Risserkogel

Page Type Page Type: Mountain/Rock
Location Lat/Lon: 47.63685°N / 11.80382°E
Activities Activities: Hiking, Skiing
Seasons Season: Spring, Winter
Additional Information Elevation: 5991 ft / 1826 m
Sign the Climber's Log

Overview

He is the higher one of two different brother summits: whereas neighbouring Plankenstein is a bold and remarkable rock feature, wellknown to Munich climbers, Risserkogel is this simple, easy and understated mountain, overgrown with dwarf pines, often crowded with too much hikers, a good snowshoe and ski hike in winter, easily recognizable because of its attractive rock neighbour.

Risserkogel (centre left), Plankenstein and Setzberg / Wallberg area (right) as seen from Kümpflscharte / Rotwand (march 2009)
Risserkogel (centre left), Plankenstein and Setzberg / Wallberg area (right) as seen from Kümpflscharte / Rotwand (march 2009)
Risserkogel and Plankenstein (left) as seen from the west ridge route
Risserkogel and Plankenstein (left) as seen from the west ridge route

Risserkogel is a classic mountain for Munich folks within Bavarian Alps. For beginners, for late risers, for just being out and up a bit, for a nice ski tour, for an excuse if there is not much snow for skiing, for a “presentation” of a real summit after having used Wallberg cableway.

Many excuses, many trails, many possibilities. And a good viewpoint.

Situated at the very end of the Tegernsee / Kreuth valley, Risserkogel is the highest elevation of the Wallberg subgroup. Limited by the Kreuth valley to the west, Valepp valley to the east, Langenau to the south and Setzberg / Röthensteingraben to the north, Risserkogel is the southernmost culmination point of the long, U-shaped ridge running from Wallberg to Setzberg, Grubereck and Risserkogel.

Sagenbach canyon near trailhead Wildbad Kreut
Sagenbach canyon near trailhead Wildbad Kreut
Lower Ableitenalm on the south route to Risserkogel
Lower Ableitenalm on the south route to Risserkogel



I love Risserkogel most on a clear and sunny December or January day, it is not that crowded up there in those times of the year. There is nearly always a foot track from the south up to the summit. The sky has this pallid blue tinge, the air is crisp and the views are endless. In the afternoon, when the sun is coming down, there are long and delicate blue and grey shadows visible against the low sun and innumerable snow crystals are glittering and sparkling. Sitting on the bench of Ableiten Alm above timberline you see the sun disappearing and when the night falls you put your headlamp on and, while hiking down to the valley floor, you can count the innumerable glittering and sparkling stars.

Getting There

Main summer and winter trailheads for Risserkogel are:

Wildbad Kreuth / Kreuth
Wallberg cablecar summit station
Rottach am Tegernsee / Enterrottach - Monialm

View from Blauberge to the south slopes of Risserkogel (03-10-2010)
View from Blauberge to the south slopes of Risserkogel (03-10-2010)
Großvenediger and the Großvenediger area from Risserkogel summit
Großvenediger and the Großvenediger area from Risserkogel summit

From Munich

  • use highway A 8 to the exit “Holzkirchen” and road number B 318 / B 307 to Gmund am Tegernsee and Rottach-Egern or Kreuth.

  • at Rottach follow Ludwig-Thoma-Straße and Valepper Straße to Enterrottach and Monialm Trailheads.

  • for the trailhead Kreuth leave the B 307 at the traffic light at Kreuth village and cross Weißach creek. Turn right and search for a place to park your car.

  • for the trailhead Wildbad Kreuth pass through Kreuth village until you reach a hikers parking area left of the road where the road to Wildbad Kreuth branches off B 307.

  • for the Wallberg cableway leave road B 307 short after Rottach-Egern / Reitrain to your left and proceed to the cableway parking area. There are signposts to guide you.
  • Wildbad Kreut (trailhead), Karwendel and Zugspitze as seen from Ableiten Alm below Risserkogel
    Wildbad Kreut (trailhead), Karwendel and Zugspitze as seen from Ableiten Alm below Risserkogel
    near Grubereck on the west ridge trail to Risserkogel
    near Grubereck on the west ridge trail to Risserkogel

    From Innsbruck / Inntal valley

  • leave the highway A 12 (toll road in Austria) at the exit Wiesing / Jenbach and follow the road number 181 to Achensee, Achenkirch and Achenpass and road number B 307 to Kreuth or Rottach.
  • Railway

    The private railway BOB - Bayerische Oberlandbahn has hourly services from Munich to Tegernsee. At the Tegernsee railway station there are bus services to Rottach-Egern, Kreuth / Wildbad Kreuth, Wallberg cableway and to Enterrottach - Monialm - Valepp.


