Fotoeins Fotografie

location bifurcation, place vs. home

Posts tagged ‘mountain trail’

My GaPa: the Wank (vistas) over Werdenfelser Land

Before the reader goes on a titter, the German word “Wank” is likely related to old-Bavarian or Bairisch Wang/Weng, meaning “meadow on a slope” or “an opening in the forest”. The modern definition of the German verb “wanken” is “to stumble” or “to stagger.”

I’ve previously described southern Bavaria’s Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GaPa) and the natural beauty on offer around town. I’ve also made the ascent to Zugspitze a couple of times, particularly in glorious winter conditions. The return journey between Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Zugspitze isn’t cheap, but I was very glad to see the Alps in 5 different countries; the interested visitor should check the summit webcams for weather conditions before heading up.

If you want a cheaper alternative, there are mountain views to be had at Wank, an 1800-metre tall “hill” just north of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Here are some equally beautiful views from the Wank summit on a visit during a warm afternoon in late-May.

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Salzburg city views from Mönchsberg

In Salzburg, I’m motivated by a search for Mozart and for signs of modernity. I’ve already examined part of the city through its art: what more can Salzburg offer?

Excellent views of the city and surroundings.

The Mönchberg hill on which the Hohensalzburg fortress sits provides many viewpoints over the city. You can walk along the entire length of Mönchberg for varying perspectives, or you can approach a number of the viewpoints separately.

I ascended and traversed the hill on foot from southeast to northeast, beginning from Kapitelplatz to the viewpoints just north of the Museum der Moderne. I returned to the Old Town below with the MönchsbergAufzug elevator which is a part of Salzburg’s public transport.

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Zugspitze: spotting the Alps across 5 nations

“If I’m at the highest point in Germany, can I see Italy?”

Over the years, I’ve seen at various times the claim made about seeing Italy from the tallest mountain in Germany.

I’m startled by the winter morning sun, streaming through the window into my hotel room in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. I rise slowly from the bed, barely able to keep my eyes open. I shuffle across the room, and pull the small linen drapes aside. It’s blue everywhere, and there isn’t a cloud in the sky. My eyes are now wide open, heart pumping with excitement, because I know skies are gonna be clear up top. Later I learn forecast conditions for the Zugspitze summit are excellent: mostly sunny, visibility out to 160 kilometres (100 miles) with a high temperature of -8C/+18F. Cold, but very doable. It’s also why I have with me 70-300 glass for the long zooms.

Below I show photographs with sightlines and their corresponding average azimuths*: east-southeast (107 degrees), southeast (138 degrees), south (175 degrees), southwest (210 degrees), west-southwest (250 degrees). I label specific mountain peaks of interest in addition to the flag of the country where the mountain is located. In a few cases, mountains lie along the border between two nations in which case I provide two country flags. For the labeled peaks, I’ve also provided further information about mountain heights and sightline distances in the map below.

Spoiler alert: not only am I able to spot mountains in Italy, but also other peaks in Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein.

* Azimuths are measured with north at 0 degrees, east at 90, south at 180, and west at 270 degrees.

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