Watzmann

2025-10-28T14:17:26Z

141.13.110.149: Noted collapse of the so-called Ice Chapel this year

{{Short description|Mountain in Germany}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Watzmann
| photo = Watzmann von Norden.jpg
| photo_caption = The Watzmann, seen from the north
| elevation_m = 2,713
| elevation_ref =
| prominence_m = 953
| prominence_ref =
| map = Alps
| map_caption = Location in the Alps
| label_position = left
| pronunciation = {{IPA|de|ˈvatsman|lang}}
| location = [[Bavaria]], [[Germany]]
| range = [[Berchtesgaden Alps]]
| coordinates = {{coord|47|33|16|N|12|55|19|E|type:mountain_region:DE-BY_scale:10000|display=inline,title}}
| range_coordinates =
| first_ascent = 1799 or 1800 by [[Valentin Stanič]]
| easiest_route = [[Scrambling|Scramble]]
}}

The '''Watzmann''' ({{langx|bar|Watzmo}}) is a mountain in the [[Berchtesgaden Alps]] south of the village of [[Berchtesgaden]]. It is the [[List of highest mountains of Germany|third highest]] in Germany, and the highest located entirely on German territory.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.summitpost.org/watzmann/150412 |title=Watzmann |work=summitpost.org |access-date=2010-12-24 |archive-date=2018-01-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180104162801/http://www.summitpost.org/watzmann/150412 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Three main peaks array on a N-S axis along a ridge on the mountain's taller western half: '''Hocheck''' (2,651 m), '''Mittelspitze''' (Middle Peak, 2,713 m) and '''Südspitze''' (South Peak, 2,712 m).

The Watzmann massif also includes the 2,307 m '''Watzmannfrau''' (''Watzmann Wife'', also known as '''Kleiner Watzmann''' or ''Small Watzmann''), and the '''Watzmannkinder''' (''Watzmann Children''), five lower peaks in the recess between the main peaks and the Watzmannfrau.

The entire massif lies inside [[Berchtesgaden National Park]].

== Watzmann Glacier and other icefields ==
The [[Watzmann Glacier]] is located below the famous east face of the Watzmann in the Watzmann [[cirque]] and is surrounded by the ''Watzmanngrat'' [[arête]], the ''Watzmannkindern'' and the ''Kleiner Watzmann''.

The size of the glacier reduced from around {{Convert|30|ha|acre}} in 1820 until it split into a few fields of [[firn]], but between 1965 and 1980 it advanced significantly again<ref name="WG">{{cite web |title=Bayerische Gletscher |website=lrz.de |url=http://www.lrz.de/~bayerischegletscher/wmg.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720003917/http://www.lrz.de/~bayerischegletscher/wmg.htm |archive-date=2011-07-20 |url-status=dead |access-date=2010-12-24 |language=de}}</ref> and now has an area of {{Convert|10.1|ha|acre}}.<ref name="topo">{{cite web |title=Bayerische Gletscher |website=lrz.de |url=http://www.lrz.de/~bayerischegletscher/wmg/wmg_topo.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719060214/http://www.lrz.de/~bayerischegletscher/wmg/wmg_topo.htm |archive-date=2011-07-19 |url-status=dead |access-date=2010-12-24 |language=de}}</ref>

Above and to the west of the icefield lie the remains of a [[Junkers Ju 52/3m|JU 52]] transport-bomber that crashed in October 1940.

[[File:Eiskapelle.JPG|thumb|left|The ''Eiskapelle'' in summer]]
Amongst the other permanent snow and icefields the former ''Eiskapelle'' ("Ice Chapel") is the best known due to its easy accessibility from [[St. Bartholomä]]. The ''Eiskapelle'' may well have been the lowest lying permanent snowfield in the Alps until its collapse in 2025. Its lower end is only 930 metres high in the upper Eisbach valley and is about an hour's walk from St. Bartholomä on the [[Königssee]]. The ''Eiskapelle'' was fed by mighty [[avalanche]]s that slid down from the east face of the Watzmann in spring and accumulated in the angle of the rock face. Sometimes a gate-shaped vault forms in the ice at the point where the Eisbach emerges from the ''Eiskapelle''. Before entering there is an urgent warning sign that others have been killed by falling ice.

