The Kofel is a mountain in the

Bavarian Alps The Bavarian Alps (, ) is a collective name for several mountain ranges of the Northern Limestone Alps within the German state of Bavaria. Geography The term in its wider sense refers to that part of the Eastern Alps that lies on Bavarian state ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. With its distinctive white head it is the signature mountain of the town of

Oberammergau Oberammergau is a municipality in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in Bavaria, Germany. The small town on the Ammer River is known for its woodcarvers and woodcarvings, for its NATO School, and around the world for its 380-year tradition of ...

, from which the summit is only about one km away. Due to its prominent location and unique shape it can be identified from a considerable distance both from the direction of

Ettal Ettal is a German municipality and a village in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria. Geography Ettal is situated in the ''Oberland'' area in the ''Graswangtal'' between the ''Loisachtal'' and '' Ammertal'', approx. 10 km north o ...

and that of

Unterammergau Unterammergau is a municipality in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in Bavaria, Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the nort ...

Routes

The direct route starts at the Döttenbühl parking lot (altitude ), near the Oberammergau cemetery. After crossing a meadow called the ''Kälberplatte'', with a view looking up to the imposing end of the climb, the greater part of the ascent is a wooded switchback footpath (with one clamber across a scree field) up to a rain shelter. From there, one starts climbing to the rocky summit. Another possibility for the ascent is a traverse over the ''Kolbensattelalm'' (, double chair lift) and the ''Königssteig'' (King's trail). By combining different routes the Kofel may be circumambulated.

Secured route to the summit

The last hundred meters of elevation are covered in a summit climb which is suitable even for families with children, provided they are

sure-footed Sure-footedness is the ability, especially when hiking or mountain climbing, to navigate difficult or rough terrain safely. Such situations place demands on a person's coordination and reserves of strength as well as requiring sufficient appreciati ...

and have a

head for heights To have a head for heights means that one has no acrophobia (irrational fear of heights), and is also not particularly prone to fear of falling or suffering from vertigo (the spinning sensation that can be triggered, for example, by looking down ...

. Steep and exposed sections are secured by fixed steel cables. After rain there is an increased risk of slipping in the rockier sections. In the ''Hüsler Alpine Climbing Atlas'' the ascent is rated a KS1 secured climb. From the cross at the peak there is, weather permitting, an outstanding panoramic view including Ettal and both Ober- and Unterammergau.

In popular culture

American Eugenia Jones Bacon wrote about a rock she said had an image reminiscent of Jesus on it from the mountain (A Stone from Oberammergau: With a Description of This Wonderful Phenomenon. New York: J. Pott & Co. (1891); The Stone Portrait of the Man of Sorrows, An Ideal of Patient Suffering. London: Lamley (1896); and The Real Stone Face; or, Suffering Depicted by Nature. Atlanta: Foote & Davies (1899). The rock was exhibited at the

Vatican Vatican may refer to: Geography * Vatican City, an independent city-state surrounded by Rome, Italy * Vatican Hill, in Rome, namesake of Vatican City * Ager Vaticanus, an alluvial plain in Rome * Vatican, an unincorporated community in the ...

and

Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...

.https://princetonseminaryarchives.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/44

References

External links

Mountains of Bavaria Ammergau Alps Mountains of the Alps {{Bavaria-geo-stub