Bridging Countries via Trainsjoch
After a long discussion about where to go for the next hike, Stanislav and Bohdan settled on Trainsjoch (1707 m). I was rock climbing in a gym at the time of discussion, so I didn't have much say in the matter. The plan was to start in Kiefersfelden and hike up to Trainsjoch (1707 m) via the pathway in the valley between the ridges.
I was tempted to go on a similar hike ever since my trip to Großer Traithen (1852 m) in January 2025, as I had seen Trainsjoch (1707 m) from the summit and wanted to explore it further. Still, I didn't expect to go there so soon and in winter of all times!
Regardless of my worries, we set off early in the morning and quickly arrived at Paradis. We were walking along the Kieferbach river, seeing some beautiful frozen waterfalls and ice formations along the way.
We also saw a cool water mill, which looked to be still operational, if it wasn't for all the ice on it. After the mill, we continued up the trail and quickly reached Untere Gießenbachklamm, a narrow gorge with steep walls and tons of tiny waterfalls. The trail was closed, but many hikers, including us, were ignoring the signs and continuing up the gorge. The ice formations were stunning, and we took our time to admire them and take photos.
After exiting the gorge, we crossed a beautiful wooden bridge over the river and continued up the trail. The road was really wide and easy to follow. There was snow and ice on the ground, but it wasn't too deep, nothing compared to my Setzberg (1706 m) hike last week.
After passing through the forested area and reaching the hills of Oberaudorfer Alm (1120 m), we noticed a big cluster of hot air balloons in the direction of Walchsee. It was a beautiful sight, and we managed to see them for a while as we continued up the trail. For just 290 Euro you can take a ride in one of those balloons too! We also took a break at the Alm for some snacks and drinks, enjoying the view of the surrounding mountains.
As we reached the border between Landkreis Miesbach and Bayrischzell, the route became significantly more challenging. There was a pair of footsteps following the trail to the summit, but it eventually stopped, as the person changed their mind and turned back. We climbed over a few fallen trees and walked over pine needles and snow, so turning around wasn't on our menu.
Fueled by determination after seeing a signpost, we pushed on towards the peak. As there was no marked trail ahead of us, we decided to take the straight way up the slope, taking a "shortcut" through the bushes, trees, and snow. We spent a lot more energy than expected, slipping and sliding on the snow, but we were making good progress. The trees were also helping us keep our balance and avoid falling. You can check the shortcut on the GPX track at the top.
Eventually, we reached the original trail again, which was a relief. From there, it was a straightforward climb to the summit of Trainsjoch (1707 m). I was a bit bitter though when I saw the Trainsalm below our ridge, as that was my original plan for the summer version of this hike, but my emotions passed quickly as I was enjoying the climb.
Following the ridge wasn't much of a challenge, just the usual physical effort of hiking uphill through shallow snow. Since this section was on the southern side, we were constantly exposed to the sun, warming us up nicely. We even saw some people on the summit, although as we got closer we realized they were just a bunch of signposts.
Eventually, we reached the summit of Trainsjoch (1707 m) and saw real people approaching from the other side. Stanislav brought a small drone to capture the moment. As he was setting it up, my gaze wandered around the stunning views of Kaisergebirge and Vordere Kesselschneid (2002 m), which I had climbed in November. Although it brought back the memory of fracturing my finger, I was still happy with the adventure overall. We even got to see Brünnstein (1619 m), which I climbed last summer with David.
After relaxing for a bit and getting cold from the wind, we decided to start heading down to Bayrischzell. The descent was much easier than the ascent, as we could follow the trodden path with many footsteps down the slope. We also met quite a few hiker groups heading up, which was nice to see.
I was a bit underwhelmed by Nesselberg (1363 m) on the way down, as there was no cross and the peak itself was just a small bump on the ridge. Still, a peak is a peak, and I was happy to add it to my list.
After passing a small Jagdhütte and following the snaky trail down to the asphalt road, we reached the final stretch of the hike. While there was a bus scheduled to arrive soon, we decided to walk on foot and never saw it passing by. We could have taken the gravel road down to Bayrischzell, but we opted for walking on the edge of the main road, avoiding the snow and ice on the side paths.
As we saw Wendelstein (1838 m), which I visited a few times before, we knew Bayrischzell was close. We considered going to a cafe for some hot drinks, but the train was arriving soon, so we decided to head straight to the station.
To sum up, this route is really great if you set yourself a goal of following the ridge on the border between Germany and Austria. The views are great, as you can see into both countries, and the hike itself is not too challenging, especially if you avoid the "shortcut" we took. I would definitely recommend some variation of this hike to anyone willing to hike in the area! Just try to figure out the bus schedule in advance, as it saves you a long walk at the end.