Feldberg (Black Forest)

Aerial view of Feldberg and Seebuck

Pd3

The Feldberg is above 1,493 m. NHN is the highest mountain in Baden- Württemberg. It also represents the highest elevation of all the German low mountain ranges, and is the highest mountain in Germany outside the Alps. The mountain in the Black Forest also serves as the namesake of the associated community Feldberg.

• 5.1 Summer Tourism
• 5.2 Winter Tourism 5.2.1 piste skiing
• 5.2.2 Cross-country skiing
• 5.2.3 skialpinism

Setting and panoramic

The Feldberg is located south-east of Freiburg im Breisgau, surrounded by the towns of Hinterzarten (northeast ), Titisee ( east ), Menzenschwand and Bernau ( south ) and Todtnau (southwest ). About 2 km south-east of the summit is 1277 feet above sea level, part of the municipality of the district of Feldberg Feldberg -site.

Between the main peak and its about two kilometers to the southeast lying foothill Seebuck ( 1448 m above sea level. NHN ) extends an initially gently sloping and then rising again sink the " Grüble " from which the Baldenweger Buck ( 1460 m above sea level. NHN ) branches. From Seebuck from the Feldberg falls steeply to the north-east Feldsee. Deep valleys also extend to the northwest towards Freiburg ( Zastlertal, St. Wilhelmer Valley) and south-west direction Basel ( meadow valley ).

Reachable the Feldbergfuß is by car via the from Titisee to Lörrach ( Basel) on the field mountain pass leading B 317 By train you can reach the highest station on a standard gauge line operated by Deutsche Bahn, the station Feldberg- bear valley ( 967 m above sea level. NN ) of the DreiSeenBahn. From there is a bus connection. The Seebuck can be reached from Feldberg- location with a short chair lift. On the Seebuck is the Feldberg Tower, a former radio tower, which serves as a lookout and since 2013 houses a ham museum. The summit is accessible for private people only on foot or by bicycle.

The numerous in the Cold War era radio relay equipment of the Bundeswehr, French and U.S. Army are now dismantled. Recognizable is the Feldberg today the former and the new TV Tower and the Bismarck monument on the Seebuck.

In total there are on and around the Feldberg around more than 28 ski lifts and slopes with alpine levels of difficulty ( FIS route at Fahl ). The actual Feldberg peak lies outside the ski areas. Several trails around the Feldberg peak, and the Feldberg opposite Herzogenhorn (1415 m above sea level. NHN ) ( National Training Centre ) are suitable for cross-country skiing. The Feldberg is a popular area for skiing tours with departures alpine character, among others, the Feldberg peak to the Zastler hole.

Most of the Feldberg area has the status of a protected area due to its sub-alpine vegetation. It is the oldest and largest of Baden- Württemberg since 1989 and is staffed by a full-time nature warden ( Feldberg- Ranger). Since 2001, the sanctuary service is up to the southern Black Forest nature reserve center in the house of nature, where a permanent interactive exhibition will be shown. It offers a full program of events in the nature reserve. Since 2005 there has been right behind the house a nature trail, "The Imp path in the grouse woods ." See also → Black Forest Nature Park

The Feldberg offers one of the broadest panoramas in Germany, especially in winter, when temperature inversion. To the west is beyond the Upper Rhine Graben, the entire Vosges from Ballon d'Alsace / Ballon d'Alsace to Donon and Mont Sainte-Odile. Behind it can be seen occasionally up to the Southern Palatinate Forest and " Vosges du Nord". In the north the Hornisgrinde sees in the northeast, the whole chain of the Swabian Alb, in particular the Lviv, to the right of the Hegau volcanoes.

In the south, the Alps, the Alpine peaks and the Zugspitze in the east over the Allgäu Alps, the Lechquellengebirge, Verwallgruppe and Silvretta extend; then. in the Western Alps of Alpstein with the Santis, the mountains around Lake Walen, the Glarus Alps with Ringelspitz, Glärnisch and Todi, the Piz Gannaretsch, the Urner Alps, Bernese Alps, Grand Combin and Mont Blanc to the Fribourg Pre-Alps in the south west Before the Western Alps and especially the right of the Mont Blanc extends the Swiss Jura with the Chasseral the highest point. The panorama thus ranges from Italy Mont Blanc to the south west Germany and Austria to France.

Geology and tectonics

The basement of the Feldberg consists of gneiss. It is approximately one billion years old. Overall, the Feldberg, or the region in which the Feldberg stands today, was singled out four times in the course of the earth and removed three times again. What we see today, can be described as the " third Feldberg ". The "first Feldberg " originated in the Precambrian as collision Mountains. This has been completely removed. The " second Feldberg " arose during the Devonian and Carboniferous Variscan orogeny in the course of. This was again removed and the resulting sedimentation encamped during the Mesozoic sandstone, limestone, Keuper, Lias, Dogger and Malm from. Parts of these sediments are marine deposits which formed by intra- continental seas, the other continental origin. The third, today, Feldberg stage formed as a remote effect of alpidischen orogeny during the Tertiary. The sediments above were gradually removed after the uplift and today is almost exclusively the basement to find. To date, the Feldberg is lifted out, but this is outweighed by the ablation. Erosion and Aeolian erosion will take place on the Feldberg Verebnungen so spacious areas visible.

