The Hochstaufen is the easternmost mountain of the Chiemgau Alps, Germany. It is located in the north of Bad Reichenhall (Landkreis Berchtesgadener Land). The mountain belongs to the Staufen massif and is a popular destination for mountaineering.
In the 17th century there were some mines at the Hochstaufen, the best known gallery was the Doktor-Oswald-Gallery, located only 60 m underneath the summit.
At an altitude of 1,750 m is the Reichenhaller Haus, an alpine hut of the Deutscher Alpenverein (Section Bad Reichenhall).
Routes Bad Reichenhall (former Padinger Alm) – Barthlmahd – Reichenhaller Haus – Hochstaufen Bad Reichenhall (former Padinger Alm) – Buchmahd – "Steinerne Jaeger" – Reichenhaller Haus – Hochstaufen Piding (Urwies or Mauthausen) – Mairalm – "Steinerne Jaeger" – Reichenhaller Haus – Hochstaufen Piding (Urwies or Mauthausen) – Mairalm – Pidinger Klettersteig (fixed rope route) – Hochstaufen Piding or Aufham-Anger – Steiner Alm – Hochstaufen Passage from Zwiesel – Zennokopf – Mittelstaufen – Reichenhaller Haus – Hochstaufen Passage from Zwieselalm – Barthlmahd – Reichenhaller Haus – Hochstaufen Passage from Fuderheuberg – "Steinerne Jaeger" – Reichenhaller Haus – Hochstaufen The fixed rope route Pidinger Klettersteig was created in 2003 and is one of the most challenging fixed rope routes in Germany.
Miscellaneous Near the summit of Hochstaufen, next to the Reichenhaller Haus, stands the Staufenkapelle, a small mountain chapel built in 1928–29. Each year, a traditional open-air mass called the Staufenmesse is held there after the summer solstice, drawing many visitors. On the evening before, the ridge and path are lit by fires placed by volunteers.
After heavy rainfalls earthquakes occur at the Hochstaufen, so there are several seismometers of LMU Munich around the mountain.
In September 1993 the innkeeper couple of the Reichenhaller Haus was murdered in a brutal robbery.
External links
German Alpine Association Section Bad Reichenhall (in German only) Description of the Pidinger Klettersteig (in German only)