Germany/Chiemgau Alps: Scenic snowshoe hike to the Fellhorn
- Wibke Helfrich
- Jan 20
- 6 min read
One of the most popular snowshoe hikes in the Chiemgau Alps leads to the summit of the Fellhorn. No wonder, as you can enjoy wonderful views from the top! You can find all the information and GPS data here.
On the way to the Fellhorn via the Hemmersuppenalm we literally take our feet in our hands. On the prepared premium hiking trail (incidentally the first certified winter premium hiking trail in Germany) we walk much faster without snowshoes and only have to strap them on when the path turns off to the Straubingerhaus.
Chiemgau Alps snowshoe hike Fellhorn germany
My tip:
You can also climb the Fellhorn as an easier circular tour from the Hindenburghütte (1260 m) (then 10.8 km and 540 meters in altitude).
We leisurely trudge uphill through the forest between Steinwurfkogel and Eggenalmkogel. As the trees thin out, I see my fellow hikers as colorful splashes of color on a white wall rising into the blue sky. When we reach the top, Wolfgang is waiting with a broad grin. It's not just the climb that takes our breath away, but above all the panorama that opens up from here:
The "Wilde Kaiser" and the "Zahme Kaiser" lie at our feet.
The higher we climb, the more peaks come into view. As always, it is good to have a local with us: Wolfgang knows them all, from the Kitzbühler Horn to the Großvenediger.
Unfortunately, the hut Straubingerhaus is not open in winter – but with sunshine and moderate temperatures, there is no need to worry: we make ourselves comfortable on a bench.
Chiemgau Alps (Germany): Snowshoe hike to the Fellhorn
♡ -Factor: ♡♡♡♡♡
Walking time : 6:45 h
Altitude : 1,080 m up and 600 m down
Length : 17.3 km
Accessible by public transport?
Yes. You don't need a car in Reit im Winkl. Get there by train to Prien am Chiemsee and then by bus 9505 (approx. 1 hour). The free ski buses start at the Tourist Information (Dorfstraße 38). All timetables: reitimwinkl.de/anreise .
Refreshment along the way:
Alpengasthof Hindenburghütte , 1260 m, Tel. +49 8640 8425, hindenburghuette.de
GPS data: I have uploaded the GPS data for the hike to the Outdoor Active website
Start and end point: Reit im Winkel
Directions: From Munich or Salzburg on the Munich-Salzburg motorway (A8 to Grabenstätt exit no. 109), continue towards Marqartstein and on the well-developed German Alpine Road (B305) to Reit im Winkl. There, follow the signs to the Seegatterl car park.
Parking: Blindau hiking car park
Hiking guide: Walter Wolfenstetter, Tel. +49 176 251 239 01, w-wolfenstetter.com
Evamaria Wecker: Snowshoe guide to the Chiemgau Alps with the Berchtesgaden Alps and the Kaiser Mountains , Rother Bergverlag, 2024.
Tip: To shorten the tour to 6.2 km and 434 meters of ascent, you can also take the gondola directly to the Winkelmoos Alm and start from there.
Winter in Transition
Fellow hiker Susanne Meier from Reit im Winkel shows us photos of the same spot that she took a year ago on a snowshoe hike. At that time, only the top few centimeters of the fence posts were visible above the deep snow. The weather is changing and so is winter sports - there will no longer be a guarantee of snow . How ski areas and communities will deal with this in the future is a challenge. Snow cannons are (justifiably) increasingly coming under criticism and lower-lying communities in particular are losing income from winter tourism.
Are winter sports enthusiasts like dinosaurs? Threatened with extinction?
In any case, the snowshoes leave funny prints that could also be from a T-Rex. Walter pulls me out of my thoughts and points with his ski pole to other tracks in the snow: "That was a ptarmigan - you can clearly tell by the little horn sticks between the toes, which work in a similar way to our snowshoes." Ptarmigan, like black grouse and capercaillie, are grouse species that are threatened with extinction.
As for all animals in the mountains, winter is the most difficult time for them. If they are disturbed from their winter quarters in the snow, it is life-threatening for them. Although they are called birds, they cannot fly well and can only escape downhill. The chicken has to make the way back uphill on foot, which is impossible in unfavourable snow conditions. To protect the grouse, wintering areas have been designated as Natura 2000 protected areas.
Snowshoes offer an environmentally friendly way to exercise in winter.
You don't need cross-country trails, slopes, gondolas or ski lifts, as long as you stick to the protected areas.
