In Königssee, the Königsseer Ache river forming the outlet of the Königssee lake must first be crossed. On the western side of the shore, a short walk southwards takes you to the toboggan run. Via Alpina follows it on a slight uphill climb. After leaving the toboggan run behind, however, the trail does become somewhat steeper. Turn right off the roadway to the Klingeralm meadow at the signpost (Grünstein). Walk steeply uphill along a hiking trail. The wood thins out from time to time and you will soon find yourself in the steep, rocky area of the ridge, where the Grünstein Hut standing at an altitude of 1,196m invites you to take a short break (approx. 2h from Königssee). A gully trail leads from the Grünstein Hut down through the wood. It finally comes out onto a road that must be followed to the left until the turn-off to the Hammerstiel inn. From the inn, follow the hiking trail further northwards and enjoy the walk across the meadows of Hinterschönau. When you get to the road, follow it to the right slightly downhill until the fork in the road. Here, keep left and you will arrive in the little village of Schapach. A hiking trail leads northwards through the wood and to the right down into Engedey, where it meets the road coming from Schönau. Follow the latter for a short while to reach the main road after crossing the Ramsauer Ache river. The main road leads right across the Ramsau plateau.
In the Engedey, follow the signs to the Wirtshaus Hammerstiel inn, from where the climb to the Grünstein Hut begins.
(Michael Kleider)
 

The legendary bobsleigh and toboggan run in Schönau at the Königssee lake was opened in 1968/69 as the first artificial ice-rink in the world. It is 1,300 metres long and has a gradient of 11%. It has already been the venue for numerous international races and championships, the special highlight being the Bobsleigh and Skeleton World Championships. The Grünsteingipfel summit, from which the Grünstein Hut can easily be reached, is one of the most beautiful look-out peaks in the Berchtesgadener land district, offering a view over the 2,713m-high Watzmann (the middle peak). The steeply towering mountains are the symbol of the Berchtesgadener Land district and are geographically completely closed-off. The massif includes the Watzmann itself with its three peaks, the Watzmannfrau (wife) and its seven Watzmannkinder (children). The Watzmann legend ("Watzmannsage") goes as follows: "A long, long time ago in the Berchtesgadener Land district, King Watzmann reigned with his wife and seven children. He was greatly feared by his people for his cruelty to man and beast. His wicked deeds made God so furious that he turned the royal family into stone." Since then, the mighty Watzmann, the second highest mountain in Germany, towers over the Berchtesgadener Land district. The Watzmann-Ostwand (eastern face) is a famous climbing route, which at 1,800m is one of the highest rock faces in the Alps, scaled for the first time in 1881. Even today, this alpine classic still claims many lives.
(Michael Kleider)