In the east face itself is another icefield in the so-called Schöllhorn cirque, called the ''Schöllhorneis'', which is crossed by the Kederbach Way (''Kederbacher-Weg''). The cirque and icefield are named after the Munich citizen, [[Christian Schöllhorn]], who was the first victim on the east face. On 26 May 1890 he fell at the upper end of the icefield into the [[randkluft]] and was fatally injured. Another small nameless snowfield is located several hundred metres below the Mittelspitze also in the east face.

==Climbing==
[[Image:Caspar David Friedrich 012.jpg|thumb|left|''[[The Watzmann]]'' by [[Caspar David Friedrich]], 1824–1825 (Berlin).]]

===From the North===
{{Unreferenced section|date=August 2022}}
The best climbing period is June through September, in some years October. The easiest route is to follow hiking trails from the village of [[Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden|Ramsau]] near the small town of [[Berchtesgaden]] up to the Watzmann Hut at 1,928 metres, such as hiking trail 441 from Wimbachbrücke. This is quoted as taking four hours, though an experienced hiker can do it in less than three. One typically spends the night there and then climbs to the summit the next morning. The climb from the hut to the Hocheck peak (2,651 m) is quite straightforward, though a [[head for heights]] is required on the peak. The Hocheck is around two hours from the Watzmann Hut. From the Hocheck, hikers can return to the hut or continue and traverse to the Mittelspitze and from there to the Südspitze. The traverse is more challenging, at the easier end of UIAA Class II, and very exposed. Permanent cables once existed along the ridge, but were dismantled at some points to prevent inexperienced hikers from attempting the traverse, having a false sense of security. From the Südspitze, most hikers will not return to the Watzmann Hut but continue to descend into the ''Wimbachgries'' valley and from there back to [[Ramsau bei Berchtesgaden|Ramsau]]. One should estimate 12 to 17 hours for the complete circuit, stable weather conditions are essential as drastic weather change on the ridge between the peaks can be fatal.

=== Archenkanzel ===
[[File:View_from_Archenkanzel.jpg|thumb|View from Archenkanzel]]
On the northeastern face of the massif at {{cvt|1346|m|ft}} is a [[scenic viewpoint]] called Archenkanzel. From there, it is possible to look down to lake [[Königssee]], which is 743 meters below, and also to [[St. Bartholomew's Church, Berchtesgaden|St. Bartholomew's Church]].

===East Face===
[[Image:Bartholomae-2005.jpg|thumb|left|Watzmann East Face, rising behind [[St. Bartholomew's Church, Berchtesgaden|St. Bartholomew's]] church at lake [[Königssee]]]]

A much more serious and challenging climb is the famous '''East Face''' (''Watzmann-Ostwand''), which rises from the '''Hirschau''' peninsula at lake [[Königssee]] to the main peaks in a vertical ascent of around 1,800 metres (the longest wall in the [[Eastern Alps]]). While the easiest routes through the east wall is rated UIAA Class III, the wall has claimed almost 100 lives so far. Difficulties include the length of the climb, route-finding, and deteriorating weather conditions approaching from west, the predominant direction for weather change in the area, difficult to ascertain from the face. A simple emergency shelter has been erected in the wall. Even experienced climbers are advised to hire a local guide for the wall as finding the route can be challenging.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons|Watzmann}}
{{commons|Archenkanzel}}

* {{cite peakware |id=557 |name=Watzmann}}
* [http://www.summitpost.org/show/mountain_link.pl/mountain_id/269 Watzmann at summitpost]
* {{GeoFinder|2222|Watzmann-Mittelspitze}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Mountains of the Alps]]
[[Category:Mountains of Bavaria]]
[[Category:Berchtesgaden Alps]]
[[Category:Berchtesgadener Land]]
[[Category:Two-thousanders of Germany]]

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Watzmann