Unternberg

The Unternberg is a 1,425-metre mountain in the Chiemgau Alps, standing 4 kilometres south of Ruhpolding in Bavaria. It forms the eastern ridge of the slightly higher Eisenberg, separated by a 1,337-metre saddle at the Unternbergalm. The mountain is bordered by the Seetraun to the south and the Weiße Traun to the east, while its northern slopes descend into the Ruhpolding basin. The massif stretches 2.5 kilometres east-northeast to west-southwest and reaches a maximum width of 2.2 kilometres. Smaller hills like the Menkenberg and Boiderköpfl lie to the north and east of the main ridge. The Unternberg is known for its dramatic geological structure, split by the Staufen-Höllengebirgs nappe which overrides the Lechtal nappe on the northern side. The southern flank exposes Ladinian Wettersteinkalk limestone visible in the Geschoßwände cliffs west of Laubau. During the last two ice ages, glaciers flowed around the massif, with the Seetraun Glacier passing the southern slopes and the Urschlauer Achen Glacier flowing from the northwest. The far ice reached heights of up to 1,100 metres on the southern side. Visitors reach the mountain by the 1971 Unternberg cable car or via the old hiking trail from the Raffneralm. At the upper station stands the Unternbergalm inn, where a cross marks 1,353 metres. The Boideralm and Unternberg-Holzstube offer further stops on the southern slopes. From the Unternbergalm there are views of the Poschinger Wand and the Chiemsee far below. The summit carries a shingle-roofed monument, though tree cover limits the outlook. The ridge path continues east to the Rauschberg, revealing the Hohe Göll and Hohe Brett in clear weather.