"hike to the Dammkarhütte" Top 5 Page for this destination Mittenwald Things to Do Tip by richiecdisc

With Mittenwald's strategic location in the heart of the German Alps, it is no wonder it is a Mecca for hikers in summer and those more ski-inclined in winter. There are hikes for all levels of fitness, from flat lake-side strolls to steep stoney trudges. Of course, we opted for the latter even though we had not done any hiking in four months. After all, that very hike had been a six-day backpacking trip in mountains over 4000m in Colombia. Our first choice was to the Dammkarhütte at a mere 1650m. With Mittenwald resting at 930m it was only a 600m climb over approximately 5km. This seemed like a good warm up. As it turned out, those four months of mere flat terrain low altitude exercise pretty much wiped out any of the “training effect” of the Colombian trek. To make matters worse, it was very exposed with absolutely no tree cover. Add to this, it was the hottest day of the whole summer and we were cursing our choice right from the get go. Once at the actual Dammkarhütte, it was nice as it was set in a half bowl of jagged peaks and was appropriately enough built of stones from the surrounding “quarry.” We sat at one of the tables and ate our simple carried snack only to be told later that the tables were for people buying food from the hut. The view from the hut was certainly nice but the trail up was not particularly scenic or enjoyable to hike. The area around the hut looked worth exploring and there were man people coming down from rocky side trails where it is recommended to fasten yourself with clips to provided rings.

Directions: Trail is just west of old town center, near the Karwendel Selbahn station.