Glazialmorphologie

During the peak of the Ice Age, a covered approximately 1000 km ² large glacier the Black Forest. Therefore, many glacial influences can be seen in the Black Forest. To Glazialmorphologie of the Feldberg, there are several visual aids. Firstly, there is the Feldsee. He has been, exariert by ice, which has pushed down the Kar - back wall in Lee. Gradually the ice created in this way the 33 m deep Feldsee. A moraine on the shores of Lake field is evidence of this development. Also the Feldseemoor, a few meters located, is a remnant of the Ice Age. Here you can see the terminal moraine of the "mini glacier " from Feldsee. She has been dammed water, thus forming a bog. The glacial history of the Ice Age, 10000-11000 years ago at Feldberg looked like this: The emergence of the field lake happened in the spread of the " Feldberg glacier ". The subsequent Feldseemoor was the next stage. After the glacier formed a terminal moraine at Waldhof. This was, once again surpassed the Falkau - thrust which marks the maximum. After the glacier retreated again.

Climate and vegetation

Climate

The average annual temperature on the Feldberg is around 3.3 ° C. The climate is tinted subatlantisch, the temperature fluctuations are smaller than in the valley. In winter, the sunshine duration is very high due to the low condensation point. Even so it is on the Feldberg in the winters are relatively mild, as in the surrounding high valleys significantly lower minimum temperatures are measured. The average annual rainfall is 1909 mm, which is in Germany: comparison very high. At over 99% of the stations of the German Weather Service lower values ​​are registered. A lot of it falls as snow. In all months, there was already too snowfall since weather records began. In the long-term average, there are on the Feldberg 157 days a year solid snow. Due to the exposed location, it may come throughout the year to hurricane force winds.

Due to the extreme weather center following values ​​were measured:

• The highest temperature was 27.4 ° C on July 31, 1983.
• The lowest temperature was -30.7 ° C on 10 February 1956.
• The greatest snow depth was 350 cm on 9 and 10 March 1970.
• The highest measured wind speed was 205.2 km / h (57 m / s) on 13 February 1962.

Vegetation

As can be recognized by its name, the Feldberg peak is not forested. The name is derived from Middle High German Velt and 'major unforested area ". The sharp transitions to the forest show that it is not a natural forest border. However due to the height of the Feldberg would not be free of forest, a tree line here would be expected to be about 100 km north of the nearest northern Alpine peaks approximately at an altitude 1650-1700 m.

Nevertheless, there are a number of forest-free special locations that would also naturally free of forest without human intervention, and to accommodate a very large part of the special features of Feldberg flora. These special locations include fens, transitional and upland moors, cliffs, wind Gentiles, soil and snow avalanche tracks. Below the summit, there is a mixed forest consisting of beech, rowan, maple, spruce, silver fir and Douglas fir, the pine trees predominate. Clearings are due to human intervention. So to see each homestead a large, forest-free use area.

This is due to the formerly intensive livestock farming in these regions. The cattle ate away the small trees and prevented regrowth of the forest. Today there is a pioneer vegetation, such as rowan encountered. Even small bushes and other low vegetation with cripple growth (lean grass) is present. In many places, forest preserves have been established, which grow in the natural state. In many places, landscape maintenance is operated on the basis of tourism, which is engaged in natural vegetation.

A special feature of the vegetation in the bogs dar. the example of Feldseemoores the vegetation is a consequence of Moore as follows: After the glacial Exaration and the terminal moraine that impounds water, results in a fen, which is influenced by groundwater. ( oligotrophic ). Here grow reeds and grasses, which absorb the nutrients from the groundwater. By dead plants ( biogenic sediments ) formed peat and the level of the Moors is raised. The result is a raised bog. Here ombotrophe grow plants, which must provide the nutrients of the rain.

Human Geography

Man has made ​​some geological features of the Feldberg advantage. So he has the Seebach, which flows from the Feldsee the valley, used to Schwallflößerei. Here, the lake is dammed and filled with logs and then opened the weir. The logs are torn by the water into the valley, where they can be further processed. The beautiful, wooded landscape is kept attractive for tourists due to the landscape and lush forests is used by the forestry industry, though not too intense.

The main source of income of the economy at the Feldberg tourism is today. Visitor numbers are correspondingly high. This is, unfortunately, also caused by hikers, mountain bikers and winter sports erosion.

Summer tourism

The mountain is hikers through numerous managed mountain huts ( Baldenweger hut, Rinke hut Zastler Cabin, St. Wilhelmer Hut, Todtnauer hut) and hiking trails opened up, including the cliff path over the Feldsee and the Alpine path, the alpine through some of the last landscapes character lead in the Black Forest. Besides there are some paved roads leading to the guest houses and other facilities on and around the Feldberg summit.

