Light-hearted, I wake up: Today is hiking day with Barbara and there is hardly anything that can derange a dream team on the way to the peak.

Facing fresh snow (May!) and risky conditions on our option A-mountain (Zinken, Allgäu), we spontaneously change our mind and go for the Kofel at Oberammergau. Apart from Passionsfestspiele and a limited number of ski slopes, the place enfolds quite it’s charm. However, we are not here for an expedition of the village, but rather for the most prominent summit around.

We cross the stream Ammer, pass by the Mariengrotte and continue up, always up. Forest paths zig zag towards the upper part of the Kofel, bringing the Alps down to the core: rock. Plain rock with steep, almost straight walls. Diligent souls installed steel ropes along the way, turning the peak sprint into a hand-and-feet-challenge without any real danger.

It comes as no surprise that Barbara is the perfect hiking buddy for thoroughly planned, last-minute-changed tours that are marked black = difficult. The Kofel is a great hike that ranges slightly below via ferrata-standard and makes us lust for more intense challenges.

The way down is a relaxed promenade with gravity on our sides. Once back at Oberammergau, the cold water of the Ammer marks the perfect finish of the day, bringing together happy feet and smiling faces.

700m altit. difference

6 km

<4h

challenging