impressions from the alps
I feel faint under the pressure…If I had been alone, I would have thrown myself to the ground, I would have bitten the stones, the beautiful, sliming, green and garnet-red stones, and the dust with its sparks of gold. . . . I was possessed by nature like a violated virgin. For a moment my soul left me to melt into the luminous mass of the Breithorn… Yes, extravagant as it may sound, for some moments I was the Breithorn.
(Romain Rolland, “Memoires et fragments du Journal”, notes taken September 1889)

The Mischabel Group above Saas-Fee in the Wallis Alps seen from Weissmies (4023m). From left to right: Rimpfischhorn (4199m), Breithorn (4164m), Allalinhorn (4020m), Alphubel (4206m), Täschhorn (4491m), Dom (4545m), Lenzspitze (4294m), Nadelhorn (4328m), Stecknadelhorn (4241m), Hohberghorn (4219m), Weißhorn (4506m), Grand Gendarme (4331m), Bishorn (4153m).
Europe’s central mountain range is like the Himalayas very young and both are still growing – only 1.5 millimeters per year, though. The Alps are famous for their ragged and bizarre rock formations and the diversified landscapes. Here are some photo stories from my hikes:
Zweiseenland in the Bavarian Alps
For many years I lived close to a huge lake in the German Alps – the Walchensee in Bavaria. I observed and imbibed nature around me.
Arnplattenspitze in the Wetterstein Alps
The Arnplattenspitze (2171m) is a peak in the Arn group of the Wetterstein range. It’s an easy hike with a few challenging meters in the end. There are gorgeous views to all directions – Karwendel, Wetterstein, Inn Valley, Isar Valley.
- Arnplatten Peak
- Karwendel – Bettelkar Peak, Large and Small Solstein, Reither Peak
- Leutasch Valley and Hohe Munde
- Arnplatten Peak
- In the Ahrn Valley
- Karwendel – Pleisen Peak, Scharnitz and Hoher Gleirsch
- Upper Isar Valley
- Hohe Munde – Gehrenspitze – Leutascher Dreitorspitze
Ellmauer Halt in the Wilder Kaiser Mountains
The Wilder Kaiser is a group of mountains close to Kufstein and the Inn Valley. It’s famous for its rugged peaks and its white limestone. The Ellmauer Halt is the highest of the peaks with 2344 m.
- Ellmau Village
- Kitzbuehler Alps – Hohe Tauern
- Rainbow
- Goinger Peaks
- Sandhya (Dusk)
- Großvenediger
Erlspitze in the Karwendel Alps
The Erlspitze (2405) is at the Western edge of the Karwendel Alps. It’s a nice trip from Hochzirl near Innsbruck.
- Looking East towards the Central Karwendel Range
- South East View towards Solstein
- Folded Rocks
- Autumn Forest
- The Inn Valley and Stubai Alps
- The rock needle and the Central Karwendel Range in the background.
Gehrenspitze in the Wetterstein Alps
The Gehrenspitze (2367m) is located south of the main Wetterstein range and above the Leutasch Valley. Wetterstein Hut is great for a break.
- Looking south towards Inn Valley, Zillertal and Stubai Alps
- Leutascher Dreitorspitze
- Looking east from the peak
- Gehrenspitze seen from Gehrenjoch
- Wetterstein Hut
- Reither Spitze seen from Wetterstein Hut
Großvenediger in the Hohe Tauern range
The Großvenediger is one of the highest and most prominent peaks in the Eastern Alps (3657m). It’s the highest peak of the Hohe Tauern mountain range.
- Above Kuersinger Huette
- Ascend on the Glacier
- On the Glacier
- Grossvenediger – Grosser Geiger
- Geiger – Dreiherrenspitze
- At the Summit
- Chilling at Durlassbodenspeicher
Habicht in the Stubai Alps
The Habicht is a prominent mountain in the Stubai Alps (3277 m) offering great views in fair weather conditions.
- Pinnis Valley with Mt Habicht
- Lovely Gschnitz Valley
- Saponaria Ocymoides – Gentiana Verna
- Gschnitz Valley and Tribulauns
- Tribulauns and Gschnitz Valley
- Ascending through a Snow Field
- Stubaier and Oetzaler Alps
- The Tribulauns – Dolomites in the Back
- The Summit
Hochfeiler in the Zillertal Alps
The Hochfeiler is the highest peak of the Zillertal Alps (3509m). The summit is exactly on the border between Austria and Italy. It’s the only point of Italy directly visible from Munich and other places in Bavaria.
- St Jakob (San Giacomo), the picturesque South Tyrolian village in Pfitsch Valley, the starting point for the Hochfeiler hike.
- Gentianella Germanica
- The beautiful but highly poisonous Aconitum Napellus
- Passing the upper Pfitsch Valley.
- On the way to Hochfeiler hut.
- Stairway to Heaven – the last meters to the summit
- Looking back – and a fantastique view of the Ötztaler Alps on the horizon
- The steep north east walls of Hochfeiler.
- Helmut and Mahendra at the top!
Piz Palü in the Bernina Alps
Piz Palü (3900m) is a major peak in the Bernina Alps in Switzerland. The whole mountain around Piz Palü, Piz Zupo and Piz Bernina has been named the “throne room of the Alps” because of its majestic beauty.
- Morteratsch Glacier
- Raetikon at Sunrise
- Crevasses
- Crossing the Glaciers
- At the Summit with two Swiss mountain guides
- Piz Bernina
- On Top of the World
- Waiting to Descend
- Returning to Diavolezza
Saas Valley in Wallis
Coming soon!
- Weismies seen from Hannig
- Juvenile Ibex
- Juvenile Ibex
- Ascend to Nadelhorn
- Alphubel seen on the way to Nadelspitze
- On top of Weismies
- Monte Rosa range from Weismies
- On Weismies glacier
- On Weismies glacier
Schrankogel in the Stubai Alps
The Schrankogel (3497m) is the second highest mountain of the Stubai Alps (after the Zuckerhütl, 3507m). Nowadays the summit is accessible without crossing glaciers. It is, however, a very long and sometimes steep ascend from Sulz Valley, even if you stay overnight at Amberger Hut (2135m).
- Wildspitze, highest peak of the Ötztal Alps
- Wilder Freiger, Zuckerhütl, Wilder Pfaff
- Ruderhofspitze
- Stubai and Ötztal Alps seen from Schrankogel summit
- The upper end of Sulz Valley
- Schrankogel – western face from Sulz Valley
- The Fischbach, a mountain torrent in Sulz Valley.
- Dance of the water in the Fischbach I
- Dance of the water in the Fischbach II
- Dance of the water in the Fischbach III
Wiesbachhorn in the Glockner Group
The Wiesbachhorn (3564m) is the third highest mountain of the Hohe Tauern range. The normal route is from Moserboden reservoir via Heinrich-Schwaiger-House, where you can stay for the night, to the summit. The views on a clear day are phantastic.
- Kitzsteinhorn, Mooserboden, Wasserfallboden
- View from Heinrich-Schwaiger-House
- Mahendra after hoisting the Prayer Flags. Mighty Großvenediger in the background.
- Glockner Group
- Evening Mood from Heinrich-Schwaiger-House
- Sunset at the Hut
- Mountain Meadow
- Glockner group with Austria’s highest mountain, Großglockner
- A Stoamandl (stone man) at Mooserboden Reservoir