Winter tourism

Particularly strong interventions in the landscape caused the structural development of the Feldberg area for winter sports for several decades. The field Berger piste ski area has 14 lifts, five of them on Seebuck. The area is popular with cross-country skiers who cross the southern slopes of the Feldberg and Seebuck between field and mountain pass Stübenwasen inter alia on the Stübenwasen track. Also the winter hiking with snowshoes is widespread, and Snowkiting is becoming increasingly popular. Although alpine skiing is the oldest form of winter sports in the area, but is now operated by relatively little skiers.

Piste skiing

Cross-country skiing

In the Feldberg area are two of the highest trails in Baden-Württemberg:

• The Köpfleloipe ( 4 km, 1260-1300 m, 50 increase in altitude, classic, medium, heavy)
• The "Freestyle Round Feldberg " (since 2006, 1,7 km, at the foot of Seebucks, opposite the field Hof, classic and skating, light)

There are also four connecting trails:

• Connecting trail from the field Hof to Todtnauer Refuge and the Stübenwasen track (part of Fernskiwanderwegs Schonach- Ballon ) and on to Todtnauberg, Muggenbrunn and Schauinsland, classic and skating, medium
• Connecting trail from the field to the mountain pass Herzogenhorn trails and on to Bernau, classic and skating, hard
• Connecting trail Caritas House Raimartihof and continue towards Hinterzarten (part of Fernskiwanderwegs Hinterzarten - Schluchseewerk ), classic and skating, hard
• Connecting trail from Caritas House Äulemer cross - country ski ( continuation of Fernskiwanderwegs Hinterzarten - Schluchseewerk ), after Menzenschwand or after Altglashuetten, classic, easy

About the Grüble saddle between Feldberg and Seebuck runs a section of 100 km Fernskiwanderwegs Schonach- Ballon ( between Rinken and Todtnauer hut).

Skialpinism

The oldest exercised in the region Feldberg is the winter sport ski mountaineering, prevail for the good of the snowy Black Forest conditions. Long before the creation of trails and construction of lifts, the slopes of the Feldberg Mountain and its neighboring peaks were busy.

1891 ascended the French diplomat R. Pilet was the first to Feldberg on skis. After the founding of SC Todtnau, the second German ski club, the ski tourism in the Black Forest became increasingly popular. Pioneers of the sport tried also to the Wecht reinforced steep slopes of the Feldberg Mountain and its neighboring peaks Seebuck and Baldenweger Buck.

Best-known departures are ( from the Feldberg from Zastler hole ): Direttissima and water reserve - departure ( from Balde Weger Buck ): Women's slope and Tännlefriedhof and ( from Seebuck ): Sioux slope. A light and very popular today run leads from the field peaks to the northwest over the Immisberg.

Usual starting point for ski tours in the Feldberg area are the parking Rinken ( valley town of Hinterzarten ) Stollenbach lifts ( upper valley town of Ried) or Rütte ( valley village Todtnauberg ).

Alpine dangers

The Feldberg is in terms of alpine dangers - often underestimated - how many highlands. The easy accessibility by public transport, car and funicular suggests harmlessness. Visitors are often equipped inappropriate. Main hazards in the Feldberg area are weather falls, storm or slipping on smooth, icy surface. In the vicinity of higher structures ( transmitting equipment, etc.) there is a danger of falling ice. In foggy weather, the orientation is significantly heavier. Often the visibility deteriorated to a few meters. At the marked trails outside the forest areas rods are set up for orientation.

Every winter, several times going from larger avalanches in the Feldberg area. Affected are esp. the slopes of the valley Zastler, but other leeward slopes as the Feldseekessel on Seebuck, the Duke Horn and Baldenweger Buck. Due to snowfall, especially in westerly winds form on the leeward sides cornices (eg " Zastler cornice " ) that can break. Several deadly Lawinenverschüttungen are known. For the Black Forest is no separate avalanche report.

Transmitter

Weather measurement

On the summit of the Feldberg Mountain, where the weather is measured since 1915, a weather observation station of the German Weather Service is located since 1937 (WMO code: 10908 ). In addition to the weather station is a weather radar system, which is a part of the radar network of the German Weather Service. It is housed in the 21 -meter-high Friedrich- Luise- tower, in 1913 its dilapidated predecessor and replaced by Grand Duke Friedrich I and his wife Louise of Prussia was named. He had to be sold from the Black Forest club because of the strategic importance of the Feldberg in 1959.

In the fall of 2012, the radar system was modernized in Luisenturm. In order while still being able to get weather data, a temporary steel lattice mast with private radome was installed in May 2012. On 20 November 2012, the newly built- in Luisenturm dual-polarization radar equipment was put into operation. At the same time failover radar was taken on November 20 again in 2012 out of service and dismantled the lattice mast in the following week.

Since February 1, 2014 weather station is officially operated automatically without staff.

Reception

Many artists painted the Feldberg, including Hans Thoma (1839-1924) and Franz Xaver Winterhalter (1805-1873), who grew up near the Feldberg mountain. The painter Franz Eberlin (1896-1930) and Karl Hauptmann (1880-1947) moved to the Feldberg massif in order to better devote their work. Numerous illustrations also originate from Lahr Thoma students Wickert Wilhelm Heimer (1886-1968) and the later Hinterzarten Hermann Dischler.