Classic Rotwand Experience

After my last trip to Roßkopf (1579 m), I was excited to explore the other ridges in the Spitzingsee area. Since I've been to Aiplspitz (1759 m), which is part of the greater mountain ridge near Raukopf (1691 m), taking on more peaks from this ridge seemed like the logical next step. Rotwand (1884 m) was the highest, so I went with it, inspired by AllTrails.

The hike started off nice with good weather and a tiny layer of snow on the hillside. Immediately after leaving the bus, I was greeted with a view of Bodenschneid (1669 m) across the lake. I rushed uphill overtaking the other tourists, trying to reach the cooler scenery.

By the time I reached Schönfeldhütte (1410 m) and saw the view of Jägerkamp (1746 m) that I visited in the past, the ground turned all wet and muddy. With the hikers constantly taking the same trails, the mud spots were getting bigger by the minute. I looked up and saw Berggaststätte Panoramablick (1613 m), the cable car restaurant that most of the elderly hikers were targeting.

I skipped Taubenstein (1693 m) because I already started to feel tired and wanted to at least get to my destination. It was nice seeing all the families enjoying the nature, covered with more and more snow as I kept going. After passing the Kirchstein saddle, I saw Rotwandhaus (1737 m) in the distance. That's when I knew my destination was right around the corner!

The last few bits of the road were easy, with a tiny climb up the rock that marks the peak of Rotwand (1884 m). The view was amazing, with the snow-covered hills and the surrounding summits in full glory. I saw Auerspitz (1811 m) to the south-east, which I plan to visit soon. To the north-east, I saw Hochmiesing (1883 m) and the Großtiefental-Alm (1500 m) hut. There was also Dürrmiesing (1863 m), but there seems to be no official trail towards it.

I then went back down to Rotwandhaus (1737 m) and saw a panorama of the surrounding valley with Hinteres Sonnwendjoch (1986 m) in the distance. Those mountains look amazing, although I don't have a good idea of how to get there. Well, this is a problem for future me to tackle! For now, getting scared of the restaurant prices, I skipped the meal inside and headed to Spitzingsee. The rest of the trip was uneventful. I just followed the wide dirt road used to deliver food to the hut, then took the bus and train to Munich.

I'd say this is a very good route for medium-level hikers. It is slightly longer and higher than what many tourists are used to, but the well-kept path and the views definitely make up for it. And since it's the highest peak on the ridge, the sense of accomplishment is also great!