The striking mountain of the Untersberg (1,973 m) is a heavily karstified table mountain in the Berchtesgaden Alps. The Untersberg is the northernmost mountain range in the Alps and two thirds of it is in Upper Bavaria, one third is in Austrian state of Salzburg.
places
Valley location in Berchtesgadener Land (Upper Bavaria) are:
- Bad Reichenhall (472 m): Bavarian State Bath;
- Bayerisch Gmain (540 m), health resort and holiday resort near Bad Reichenhall;
- Bischofswiesen (610 m), winter sports and hiking.
- Marktschellenberg (480 m): holiday resort on the Untersberg.
Valley locations in State of Salzburg are:
- Salzburg, the capitalcity;
background
The Untersberg massif consists of the western summit, that is the 1 Berchtesgaden high throne (1,972 m) and the east-facing summit, that's the 2 Salzburg high throne(1,853 m). Between these two peaks is the high plateau, which slopes steeply to the south and east with up to 400 m high wall lines. In the north, parts similar to low mountain ranges connect to the Alpine foothills.
Other peaks on and on the Untersberg are Gamsalmkopf (1,888 m), Rauheck (1,892 m), Großer Heubergkopf (1,819 m), Geiereck (1,806 m, mountain station of the Untersbergbahn), Stuhlwand (1,850 m), Achenkopf (Gurrwand 1,568 m), Hirschangerkopf (1,768 m), Ochsenkopf (1,780 m), Hochtramel (1,840 m), Rauher Kopf (1,604 m) and Kneifelspitze (1,189 m).
The total area of the massif is approx. 70 km², the high plateau has an area of around eleven square kilometers and is between 1,500 m and 1,900 m above sea level.
In a document from Salzburg dated June 28, 1306, the Untersberg is as "Vndarnsperch" first documented in writing.
 Mountain panorama Untersberg summit / west view from the Berchtesgadener Hochthron, far left: Senke Königssee, then Watzmann (Woman, children, main summit), Wimbachgries valley, Hochkalter, Ramsau valley (around center), Reiteralm, Loferer and Leoganger to the right of the center of the image; |
geology
The Untersberg consists of Dachstein limestone in the upper area of the plateau, below is Ramsaudolomit as the base.
The Untersberg marble was already dismantled by the Romans and is used as a whitish to yellowish-reddish dense limestone in churches, palaces and sculptures (Salzburg Cathedral, Trinity Column in Vienna, Justice Palace in Munich, sarcophagus of the Chancellor and Prince Otto von Bismarck). Untersberg marble is still industrially quarried in two quarries on the northern slope of the Untersberg near Fürstenbrunn and Gröding (Salzburg).
bauxite (Raw material for aluminum production) was mined in a small deposit on the Untersberg until 1973.
caves
With more than 400 known and over 100 explored caves, the heavily karstified Untersberg is the mountain with the largest number of caves in the Berchtesgaden Alps. The most famous cave is the Schellenberger ice cave (accessible as a show cave since 1925) and the one that has been investigated since 2002 Giant thing shaft cave, with a previously known length of 13 kilometers and an explored depth of 1058 meters, it is the longest and deepest cave in Germany. Another large cave system is the Kolowrathöhle, which is accessible on guided tours.
The Untersberg at the Working group for cave research Bad Cannstatt e.V.
mythology
Even under the Celts, the Untersberg was ascribed a mythological significance. With the numerous mysterious caves and a distinctive Wetterberg in front of the other Alps, there are plenty of myths and legends about the Untersberg.
According to the most famous legend, the entire court of Charlemagne is said to live in the caves. Also at Haberfeldtreib, that is a kind of people's justice that is at home in Upper Bavaria, the charges are brought by the Haberfeldmeister in the name of "Kaiser Karl im Untersberg".
Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa is also said to sleep with his troops in a cave in Untersberg and only wake up once every hundred years. If he then sees that the ravens are still flying around the mountain, he will sleep on for another century because there is no need in the empire. He is taken care of by the "Untersberger Mandln", who are dwarf-like figures who are loyal to the emperor.
The "Wild Hunt from Untersberg" (the Wild Gjoad) is an ancient, probably still pagan custom of the region as a nightly "ghost train": On the evening of the 2nd Thursday in Advent, a procession of twelve wild figures from the legendary world of Unterberg is on its way.
language
getting there
- By car
- The supraregional approach by road is via the German A8 Munich – Salzburg autobahn, Bad Reichenhall exit, and the Austrian Tauern autobahn (A10), Salzburg Süd exit. Regional approach from Berchtesgaden to the Austrian side on the B305 Marktschellenberg as well as on the German side via the B20 to Bad Reichenhall.
- By bus
- The RVO line 840 runs between Berchtesgaden and Salzburg; Exits between Marktschellenberg and St. Leonhard.
- By train
- Train stations are in Salzburg and in Bad Reichenhall.
mobility
On the Salzburg side is the Untersberg which opened in 1961 Untersberg cable car from St. Leonhard (at Grödig) on the Geiereck (1,806 m) almost to the summit of the neighboring Salzburg high throne (1,853 m).
Tourist Attractions
- In Marktschellenberg the Almbach Gorge and the Schellenberger ice cave;
activities
General remarks on Mountain hiking and mountaineering and behavior in the mountains:Rockclimbing.
