General view
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General view of the mountain (northern face), in winter, from the road of Wieden !Access by road and by foots
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The cable line access of the " Belchen Seilbahn " !
For reaching the nuded summit of the Belchen, the best solution is to come from Freiburg-in-Breisgau (FR), a town which is situated between Offenburg at the North and Basel at the South (same distances between these two cities, ~ 50 kilometers with taking the highway). You don't have to take the exit of Freiburg center, but you have better to continue in the southern direction, with driving on the highway (direction Basel and Switzerland). At the exit of Bad Krozingen, you have to cross the highway (under-bridge) and then, to take the eastern direction, marked with Staufen / Münstertal / Schönau. You follow the main road, with surrounding the vicinity of Bad Krozingen and crossing Staufen and Münstertal. This valley is extremely picturesque, remarkable. At the cross of the Schauinsland's road (600 meters height), you stay on the main road, which is becoming smaller and more difficult. The ascent is very spectacular, dangerous in many cases (in icy and snowy conditions, especially ! ). At a big corner, you pass under a monumental rocky formation (795 meters height). Then, the serpentine road is going upstairs, with winning altitude very hardly. At Wieden (1035 meters height), you have to quit the main road (direction Schönau and the valley of Todtnau), for taking the Belchen panoramic road (direction Multen and Aitern). Still 5 kilometers with your car and you arrive at the big parking lot of the valley station (1094 meters height). Be careful during the weekends, because this place is very often crowded, with cars and walkers : it can be very dangerous ! The Belchen is a very famous and loved touristical destination of the Black Forest ! You can access at the summit, only by two solutions : by foots (remarkable panoramic hiking paths) or with the help of the cable line (you have to pay for using this one : in the year 2013, for a normal walker or tourist, you can count 7,20 € for the ascent and the descent ... ). The ascent needs only five minuts and gives you a magical panorama on the Austrian and Bernese Alps (in good weather conditions, only ... ). The cable line stops before the summital restaurant of the Belchenhaus - "
The House of the Belchen " , in english - (1365 meters height).
The access on the nuded summit
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The path for reaching by foots, the nuded summit (1414 meters height).
The nuded summit of the Belchen is reachable by an important marked path : the E1, which is marked by a red sign. The Belchen is the fourth summit of the Black Forest, with 1414 meters, after the three here : Feldberg (1495), Seebuck (1448 m) and Herzogenhorn (1415). In Alsace, the Belchen is located at the same level of Rouffach, between the main cities of Colmar and Mulhouse. The E1 path is passing near the very famous Belchenhaus (which serves you excellent culinary specialities of the Black Forest ... ). The pedestrian ascent is easy, excellently good marked : it's a big tradition in Germany ( "
German Quality " ). During your ascension, you will have a fabulous view at the South, over the valley of Basel and, especially, all the chain of the Alps !
A giant panoramic mountain
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View on the valley of Münstertal, from the summit !
Your arrival at the nuded summit of the Belchen, will brings you, a marvellous circular panorama (360 degrees) ! You will so, see in all the directions, without any exception ! It's simply exceptionnal in the region.
At the North : the valley of Münstertal with the mountains of Freiburg (Kandel - 1242 m - and Schauinsland - 1284 m - ).
At the West : the Rhine between Colmar and Mulhouse (Alsace, France) ; the blue line of the Vosges (with snow in winter ! ).
At the East : the mountains of the valley of Todtnau (examples : Feldberg - the highest one - , Seebuck, Herzogenhorn, Hochkopf, ... ).
At the South : the Switzerland with the big valley of Basel, all the Austrian and Bernese Alps (in very clear weather conditions ! ).
One of the most exceptionnal " Alps Panorama "
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The icy and snowy Bernese Alps, as seen from the summit of the Belchen, in winter 2012 / 2013 : atomical !!!
Oh yes, of course ! With 1414 meters of height and a totally nuded structure, the mountain of the Belchen is a fantastic panoramic site, in the southern Black Forest ... This mountain is the fourth highest, in all the Black Forest : not bad ! From the summit (wood cross), at the South, you will discover a legendary panorama : in excellent weather conditions (inversion in autumn or icy cold in winter ... ), you will contemplate all the chain of the Alps ! In Austria, with the
Säntis and the
Titlis (the best known peaks). In switzerland, with the
Eiger, the
Mönch, the
Jungfrau and, especially, the highest of them, the
Finsteraarhorn (4273 meters height ! ). In exceptionnal conditions, the Belchen will offers you, the view on the french "
Mont-Blanc " (with 4807 meters, this one is the highest summit, all around the Europe !!! ).
For the moment, I was at the Belchen only two times : one time in autumn 2012 (with a fog and clouds sea ! ) and one other time in winter 2013 (with 1,20 meter of fresh snow at the summit and icy temperatures, with -12°C ! ). The two times, I was shocked, with exceptionnal Alps panoramas : it's an incredible vision for the human eyes, you can't believe it ! The nearest summits of the Bernese Alps are situated at only 130 kilometers (in fly line) ... I will never forget this unical moment, at the summit of one of the most beautiful mountains, in all the Black Forest !!!
Winter at the summit of the Belchen
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In winter, the Belchen is a wonderful skiing destination ! Good to know ...
With an altitude of 1414 meters, the Belchen is having snow very long, during the wintery season. This fact explains why, the Belchen is becoming a very popular and loved skiing destination ... The weather conditions at the Belchen are very hard in winter ! But this fact isn't a problem for the tourists : they are coming here with very hot and heavy clothes ... In addition with skiing, you can practice other activities, at the Belchen : snow-shoes hiking, surfing, sledging, climbing, photographying the wild flora ! Personnaly, I'm regularly practicing hikes and photographies of the wild flora : it's my primary hobby, passion, in my life. When you are hiking in winter at the Belchen, several paths can be closed, due to big dangers of ice and snow falls (risks of deathly accidents ! ). The mountain of the Belchen is classified as a natural and wild reserve, for protecting the remarkable floral and animal lifes. It means, that you don't have to quit the marked paths, to throw something in your possession, to do wild fires and campings, to do big noise, to disturb the wild animals of the site, ...
More informations about the Belchen
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The house of the Belchen : THE destination for eating, at the Belchen !
For the tourists, I will bring you more important informations, about the Belchen. You have to be informed, of several things ; so, it means, that :
- FIRST : You can eat and drink at the house of the Belchen (named as " Belchenhaus " , in german ... ). Excellent culinary specialities (Black Forest ham, traditionnal cheeses, ... ).
* PS : In my website, when you are searching " BELCHEN " , you will find several articles about this mountain, with texts, pictures and videos (all made by myself, warning against copyrights of the autor, thanks ! ). *
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