A hike to the Benediktenwand is not for half-shoe tourists. But those who tackle the ascent with the right equipment and fitness will be rewarded.
Benediktbeuern / Lenggries / Jachenau - A dark, wide rock wall that clearly towers above all other foothills on the edge of the Alps, breaks off with a short vertical wall to the east and sinks to the west in a crescent shape into the forest region: every mountain friend from Munich and the Oberland recognizes the striking silhouette the Benediktenwand from far out on the plain - regardless of whether you approach it from the Isarwinkel or the Blauer Land on the Loisach. This backdrop is beautiful for painting and really has something sublime: Even the fairy tale king Ludwig II was completely enraptured, as were the painters Franz Marc, Lovis Corinth, Carl Spitzweg and Franz von Kobell.
Generations of healthy, strong boys and girls aged twelve and over, accompanied by their parents who are enthusiastic about the mountains, penetrated the wild landscape of the Alps for the first time on this massif and were forever infected by the mountain virus. With a pounding heart they have had the exciting experience of how from a distance, seemingly insurmountable obstacles only reveal their secrets when approaching and allow the climb to always surprisingly slip through in the most pleasant way.
All paths are well signposted.
© Hans Staar
But one thing has to be said: you should be in good physical condition, be sure-footed and have a head for heights and be accompanied by an experienced guide if you want to climb this “Benewand” onto the roof for the first time. Many underestimate the length of the tour and also the dangers it poses when hard remains of old snow, slippery passages when wet or a sudden fall in the weather make the tour a serious undertaking. The mountain rescue service knows a thing or two about it.
There are numerous climbs to the Benediktenwand
There are numerous climbs to the Benediktenwand. The route suggested here is a delicacy for summit collectors and certainly the “alpine queen stage” in the Tölzer Land. It leads over the multi-peaked, long connecting ridge from Brauneck to Benediktenwand. Closer to the sky, you climb for hours over this ridge - on the left the forests and alpine pastures of the Jachenau, above on the horizon the light blue garb of the Karwendel and the Wetterstein Mountains, on the right the Alpine foothills formed by the Ice Age with the colorfully patterned patchwork of its cultural landscape - right in the middle of it all blue Eyes half a dozen lakes.
The summit in view: over the armpit heads it goes to the Benediktenwand.
© Hans Staar
But this connecting ridge is long. You should therefore start early and catch one of the first gondolas on the Brauneck in order to have enough time reserves for the equally long valley descent. Over the Stangeneck, the Kirchstein and the Latschenkopf it is still quite easy, but at the latest when you cross the Achselköpf (which can also be bypassed on the north side) and the east ascent to the Benediktenwand, the narrow Steiglein becomes more alpine. An agreement from the partially exposed path would immediately lead to a delicate crash site, which is why several serious accidents have already happened here.
A few wire ropes help you over the steepest passages, before after about four hours and a lot of up and down you finally stand on the mighty summit cross of the Benediktenwand, enjoy the impressive panoramic view and look at half the world at your feet with astonished children's eyes.
If you are lucky, you can also meet ibex on this tour. As a descent, we recommend the route over the upper west climb, the Peterer Alm and in the most charming way past the wild and romantic Glasbach waterfall through the valley of the Große Laine to the Jachenau, where there are inns and the deserved cyclist size tastes heavenly after this average of eight hours of exertion.
Info about the series
Because of the Corona crisis, people are increasingly avoiding trips abroad and taking vacation at home during the summer holidays. That is why we offer our readers tips for excursions on foot or by bike - even beyond the district boundaries.
Continue:
On film tracks through Bad Tölz
On a bat excursion in Benediktbeuern
Search for flowers by GPS on Brauneck
Rainer Bannier
