German Hill and Mountain Hikes

GERMAN HILL AND MOUNTAIN HIKING

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck

Start: Osterfelder 2033m, Finish:Kreuzeck 1650m

Highest point: Alpspitze Nordwandsteig, circa 2200m

Distance: circa 12 kms

Weather: warm and mainly sunny

Vertical altitude gain: circa 400m

Time: 6 hrs

Alpspitze

My plan for the trip was to counter the heat and at times high humidity by only hiking on alternate days. Taking a full rest day in between. But for the only day of the trip the previous evening had not seen a thunderstorm, allowing a wonderfully clear morning on Saturday 24th June.

No way was I going to sit that one out all day!

So two local buses saw me at the Alpspitzbahn cable car station for the first car to Osterfelderkopf. Of the 50 or so people in the 80 person capacity car, (no seats, standing only), maybe 75% were out for serious hiking or climbing on the Alpspitze. And I was to join in by crossing the Nordwandsteig to Bernadeinspitze.

24th June hike continued

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.

Alpspitze Nordwandsteig

Stepping out of the cable car saw a large part of the Norwandsteig route in front. Starting with the track at bottom right and heading over a short secured section to the right of the rock standing on it's end. And at this height of over 2,000m there were still significant amounts of snow left from the long and severe winter.

24th June hike continued

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.

A wire cable and a rung helped me up through that first secured section. With the right hand photo looking back down onto the snow at the foot of those rocks. 24th June hike continued

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.

Alpspitze Nordwandsteig

That effort got me onto the track that led onto the rest of the Norwandsteig, now bathed in warm sunshine.
24th June hike continued

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.

Alpspitze Nordwandsteig

And soon across the first snowy section as the track went down to the famous Nordwandsteig tunnel.
24th June hike continued

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.

Alpspitze Nordwandsteig

The track runs across the bottom of the photo and then up a small ladder, before finding it's way up the rock faces to where those in front of me can just be seen against the skyline around a third of the way in from the left.
24th June hike continued

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.

Alpspitze Nordwandsteig

The steep climb comprised some exposed parts on loose rocks, overlooking the track from Hochalm to Osterfelderkopf.
24th June hike continued

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.

Alpspitze Nordwandsteig

And also a section with rungs and a ladder to make height quickly over smoother rock.
24th June hike continued

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.

Then the track was along ledges and up cable secured gullies. 24th June hike continued

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.

Alpspitze Nordwandsteig

All the time with a superb view below and to the North West.
24th June hike continued

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.

Another steep cable assisted gulley, then onto a ledge that turned to the South under the Alpspitze Oberkar. 24th June hike continued

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.

Alpspitze Nordwandsteig

A short pause on the ledge to look down below to Osterfelderkopf and beyond.
24th June hike continued

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.

Alpspitze Nordwandsteig

And down to Hochalm, Kreuzeck and a hazy Garmisch-Partenkirchen in the distance.
24th June hike continued

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.

Alpspitze Nordwandsteig

The route under the Oberkar and towards the East ridge that I will have to follow when I attempt to summit the Alpspitze involves these two ladders to climb a steep rock face. Leaving some of my kit behind I did climb the first one, but tiredness and vertigo kicking in meant I decided my "Rest Day" walk had probably seen enough excitement!
24th June hike continued

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.

Bernadeinspitze

So I climbed back down and looked across at the Bernadeinspitze which was my chosen summit for the day.
24th June hike continued

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.

View from Schöngange

Walking across the edge of the snowfield on top of the Schöngange wall the view North was superb.
24th June hike continued

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.

A last slog up to the summit cross of the Bernadeinspitze as the clouds rolled in across the Alpspitze, but still leaving a clear view back down over Hochalm, Kreuzeck and further North. 24th June hike continued

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.

View from Schöngange towards hikers on Alpspitze snow field

But the main snowfields were between the East ridge and the Oberkar on the Alpspitze, being crossed by this group heading towards the East ridge summit route.
24th June hike continued

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.

View from Schöngange towards the Partenkirchner Dreitorspitze

To the East the view was hazy, but the Partenkirchner Dreitorspitze still stood out clearly.
24th June hike continued

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.

I left the Bernadeinspitze summit and headed in an Easterly direction as my planned route was on the stony track that passed the Stuibensee and then dropped down to the Bernadeinsteig at around 1500m.

After a fairly level section to start with the track dropped very steeply down a gulley on the edge of a small cliff, with a superb view of the small Stuibensee below and the Hoher Gaif behind.

I had walked this route in October 2005, but was very happy to be on it again. The Nordwandsteig across the Alpspitze and the lovely mountain scenery viewed from over 2,000m makes it a real favourite of mine. Busy at the start today as all the others from the cable car up went their various ways, but as before, very quiet once I was well into the walk.

It is a walk I am sure I will plan to do again before too long!

24th June hike continued

Stuibensee and Hoher Gaif

24th June: Osterfelderkopf - Alpspitze Nordwandsteig - Bernadeinspitze - Stuibensee - Kreuzeck cont.
It was a hot afternoon, (circa 30 degrees in the valley), and as I descended I walked into the warmer conditions. Nearing Kreuzeck, (with the Bernadeinsteig visible lower right), I had a great view East to the Wettersteingebirge. A view soon to disappear as the day's inevitable thunderstorm gathered pace!
June 2006 Trip Index	Back to Main Index