Monday, July 22: from St. Bartholomä/Königssee via Saugasse to Kärlingerhaus (1,631): 4 – 5 hours, ascent 1100 m, descent 50 m
Bus 846 from Hintersee to Berchtesgaden, bus 841 to Königssee.
By boat (approx. 11 €) we go over the fjord-like Königssee to St. Bartholomä with the famous sanctuary. From there the route goes first along the western shore of the lake and then continues steadily uphill past a waterfall and on to the “Saugasse”, a steep and winding trail with lots of switchbacks and repeated beautiful views of the Königssee. Once at the top we keep right and after a short time on the ascending path we reach the mountain hut Kärlingerhaus (1,631 m), located above the Funtensee.
Tuesday, July 23 : from the Kärlingerhaus via the Riemannhaus to the Ingolstädter Haus: 6 hours, ascent 900 m, descent 400 m
From the Kärlingerhaus we go down to Funtensee, walk past the left bank of the lake, over the alpine meadows inhabited by numerous marmots into a sparse forest. We climb through the forest to Baumgartl (1,788 m) and then continue through treeless terrain until we reach the karst plateau of the Steinernes Meer (Sea of Stones). The path leads through boulder fields and up to the Salzburger Kreuz (2,135 m), then alternating ascents and descents to the Riemannhaus 2,177 m. Here we have a spectacular view from the terrace down to the path that leads up from Maria Alm in Austria. Every year the traditional pilgrimage takes place on this route, which goes all the way to St. Batholomä on the Königssee. From the Riemannhaus we follow the Eichstätter Weg to the highest point of the crossing, the Äulhöhe (2,309 m), continuing through rocky terrain in a northerly direction over a karst plateau to the Hühnerköpfe (2,090 m) and constantly hiking up and down to the Ingolstädter Haus (2,119 m). In good weather there is a fantastic all-round view of the Steinerne Meer and the adjacent peaks.
Wednesday, July 24: from Ingolstädter Haus to Hirchbichl in Klausbachtal: 6 hours, ascent 250 m, descent 1200 m.
From the Ingolstädter Haus we descend along a rocky path to the valley station of the goods transport (1,635 m). The route follows a wide path along the Dießbachtal through a beautiful mountain forest to the Diesbach reservoir, over the dam wall (1,415 m) and on the forest road to the alpine pastures of the Kallbrunnalmen. (Refreshment possibility). We continue down the forest road in wide switchbacks. Then we ascend the other side of the Hintertal via forest roads and through alpine pastures back up to Hirschbichlpass (1,173 m) and reach the Alpengasthof Hirschbichl in just a few minutes.
From here we return by bus (ca. 8€) through the Klausbachtal back to Hintersee. Alternatively: The hike on a comfortable path through the beautiful Klausbachtal back to Hintersee takes another two hours.