Beware of snow cornices
You should not only stick to the protected areas: on the ridge to the Fellhorn (1765 m) there are meter-high snow cornices, which you cannot recognize as such from here. A memorial commemorates a ski tourer who had an accident in 1938. If Wolfgang had not called me back, I would have walked to the edge too. Because the panorama of the Bavarian mountains, which are now visible at the summit, has a magical attraction for me: a clear view from the Sonntagshorn, the highest mountain in the Chiemgau Alps, to the Berchtesgadener Land with its striking rocky peaks Reiteralm, Hochkalter and Watzmann. From here you can see everything that is of any importance and name. At this sight, even Walter is carried away and takes a souvenir selfie with us.
Chiemgau Alps snowshoe hike Lembergschneid
Directions:
From the Blindau hiking car park, you first take a winter hiking trail to the ski jumps. Along the game reserve of Gut Steinbach, you hike on a rolled path next to the cross-country ski trail to a clearly visible hill on the eastern edge of the reserve. At the height of the hill, a green sign points to the right in the direction of Schusterwald. The path winds its way up through the forest in many curves along the wide forest road.
Follow the high trail from the Hindenburghütte for about 500 meters in the direction of Hemmersuppenalm. At the first junction, trail no. 12 goes to the right (south). After 500 meters along the trail, follow the green signs into the forest and up to the Straubinger Haus. From there you have a great view of the Kaiser Mountains, the Kitzbühler Alps, and the striking mountains of the Chiemgau Alps, Geigelstein and Kampenwand.
The route continues over a clearly visible, wide ridge towards Fellhorn. On the high plateau, cross the slope to the summit cross of the Fellhorn. Attention: In the last stretch up to the summit, a pronounced cornice drops sharply on the left edge towards Tyrol. If visibility is poor, you have to be particularly careful here. The descent to the Hindenburg Hut is the same as the ascent.
Note: The summer path along the forest road up to the Straubinger Haus is a closed bird sanctuary in winter!
10 DAV tips for nature-friendly snowshoe hikes
1. Respect protected areas for plants and animals, avoid noise.
2. Observe markings, instructions and route recommendations of the DAV campaign “Naturally on Tour”.
3. Follow designated snowshoe routes, if available (e.g. in new BY-AV maps).
4. Identify and avoid habitats, observe wild animals only from a distance, stay away from game feeding areas, keep dogs on a leash.
5. In mid-winter, avoid summit ridges and ridges before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.
6. In forest areas and at the forest boundary, stay on the usual ski and snowshoe routes, forest and hiking trails, and keep sufficient distance from groups of trees and bushes.
7. Protect reforestation and young forests.
8. Travel in an environmentally friendly way: travel by public transport or carpool, use designated parking spaces, do not block access roads. Tour tips on alpenvereinaktiv.com → Tours → advanced search “by train and bus”
9. Prefer stays of several days to frequent day trips, make use of the local gastronomic offerings, and obtain information about the nature and culture of the destination region.
10. Plan tours with guides and maps that carry the DAV seal of approval “Nature-friendly ski tours/winter tours”. Join a group led by local experts
Further information and links
On the homepage of the municipality of Reit im Winkel you will find accommodation, webcams, further snow tours and the snow report.
Tourist Info Reit im Winkl, Dorfstraße 38, 83242 Reit im Winkl, Tel. +49 8640 800 20
You can check the avalanche report here :
ACCOMMODATION
In Reit im Winkl there is a large selection of accommodation , from the 4-star Hotel Unterwirt with wellness area to holiday apartments and a simple room with private hosts.
WEATHER
If the winter is kind, snowshoe tours in the Chiemgau Alps are possible from December to the beginning of April.
ARRIVAL
You don't need a car in Reit im Winkl. Get there by train to Prien am Chiemsee and then by bus 9505 (approx. 1 hour). The free ski buses start at the Tourist Information (Dorfstraße 38). All timetables: reitimwinkl.de/anreise .
CARDS
AV map, 1:25,000, sheet BY 18 Bavarian Alps, Chiemgau Alps center.
EQUIPMENT
Snowshoe and avalanche transceiver emergency equipment.
Snowshoes and ski poles can be rented from various rental stations and equipment shops in Reit im Winkl (for example at Sport Dorner ). This is a cheap alternative, especially for beginners.
For the snowshoes you need at least ankle-high hiking boots.
Anyone who wants to go on tours alone outside of secured terrain also needs complete avalanche equipment.
The local ski schools offer various guided snowshoe tours every day