perversely coverage in Austria will be better than here because you can register with any provider

...continuing comment from above...bring snowshoes, you'll need'um. I wish I would've brought them??!!

@Jeeves: Thanks for the advice...I only hit 2 or 3 this time.

Hi,

I just started my internship in Munich. I would love to go hiking, have found some nice routes, but 'd rather not go all by myself. I do have experience in hiking, and alpine climbing also. Is there anyone who'd like to come? I enjoy a chat at the time, but like times of quit too.

Hello to you all,

read in the paper that there's still a lot of snow up there (1400 meters and higher) and that hiking season would therefore start a bit later than normally. The huts are still said to open begining of June. Have done two smaller hikes lately (one at Königssee and one near Kochelsee) and didn't come across any snow. There's some good weather coming up this week and am hoping to be able to enjoy it, I hope you do too.
The Major

In fact a LOT of snow has disappeared over the last couple of weeks. Still a fair amount on north-facing slopes but from what I could see on Saturday the snow line is generally more like 1800 metres now.

took the train to schliersee [1hr] and bus to spitzing [30mins] yesterday to do the rotwand hike. was a really beautiful and peaceful hike with nice views and a hut on top with delic food. full circle hike up and back around down to the sea took about 5 hours with a stop for lunch. recommended.

So, got another tip for you:

Beautiful landscapes? Beautiful views? Slightly lazy? Go to Thiersee in Austria and do the Pendling hike! Went up there on the weekend and was overwhelmed by the landscapes. The drive there by itself is already a recommendation. Turn off towards Kufstein after Bayrischzell and drive through a spectacular valley lined out with soft meadows, peaceful cows and lovely mountains. Just before reaching Thiersee itself, turn off right towards "Pendling" or "Gasthof Schneeberg". The small, easy 2 1/2 hour hike starts at the parking place. Read about it here, website unfortunately in German. Enjoy!

i see there are already recommendations for where to hike. this next week i have off of work and since the weather is supposed to be nice out still (thankfully!) i was hoping to go out once or twice for a good hike. any recommendations for day hikes? ones that are good for just people and people/dogs?
i'm intrested in ones that i could take the train to (and/or ones by car).
thanks! all suggestions are welcome- also any places for climbing (prob free climb since i dont have my gear w/ me)

I am also interested in hiking, and multi-day camping/backpacking hikes. I'm not interested in staying in any Hütte while camping either; I prefer to carry my tent. I haven't been hiking in Europe yet, but I'm used to the american West. If anyone else wants to go hiking in the alps in small groups (2-5), I would be interested.
That said, how would I got about joining the Verein? I've never really heard of anything like it elsewhere.

that could be a problem. afaik, "Wildzelten" or just pitching your tent where you fancy is illegal in Germany (and many other European countries). Asking a farmer is usually greeted with a gruff "Nein!" as they are afraid of you leaving a mess and disturbing their precious cows. And the alps aren't exactly known for the camp sites either.

Just to add to OG's point, the bits of the Alps near to Munich (ie within about an hour's train ride) tend to be very managed with well marked trails, cable cars, resteraunts on the tops etc. I find it a pretty stark contrast to the UK and the parts of the US I've visited: here the mountains are a going concern, developed to exploit tourist potential. It's fair enough - just different, and a bit unexpected the first time you visit.

Somewhere in this thread (or somewhere nearby) I mentioned that wildcamping in the alps is possible, but only if you do it as it should be done: pitching the tent after sundown in a quiet place then being gone at dawn, leaving no sign of your presence. In that case who's going to know? From what I've seen locally, finding remote places might be tricky.

When you get to the "proper" Alps, out West, bivving for climbing routes is possible. The majority of times I've done big routes out there I've stayed in huts though - for alpine ascents weight is key and being able to leave tent, stove, bedding roll, sleeping bag behind means that you can get up and down faster and safer (while keeping a bivi bag and down jacket in reserve, of course)