Katzenbuckel

Look at the cat's back

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The cat's back is an extinct volcano and 626 m above sea level. NHN is the highest elevation of the Odenwald. He stands on the boundaries of the community forest Brunn in Baden -Württemberg, about four kilometers east of Eberbach am Neckar. His second summit, Michel Mountain, was completely demolished by the quarry operation.

Geology

The Katzenbuckel dominates today the red sandstone plateau of the Odenwald. The vent of the volcano Katzenbuckel had a diameter of about 1,000 meters. At the excavation to around 60 million years ago to the present land surface is still a package of sedimentary rocks with a thickness of about 600 meters up to the layers of the Jura. These were removed in the course of millions of years (an average of 1 mm in 100 years ), the hard basalt rocks of the volcano was exposed, the Foidit sanidine nephelinite. The degraded at the next summit Michelberg sodium Shonkinit was created by afterflow of magmas intruded into the much larger sanidine nephelinite - Magmenkörper.

Prove tuffs and small volcanic bombs that the " cat's back - volcano " erupted, probably explosive due to a steam explosion caused by groundwater - magma contact in the subsurface ( maar volcanism ), it at any rate interpret tuffs out with country-rock inclusions. Traces of a funnel or a caldera collapse have not been found. The evolution of volcanism on the cat's back needs to be clarified in more detail by geological investigations based on the current research situation; the last geoscientific research projects were undertaken in the 1970s and 1980s.

The volcanic rock was mined as ballast in two quarries. In the quarry at Gaffstein they won a variety of Katzenbuckel main rock sanidine nephelinite, in the quarry on the mountain Michel sodium Shonkinit. After a breakup in 1970 came here to groundwater -filled days and the lower flanges of the quarry; thus the cats Buck Staffelsee arose.

On Katzenbuckel dykes occur with an abundance of minerals that are hard to find today, as there are at the end of the quarry operation no fresh outcrops more. Were previously detected, for example Natrolite and apatite. A high content of magnetite directs in some places, especially from the summit rocks, compass needles of magnetic north.

The cat's back and its rocks have been the subject of numerous scientific studies. Thus, the dissertation appeared on the " nephelinite from the cat's back " by H. Rosenbusch in the 19th century. Other factors include for example the studies by W. Freudenberg in 1906, H. Nieland 1931, or G. Frenzel in 1955 and 1975. Published in 1982 a geological guide to the southern Odenwald by Volker Swiss in collaboration with Reinhart Kraatz, in which, among other the geology of the Katzenbuckel and his insights are described.

Origin of the name

On the origin of the word " cat's back " Various explanations are offered. After the shape of the mountain is said to have reminded the Umwohner to the curved back of a cat. Others derive the name from the mountain tribal name of the Chatti, who once had their main settlement area in northern and central Hesse, and which lives on in the name of only three kilometers away, Federal State of Hesse.

German emigrants of the 18th century from the area around Eberbach gave a survey in their new home in Ephrata Pennsylvania the name " cat hump". The term is still used among the Pennsylvania Germans. It is usually written as " Catseboucle ". At its peak, the " Cat's Back Road " leads ( in German about Katz hump street ), he is entitled to a retirement residence with many dialect speakers among residents, as well as the Muddy Creek Library, a Mennonite Research.

Climate

The cat's back and its surroundings are noticeably cooler than other parts of the Odenwald, which has its plateaus also the popular name " Winter Veil " is introduced.

Most falls in early November the first snow. All over the winter then formerly lay on the cat's back usually around 30 inches of snow, sometimes up to 70 centimeters. Often he thawed until the end of April, the cross-country trails and the ski jump ( Katzenbuckel Lair ) at Katzenbuckel were therefore earlier than most snow-sure. Because of snow last but failed to ever more frequently, was the cat's back hill by the operator, the Skizunft Katzenbuckel - Eberbach, converted into a ski jump. Meanwhile, the startup has a ceramic track so that you can jump all year. To support the new generation, called a mini jump and a small hill was grown in recent years.

Trail

A geological and mineralogical nature trail - the "way of the crystals " - explains the genesis of the Katzenbuckel. It starts in the former quarry at cats Buck Lake and local ends on the mountain top at the lookout tower. The mile- long waymarked path is to commit in a good hour.

Observation tower

At the top of Katzenbuckel is a 18 meter high viewing tower historic sandstone. It offers panoramic view of the forested hills and ridges of the Odenwald and the adjacent uplands.

Jump on the cat's back

Lookout tower Katzenbuckel

Panoramic view from the cat's back on Waldbrunn

Panoramic view from the cat's back towards the east