Höllental (Wetterstein)

The Hell Valley is a valley in the Zugspitze massif of Wettersteingebirge, between Pale comb and Waxensteinkamm, through which runs a well-known route of ascent of Hammerbach the Zugspitze.

Striking feature is the huge incision of Höllentalklamm that squeezes between high rock walls throughout. The Höllentalanger hut overnight destination for climbers who want to climb the next day through the valleys and over the Höllentalferner on Germany's highest peak.

Before the development of tourism in the early 20th century the hell valley was mainly because of its iron ore and molybdenum deposits of significance. Of the former mining systems, however, are only ruins visible today.

The tourist development of the gorge began in 1902 under the supervision of the engineer Adolf Zoeppritz and some local mountain guide. On August 15, 1905, the completion of the entire development was celebrated and consecrated the Höllentalklamm festive.

Höllentalklamm

Access

From Graniauer district Hammerbach a walkway stretches over approximately three kilometers and about 300 meters altitude by an ever closer shrinking valley to Hollental entrance lodge and the toll road through the gorge (47 ° 26 ' 55 "N, 11 ° 2' 38 " O47.44869611.043765 ). Just before the hut branches of the toll -free, but somewhat arduous and longer ( ½ to ¾ hour longer walk) from bar riser. This runs above the brook and leads halfway through a high iron bridge over the gorge. Except for the view down from the bridge, however, the view into the interior of the gorge remains largely barred from here.

Gorge

Starting at the Höllentalklamm input hut, the trail extends over some 700 m through the impressive gorge. Since 2011 there is also the possibility here to find out more detail in the Höllentalklamm Museum the history of the canyon. From the entrance hut one has created a secure way with great effort, leading to a large extent by rock-cut tunnel of about 1 m wide and up to 2 m high. The outside of the gorge rather inconspicuous Hammerbach swells in the very narrow (approximately 2 to 5 m ) and high ( 150 m) gorge to a raging torrent. At the upper end of the gorge, the terrain is slowly spacious. Beyond the gorge leading the way to Höllentalanger cottage that is located in a sparsely vegetated, covered with crushed rock bottom.

Tour options

At the cottage, he branched into different platforms, looking towards Zugspitze, Osterfelderkopf ( Rinderweg to Alpspitzbahn ) and Alpine peaks ( Mathaisenkar ) or more ambitious goals of Wettersteingebirge lead (eg Riffelscharte, Riffeltorkopf, fluted peaks Hohe Riffel, Waxenstein, Höllentorkopf and Schwarzkopf ). An interesting way back from the Höllentalanger Hut to Hammerbach is the aforementioned bar riser, which was used by the miners in the former mine.

Zugspitzweg

It took until 1872 when George Winhart from Munich and the Ehrwalder leader J. Rauch first descended from the eastern summit of Zugspitze down to the valley, before they saw it as impossible to find a path from the summit in the Hell Valley. However, the path led to the insurmountable cliffs that fell from Höllentalkar in the Höllentalanger, unable to continue. Thus, the two turned to the southeast and arrived on the Mitter and Mathaisenkar to the shortage worldwide. In the opposite direction repeated in the same year, the Munich Tillmetz and John with the Garmisch Mountain Guides Dengg. Until 1893 this was the only way rise from hell valley to the Zugspitze, which was also associated with strong heat losses.

By Höllentalklamm still was no way, just above the gorge there was a gate. At one about 30 meters wide and 100 meters deep spot the gorge had to be crossed on a primitive bridge without railings. This web improved the Alpine Club Munich section already in 1882 /83. However, a foehn storm in 1885 damaged the bridge difficult and so the board decided to build a fixed bridge made ​​of iron. On September 12, 1888 500 -ton building was completed. The total cost amounted to 3270 marks.

To shorten the ascent route and come directly from Anger in the Höllentalkar, built the Alpine Club section Munich 1893 on a steep wall with iron clamps and steel cable an artificial transition. This section has become known as the "board ". Also, the section secured the way from the edge of the chasm Höllentalbahn Ferners to the summit also with steel cables.