Alpine Crossing

Bavaria, North & South Tyrol

Allow me to introduce my nine-member Alpine Main Ridge crossing team!!!

Our motto: From rain to sunshine, we got into everything…in the end, a rainbow, we managed it very well despite the weather capers;

Or as Gudi said: Nothing can kill us anymore after this tour. We know that we can handle rain too. She’s right… 🙂

We all met at the Gmund train station on the Tegernsee. Some arrived by car, others by train. Our suitcases were quickly stowed in the luggage transport car and we were ready to go. On the Tegernsee Höhenweg we went along the eastern shore to the Tegernsee Bräustüberl where we celebrated our very first stop. From pork knuckles to Kaiserschmarrn, apple slices and home-brewed beer or coffee, the stop left nothing to be desired.

From there we crossed with the ship to Rottach-Egern and then hiked along the Weißach to Kreuth to our second stop at the restaurant/café Göttfried.

Here we were picked up at 4:00 PM and went to the Hotel Jäger von Fall. Great hotel directly on the Silvensteinspeichersee.

The next day promised a lot of precipitation again, so we decided to tackle the Lerchkogel. From the hotel, we first took the car along the long Ziehweg to the entrance to the hiking trail up towards Lerchkogel. There it became really exciting and adventurous, as the rain suddenly took its course in full swing and Petra stepped into a swamp hole in front of me. The poor Petra was standing in the moor up to her knees, but luckily nothing happened. 🙂

Dietrich also slipped a little, but everything went smoothly here too.

For weather-related reasons, we decided not to climb to the summit, but used the beautiful forest road to start the way home.

We were able to admire beautiful alpine flowers, butterflies and alpine salamanders (Salamandra atra) along the way before we reached the hotel together again.

We made a short stop for coffee and cake before taking the bus to Hinteriss to our next Hotel Post. There, the guests were greeted by a spa area beyond compare. A beautiful, large swimming pool and sauna area with a view of the wildly romantic landscape made the hearts of my guests beat faster. While some went to the sauna and swim, others hit the hay. 🙂

Afterwards we continued to Pertisau to the dock where Dietrich already greeted us beaming. He preferred to continue elegantly by ship. Bravooo dear Dietrich. You bravely made it to the Goasalm!

In Pertisau we continued with our shuttles over the Inn Valley into the beautiful Zillertal. The Zillertal, known for its Zillertal beer and its Gaudafest, finally showed itself with a little sunshine, at least the next day, when we took the Spieljochbahn up to start our hike to Hochfügen.

Before that, however, we enjoyed another night in the beautiful Hotel Schiestl in Fügen, where all guests were more than thrilled, especially with the delicious food at the evening buffet.

The Schlegeis reservoir sits at an altitude of 1782 meters above sea level and covers an area of approximately 2 square kilometers in the rear Zillertal. The dam, a remarkable example of engineering, stretches over a length of 725 meters and reaches a considerable height of 131 meters. This arch-gravity dam impresses not only with its imposing presence, but also with its elegant design and perfect integration into the surrounding mountain landscape.

The Schlegeis Reservoir fulfills an important dual function: sustainable energy generation and flood protection. The clear, cold water, fed by precipitation, meltwater from glaciers and mountain lakes, is channeled through the Roßhag power plant to generate clean and environmentally friendly electricity. This process makes it possible to balance peak loads in the power grid and use renewable energy.

The Schlegeis Reservoir is not only an important power plant, but also a popular tourist destination. Hiking trails offer adventurous people the opportunity to explore the impressive dam up close. The breathtaking views of the lake and the surrounding peaks are a true pleasure for nature lovers and photographers.

From there we started on foot to the actual Alpine crossing. We hiked through the beautiful valley to the end of the valley where it went up towards the South Tyrolean border. Before that, we paused at the Lavitzalm where a small museum can also be visited. In this museum, the former smuggling routes are explained and brought closer to you.

Now followed the ascent to the actual crossing. However, more and more dark clouds were gathering and we had to hurry to avoid getting into a storm. It was already thundering, but the Pfitscherjochhaus was getting closer and closer and the weather finally seemed to calm down again.

On the last day of hiking, Petrus showed us again what misdeeds he was capable of. But we are now hardened and a little rain could not stop most of the team from hiking the 19 km to Sterzing on foot. Only three guests did not want to get to Sterzing on the muddy paths and got into the bus elegantly and with their heads held high.

The rest hiked with me to the Hotel Sterzinger Moos where our exciting Alpine crossing found its crowning conclusion.

In the evening we all cheered again beaming and the next morning we took the shuttle back to the Tegernsee.

A heartfelt “Vergelt’s Gott” to my 9 fantastic travel participants/innen, you were absolutely top-notch. Many thanks also for your lovely Nikolosocken, I was very happy about it. 🙂

I wish all my guests many more great hikes on Madeira, for Sabine and Jens, an unforgettable sailing trip, for Dietrich and Wolfi, an exciting men’s trip for Stefan and his colleagues at the Zahmer Kaiser, Charlotti an inspiring short trip to Hamburg, Brian an unforgettable time in Hawaii, Gudrun the best time with her grandchildren, and Petra, who is on vacation again in October and is still considering.