Watzmann Crossing

Popular, panoramic hiking trail in the Berchtesgaden National Park, Bavaria. Caution: Only for experienced mountaineers: The Watzmann crossing is partly high alpine. This multi-peak ridge route requires excellent physical condition and the use of a helmet and climbing harness/rope for safety due to the high exposure and danger of falling rocks. The challenging traverse leads over Hocheck, Mittelspitze (2,713 m / 8,901 ft) and Südspitze and includes long, sustained climbing passages in UIAA grade I-II as well as secured via ferrata sections high above the valley floor. The Watzmann is often referred to as Germany's mountain of destiny and is shrouded in local legends, which say that an evil king and his family were transformed into the mountain's distinctive jagged peaks. The route starts at the parking lot at the Wimbachbrücke bridge (fee required) to the east of Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden. The route is feasible as a day tour, but there is also the option of making a somewhat more leisurely tour out of it by including an overnight stay in a hut. At 2,713 m, the Watzmann is the second highest mountain in Germany and overlooks the Alps from the Berchtesgaden National Park. The route starts with a strenuous climb up the east face to the Watzmannhaus, where you can spend the night if you wish. The route then continues past the Hocheck, Mittelspitze and Südspitze peaks to the Wimbachgrieshütte (open seasonally). Following the Wimbachweg to the north, the route reaches a river that leads back to the starting point. Highlights of the hike: - Magnificent views - Watzmann - Adventurous route