Snowy Setzberg
Hi! My name is Mykola and I like getting myself into situations that normal people would avoid. This time I decided to hike in the mountains after heavy snowfall for the last few days. The destination was Setzberg (1706 m) - quite a popular peak in the Tegernsee area. Since I've explored Wallberg (1722 m) on the same ridge and had Risserkogel (1826 m) on my list for a while, I decided to continue covering the ridge and hike from Kreuth to Rottach-Egern via Setzberg (1706 m). Although I gathered some people to join me, in the end, they all bailed out, so I had to do it solo.
I took one of the earlier trains to Tegernsee and started the hike from Kreuth around 8:30. It was a bit concerning that I was the only passenger in the bus, but with many people going skiing in the area, I already presumed that I won't see as many hikers as usual.
The trail started with a gentle ascent through the forest. The snow was quite deep, up to my knees in most places, but the trail was well-marked and easy to follow. I got a glimpse of the Blauberge ridge, which I had hiked a few months ago.
At some point, I reached a wider road leading up, marked as Setzbergweg on the map. The snow was fully cleared here, making the section much easier to hike. Although the area is heavily forested, there were occasional gaps in the trees that allowed me to see Leonhardstein (1452 m) and Buchstein (1701 m), which I visited before. Little did I know that it would be the last time I would see any views that day. I also saw Hirschberg (1670 m), which I had visited with DAAD in the past.
After reaching some huts along the way, the road stopped being cleared, and I had to trudge through deep snow again. It was knee- to waist-deep and quite tiring. Thankfully, I was still following the gravel road, so navigation was not an issue.
After a while, the road ended, and I had to continue on a narrow trail that led up to the summit. I'm saying the trail was narrow, but in reality, I had no way of knowing where it was, as the snow completely covered it. I just kept going upwards, trying to follow my GPS route. At some points, the slope was quite steep and filled with small rocky drops, which made the ascent tricky. I could use my hands, of course, but that would make me freeze faster in the -10°C weather.
Still, I realized that my goal was to reach the saddle, the highest elevation point going up from where I was. Thus, I kept pushing myself upwards, trying to remain roughly on the right path. At one point, I noticed my phone missing from my pocket. I had to stop and use the "Find my device" feature from my smartwatch to locate it. Thankfully, it was just a few meters back where I had taken off my gloves to check the GPS route. I quickly retrieved it and put it back in my pocket, hoping it wouldn't have suffered any damage from the cold and moist snow. You can see the dip in speed on my GPS track where the phone was missing on my Strava activity.
After some more climbing, I finally reached the saddle and saw the tiny shelter with a map of the local area. I was extremely happy to be there, as it meant that the hardest part of the hike was over. From there, it was just a short climb to the summit of Setzberg (1706 m) and a descent to Rottach-Egern. Unfortunately, I severely underestimated this climb.
The ridge path, referred to as the Alpine Nature Trail (Alpenlehrpfad) on the map, was covered in waist- to chest-deep snow because of the wind and the exposed sections. Ever since Kreuth I had not seen a single footprint on the trail, so I had to break the trail myself. Each step was a struggle, and I had to take frequent breaks to catch my breath. The wind was also quite strong, making the conditions even more challenging.
After what felt like an eternity, I finally reached the opening near the summit of Setzberg (1706 m). It felt like a small victory, the last push before the peak. As I kept going, I saw ski tracks in the snow, indicating that I wasn't the only one who had braved the conditions that day.
Finally, I saw 3 new skiiers making their way down a few meters ahead of me, which made me feel relieved. I wasn't alone in this adventure! I quickly made my way to the top, seing 4 more people and a dog resting there. I asked them about the conditions on the way down to Wallberghaus, and they confirmed that in some places, the snow was still quite deep, but it was manageable. They also advised me to follow the ski tracks, as they would lead me down more easily.
I thanked them, took some photos of the nearby peaks covered in clouds, and started my descent. They were right - the snow was waist-deep, but following the ski tracks made it much easier. I was able to stand on the packed snow in some spots, which gave me a much-needed break from the deep snow. Tons of cross-country skiers went by me on their way to the top, which was quite refreshing after being alone for the whole hike so far.
Eventually, I reached the open side of the mountain, exposed to the strong winter winds. Although it wasn't pleasant, the wind helped to blow away most of the snow, making the descent a piece of cake. I quickly made my way down to Wallberghaus, considering to stop for a hot drink, but I was eager to finish the hike.
I joined a random group of hikers with dogs going down from Wallberg (1722 m) back to Tegernsee, following the well-trodden trail. The snow was much shallower and packed by tons of boots, skis and sledges. After an uneventful descent, I reached the bottom station of the cable car and walked towards a nice cafe in Rottach-Egern to warm up and have some food.
Overall, I can see this hike being really popular and enjoyable in normal conditions, with great views from the summit and along the ridge. It's listed as T2 on hoehenrausch.de. However, the heavy snowfall made it quite challenging, and I had to rely on my navigation skills and physical endurance to complete the hike. If you plan to do this hike in winter conditions, make sure to check the weather forecast, bring appropriate gear, and be prepared for deep snow and strong winds.