Mountain hiking
On the Untersberg alone since the end of the war, depending on the source, allegedly around 40 people have disappeared. In 2004 a missing Munich couple with their companion friend hit the headlines of the media. However, there are no officially kept statistics on the missing person rate.
The numerous sinkholes in the karst area are a real hazard for hikers away from the main hiking routes. In these sinkholes as natural, mostly funnel-shaped collapses or hollows over collapsed cave systems, the snow from last winter often lingers into early summer. Walking on these shed areas is therefore objectively dangerous.
Stöhr way
The Stöhr Weg is the normal ascent on the 1 Berchtesgadener Hochthron (1,972 m). One of several starting points is e.g. the hiking car park Bischofswiesen-Winkl (approx. 650 m) with the start of the tour on the Maximilinansweg bridle path. The further ascent then leads over a total of approx. 16 km route length at around 1300 mH altitude and in approx. Three and a half to four hours to the highest peak of the Untersberg. The base is that Stöhrhaus, about half an hour before the summit.
In terms of character, it is a not too difficult, but quite long mountain hike on shady farm roads in the lower part and unshaded and also steep mountain climbing in the upper part.
Climb
The Untersberg has numerous climbing routes in all levels of difficulty.
- Hochthron via ferrata, 2007 East face of the Berchtesgadener Hochthron opened: The modern sport via ferrata leads with the via ferrata degrees of difficulty C and D and without emergency exits through the always at least steep and often even vertical wall. Total ascent time approx. 3.0 hours;
- Exit from the Ettenberg car park, 3.0 hours to the entrance at an altitude of 1580 m, exit at the Störhaus (1894 m).
kitchen
- Hochalm on the Untersberg (almost directly at the mountain station of the Untersberg cable car). Tel.: 43 (0)662 62 86 74.
accommodation
List of mountain huts of the German Alpine Club (DAV) and des Austrian Alpine Club (OeAV) as well as private huts for hikers and mountaineers. The huts are only managed in the summer season, due to the high occupancy by hikers and mountaineers, a reservation in advance and especially on the weekends is generally advisable.
- 1 Stöhrhaus ((1894 m) DAV Berchtesgaden), Stöhrhaus am Untersberg, 83471 Berchtesgaden (west below the Berchtesgaden high throne). Tel.: 49 (0)8652-7233 (In the season), 49 (0)8657-983933 (otherwise). Open: Open from mid-May to mid-October.
- Furnishing: 16 beds in the dormitory, 42 dormitories with mattresses; Cell phone reception in front of the hut, no showers. The water supply in the karst region comes from scarce rainwater collected in cisterns.
- Approach from Hintergern (790 m) via Stöhrweg 3h. From Winkl (685 m) via Reisenkaser 3 1/2 hours. Via Bischofswiesen / Winkl, Zehnkaser 3 1/2 hours. From the mountain hut to the Berchtesgadener Hochthron (1972 m) it is only about 15 minutes.
- 2 Toni Lenz Hut (1,450 m) (Schellenberger ice cave hut, Association for Speleology), Florianigasse 2, 83395 Freilassing (near the Schellenberger ice cave). Tel.: 49 (0)151 119 877 40. Open: mid-May to the end of October.
- Furnishing: 8 beds;
- Approach from Marktschellenberg (D) approx. 3 hours. From Grödig (A) with the Untersbergbahn and approx. 2 hours on foot.
- 3 Zeppezauerhaus (1,663 m) (OeAV Salzburg section) (below the Geiereck on the north side of the Untersberg). Tel.: 43 (0)662 629862. Open: beginning of May to mid-October.
- Furnishing: 13 dormitories, 43 dormitories for mattresses;
- Approach from Glanegg, Untere Rositten car park via Dopplersteig 3 1/2 hours, via Reitsteig 3 hours: 10 min descent from the Untersbergbahn mountain station.
climate
For general information on the climate, see the appropriate section in the article on the Berchtesgaden Alps.
Because of its isolated position in front of the other Alpine mountains, the Untersberg is notorious for rapidly gathering fog and thunderstorms and because of the very difficult orientation on the mountain plateau overgrown with mountain pines and free of special landmarks.
The months from late May to mid-October are considered the best time for hiking.
- Alpine Club - Weather service;
- Avalanche warning service for Bavaria.
- Avalanche warning service for Austria
literature
- : Stones of Power - The time corridors in the Untersberg. Novelty, 2010, ISBN 9783990035108 ; 225 pages. € 18.40, novel
- : Untersberg stories - border crossings - gangways. Salzburg: Blow, 2012, ISBN 978-3702506698 ; 159 pages. 25.- €, mountain stories
cards
- German Alpine Club (DAV) (Ed.): Alpine Club Card BY 22, Berchtesgaden, Untersberg; Path and ski routes 1: 25,000. 2008, ISBN 978-3-937530-26-0 . 9,80 €.
Web links
- The Untersberg in SalzburgWiki;
- Berchtesgadener and Salzburger Hüttenwirt e.V .: www.huettenwirte.com;
- The Untersberg at www.untersberg.net (University of Salzburg, Department of Regional and Applied Geology)
