Not a weekend goes by without Munich residents fleeing the city to breathe in the mountain air. In the cold season, the mountains are very popular, not least because of the winter sports opportunities they offer, whether it’s tobogganing on the Blomberg or skiing in Brauneck. But hiking is also very popular, and city dwellers regularly follow the call of the mountains. However, they tend to overlook one particular example and miss out on a breathtaking panoramic view beyond the state borders.
The unknown number two
Photo: Unknown/Wikimedia Commons
Every child knows that the Zugspitze is Germany’s highest mountain. However, when it comes to the second highest mountain, many mistakenly name the Watzmann in the Berchtesgadener Land. At 2,713 meters, however, it is 31 meters shorter than the actual number two. The Hochwanner reaches a height of 2,744 meters and is located in the Wetterstein Mountains near Mittenwald, directly on the border with Austria near Garmisch-Patenkirchen. This makes it not only the second highest mountain in Germany, but also the highest peak in the Tyrolean municipality of Leutasch.
One reason why the Hochwanner is so unknown is its difficult accessibility. To the north, it has a 1,400-meter steep rock face, which is a spectacular sight. It is also obscured by the Alpspitze and Höllentalspitze, so it remains under the radar. Nevertheless, you can climb the Hochwanner and look forward to a long tour without the crowds that are common on other mountains in the Wetterstein Mountains.
Climbing the Hochwanner
Photo: Tom Hofer/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
There are several ways to climb the Hochwanner. The easiest is from the south, from Austria. You can take the train to Seefeld and then continue by bus to Leutasch. Alternatively, you can come by car and park at the Salzbach car park in the Gaistal valley. From here, take the Adlerweg trail into the forest and then turn left onto the Ganghoferweg trail. Via the Mitteljöchl, you will reach a pathless meadow and from there a scree field. You will have to scramble a little, but you don’t need to climb on this tour.
The ascent is challenging, requires sure-footedness and stamina, but is manageable. It takes about four to five hours to reach the summit cross. The descent is a little faster, taking three to four hours. You will cover 19 kilometers in one day on sparsely marked trails, if any. There are no huts or alpine pastures to stop at along the route.
If you like a challenge, you can approach the summit of the Hochwanner from the north and climb up the rock face. From the Reintalangerhütte, you can conquer the 1,400-meter-high north face, which requires climbing experience. The tour takes between seven and fifteen hours, but you will be rewarded with a breathtaking panorama at the summit. You can see the Zugspitze, the Jubiläumsgrat, the Alpspitze, the Mieminger chain, and the Gaistal.