  • See the BOB railway schedule here .

  • See the public bus schedule here . Lines: 9550, 9556, 9560
  •  

    Main Routes Overview

    Trailheads for Risserkogel are:

  • Monialm / Sutten

  • Wallberg cablecar summit station

  • Kreuth

  • Wildbad Kreuth
  • Risserkogel summit; in the far distance Großglockner (left) and Großvenediger (right) dominating the horizon
    Risserkogel summit; in the far distance Großglockner (left) and Großvenediger (right) dominating the horizon
    Iced dwarf pines on a cold day on Risserkogel
    Iced dwarf pines on a cold day on Risserkogel


    From Monialm

  • Sieblialm – Riedereckalm – Riederecksee – notch between Plankenstein and Risserkogel – summit;

  • Rottachalm – Röthensteiner Alm – Röthensteiner See - notch between Plankenstein and Risserkogel – summit;

  • Rottachalm – Blankensteiner Alm – Riederecksee - notch between Plankenstein and Risserkogel – summit;
  • Winter evening near Grubereck / Risserkogel with a view of Karwendel and Zugspitze (january 2007)
    Winter evening near Grubereck / Risserkogel with a view of Karwendel and Zugspitze (january 2007)
    Risserkogel and Plankenstein as seen from near Auerspitze
    Risserkogel and Plankenstein as seen from near Auerspitze


    From Wallberg

  • Wallberg summit station – Wallberghaus – Grubereck – summit

  • From Kreuth

  • Riedler Graben – Grubereck – summit

  • From Wildbad Kreuth

  • Schwaiger Alm – Langenau – Scheuerer Alm – Ableitenalm – Grubereck - summit
  • Summit view to Rotwand, Wendelstein and Spitzingsee area of Bavarian prealps
    Summit view to Rotwand, Wendelstein and Spitzingsee area of Bavarian prealps
    Summit view to Zugspitze
    Summit view to Zugspitze


    The ski routes

  • See ascents from Monialm.

  • If there is sufficient snow the south ascent from Wildbad Kreuth can be made with skies, too.
  • Red Tape & Accommodation

    Red Tape

    As far as I know there are no special restrictions around Risserkogel with the exception of the area between Grubereck and Risserkogel summit in wintertime. There is a protected hibernating zone of rare mountain hens in the dwarf pine zone. Please respect this zone and stay away from the dwarf pines.

    Accommodation can be found at

  • Tegernsee

  • Rottach - Egern

  • Kreuth
  • Late November afternoon near Grubereck
    Late November afternoon near Grubereck
    Risserkogel summit and Plankenstein
    Risserkogel summit and Plankenstein

    Mountain huts

  • Wallberghaus

  • Schwaiger Alm

  • Monialm

  • Cablecar

  • Wallbergbahn
  • Gear & Mountain Conditions

    Risserkogel is an all-season summit.

    In spring, summer and autumn it is an easy hike which requires normal hiking gear.

    In winter it is a ski hike (routes from Monialm; southern ski route is steep) for beginners but - as always on ski tours - don´t forget your avalanche gear.

    Check the weather forecast here.

    Check the Bavarian avalanche bulletin here.

    Risserkogel (center) as seen from Rotwand
    Risserkogel (center) as seen from Rotwand
    Risserkogel lower west ridge with Grubereck
    Risserkogel lower west ridge with Grubereck

    Weather Condition


    Maps

    The most detailed map for Risserkogel is:

    Alpenvereinskarte 1 : 25.000
    Blatt BY 15: Mangfallgebirge Mitte, Spitzingsee, Rotwand
    2009

    Ableiten Alm on the south route to Risserkogel
    Ableiten Alm on the south route to Risserkogel
    Old mountain marple tree near Ableiten Alm
    Old mountain marple tree near Ableiten Alm


    However the westernmost parts of the area is on the map:

    Alpenvereinskarte 1 : 25.000
    Blatt BY 13: Mangfallgebirge West, Tegernsee, Hirschberg
    2009

    The whole area can be studied on:

    Topographische Karte von Bayern, 1 : 50.000
    Blatt 12, Mangfallgebirge, Tegernsee, Schliersee, Rosenheim
    2005



    Parents 

    Parents

    Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.

    Bavarian Pre-AlpsMountains & Rocks