Kammerlinghorn

The Kammerlinghorn stands high in the Berchtesgaden Alps, a rugged limestone crest west of the Watzmann massif. It forms part of the Hochkaltergebirge, a chain of peaks and glaciers inside the National Park Berchtesgaden. The mountain’s flanks are split into three groups: Hochkalter, Hocheis and the southern Wimbach chain. Below the north face lies the Blaueis, Germany’s northernmost glacier, fed by snowfields that cling to the steep walls. The Hochkalter is a serious alpine playground. Its 2 607-metre summit offers routes from gentle walks to exposed ridge climbs and demanding ski tours. The first ascent in 1830 was made by Bishop Fürst Schwarzenberg and three local guides through the Kaltergraben. A year later Karl Thurwieser and the same guide, Wein, pioneered the Normal Route over the ‘Schöne Fleck’, a long crest with passages in UIAA grade II. From the Blaueishütte at 1 653 metres the climb takes about three and a half hours. Visitors who reach the top find a narrow limestone ridge dropping away on both sides. To the east the Blaueisgletscher glistens below the Blaueisspitze, while the Watzmann’s sheer west face dominates the horizon. The descent can follow the same route or drop via the Eisbodenscharte to the lonely Hochalm and down the Wimbachtal. On quieter days the silence is broken only by the occasional rumble of rockfall from the friable Ramsaudolomit slopes.