The Achenpass connects the Achental with the Tegernsee valley. A piece below the pass begins a wild and romantic hike to the Hochalm summit.
In the distance there is a cloud of dust that is slowly approaching. Columns of horse-drawn wagons rumble noisily through morass and potholes over the Achenpass ...
The pass connects the Achental with the Tegernsee valley
The transition has been used by passing traders since the Bronze Age. But it wasn't until 1495 that the bumpy mule track began to be turned into a driveway. In the course of time, a few fortifications were built along the pass on the border between Bavaria and Tyrol , where guards checked travelers day and night. Around 1809 one of the most important military transit routes of the Bavarian Army then led over the pass that connects the Achental with the Tegernsee valley.
Quaint inn in the former glassworks
A little below the pass is the small village of Glashütte. Tegernsee monks operated a glass distillery here from 1690. Unfortunately, eight years later, the whole complex went up in flames and was completely destroyed. In the same year, Balthasar Werkmeister, an employee of the burned down glassworks, had to pour barley juice instead of burning glass. When he, the landlord of the first inn in Glashütte , received beer dispensing rights. The rustic inn is still flourishing today. Not far from the glassworks directly on the top of the pass (941 meters) you come across a few scattered houses, the hamlet of Stuben. A wild and romantic hike to the Hochalm summit begins here.
Small streams and a light-flooded forest
However, the alpine buildings themselves have fallen into disrepair for many years, only a few remains of the wall and a handsome summit cross remain. After just a few meters of ascent, the Achenkirchen mountain colossus Juifen appears in the background and the uneven team of Roßstein and Buchstein in the north . You only touch the forest road for a short time, mostly you hike on forest paths that meander up and down a slope . You never know exactly what to expect around the next bend. Above all, it is the many small streams that provide variety in the light-flooded forest . Sometimes it's a short descent on stepped crags, sometimes a big step is enough. Or you can climb a meter over chapped stones to overcome the weakest part of a stream.
The view from the summit leaves nothing to be desired
Although the path is not difficult, you need a surefootedness and a cautious step if it is icy. From time to time you also cross steep grass slopes from which, if snow should fall again, small avalanches could slide down under unfavorable conditions. Before starting, you should therefore find out about the situation on site. The alpine meadows at the picturesque Mitterhütte at 1276 meters are simply beautiful and with great views . From there it is not far to the meadow summit. The view from the summit leaves nothing to be desired : the eye wanders from the Benediktenwand over the snow-covered Wetterstein Mountains and over the Karwendel range to the Rofan . In addition to the many well-known mountain destinations, you can also discover some unknown, wooded peaks in the vicinity . There is the Saurüsselkopf, the Stacheleck, the Brünstlahnerkopf or the Ant head. Some of them don't sound very inviting, maybe that's why there is no way up? Our descent, however, is a real pleasure. Thanks to the moderate incline and the skilful route, you come back to the Achenpass completely relaxed.
By Doris Neumayr
HOCHALM (1428 METER)
DIRECTIONS - By car: Autobahn A 8 Munich - Salzburg exit Holzkirchen. On the B 318 towards Tegernsee. In Rottach-Egern on the B 307 via Kreuth towards Achenpass. In the hamlet of Stuben am Achenpass, turn left onto the hiking car park (941 m). Train / bus: BOB to Tegernsee, with RVO 9550 to the “Kreuth Stuben” stop (Info: www.bahn.de).
TOUR - ascent approx. 1½ hours, descent approx. 1½ hours, 500 m ascent, 3.5 km easy. Mostly forest paths, easy hikes, doable all year round, only not recommended after fresh snow and high snowfall. Beware of icing - note the local avalanche situation, info: www.lawinenwarn dienst-bayern.de; Tel .: 089/92 14 12 10. Course: From the hiking car park, walk back almost 100 m along the roadside (towards Kreuth).
At the signpost "Hoch-Alm" you climb a path to the left along a wooden fence. After a grassy hill, cross a forest path and follow the signposted hiking trail uphill through sparse forest. Soon you meet the forest path again and hike up it for a short time. Then a marked hiking trail branches off to the right (white-red-white). Now in a slight up and down over many ditches along a sparsely wooded slope. After a good 1.5 hours you climb a little steeper over alpine meadows next to the Mitterhütte (1276 meters - not serviced). Immediately afterwards you stand on a free meadow saddle with a sign tree. Here one pulls to the right over a root path through a small wooded area further upwards. After a short, steep upswing, the wide, slightly hilly summit meadow is reached. On the western edge of the meadow is the summit cross at 1428 meters. The descent follows the same route.
ENTRANCE - Gasthof Glashütte, non-stop hot meals from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m., closed on Mondays and Tuesdays . Address: Glashütte 28, 83708 Kreuth. Tel .: 0 80 29/569; Internet: www.gasthof-glashuette-kreuth.de
MAP - Kompass-Karte 8, Tegernsee-Schliersee, or Amtl. Austrian map Achenkirch 88, 1:50 000.