December Schellschlicht Hike

Published on 2006-12-2 by Michael Stanton

Schellschlicht hike

December 2, 2006

With a great weather forecast, I headed up for probably the last "hike" this year before heavy snow. Another Ammergau exploration was on my mind. I love this little range with it's solitude and wilderness feel. Why are there so few lifts and other paraphanelia here? Well, it was a royal hunting preserve for hundreds of years, and the valleys and slopes are not good for farming.

I walked the road from Griesen, then took the trail up the Southwest Ridge in many short switchbacks. Finally I reached the Diensthütte, then the way opened up on a spectacular ridge. There was a little ladder in the rock at one point. The sunrise was beautiful though the wind was strong. On the summit I especially admired the Geierköpfe to the west, and Daniel to the south, which looked very alpine for a front-range mountain. What a cool summit!

The hike down the Southeast Ridge was very steep, and I didn't get to do all the trail running I was hoping for. Treacherous scree, or tight rooty corners required dainty footwork. There were also some really steep dropoffs right along the trail, only wide enough for one foot at times. They don't fool around over here! Back to the car at 10:45, having met about 5 people hiking up as I descended. I have pictures over here in a Summitpost Mountain Page.