After the refuge comes an approx. 30min leisurely walk at a rather high altitude over the Reiter Alm meadowland. The earth is sometimes quite wet after heavy rain, but this allows copious amounts of “Almrausch” (alpine roses) to bloom in early summer, and the grazing cattle enjoy the sun in the meadow. The beautiful basin-shaped hollow of the Reiter Alm meadow is surrounded by mountains: the Reiter Steinberge mountains featuring the Wagendrischelhorn (2,252m), the Stadelhorn (2,286m) and the Weitschartenkopf peaks lie to the South, as do the “Drei Brüder” (Three Brothers). A total of 15 alpine huts are located in the Reiter Alm meadow. The earth is karstic and you will frequently come across dolines. At the highest point of this stage, 1,600m, the view over the Reiter Alm can be admired once more before heading steeply downhill. At the start, the vegetation is even lower, but this does not make it any less rich in diversity. Later, the mountain pines are also joined by common pine and larch trees. Between the mountains, it is possible every so often to catch sight of the Loferer Steinberge mountains. The trail is secured by wooden steps but can be very hot at midday. A spring halfway to the Alpaalm meadow with a lovely resting place therefore invites you to linger for a while. After an approx. 1h descent, you will reach the very beautiful Alpaalm meadow, which lies nestled idyllically between the mountains. To the South East, the Grosse and Kleine Häuselhorn stretch majestically upwards. The descent from the Alpaalm is mostly very wet and slippery, so take care. The entire route takes you through pleasant shady woodland, which in parts shows a real ravine-like character. The path is again strewn with rich vegetation including the dark columbine and various orchids. It is also held together here by wooden steps. Continue through the mixed mountain woodland with sycamore maple, beech, spruce, larch and fir trees downwards until coming onto a forest path. Cross it and head further downwards on a now somewhat broader track. Cross the forest path again and continue along the track until it finally opens onto the forest road. After the barrier, you must continue for a distance on asphalt. Following the last downhill stretch, the road opens onto the Reiter Straße road (approx.1h 30min from the Alpaalm). Keep to the left and the path will branch off to the right after just a few metres into the Innersbachklamm ravine (signposting Innersbachklamm – Gaissteig). Cross a little bridge to reach a very pretty hiking trail that leads after a few minutes to the entrance into the Innersbachklamm ravine. The raging water and the shadows cast by the tightly packed rock faces are breathtaking. Afterwards, keep going on the Gaissteig (goat’s climb) trail along the Saalach valley. Part of this trail is also smoothed out by wooden planks, on which it is particularly easy to hike. You arrive directly at the Gasthof Schütterbach inn, which in addition to culinary delights also offers accommodation. However, if you wish to go directly into the centre of Unken, pass the signpost at the sports field and the swimming pool and turn left across the bridge into the town centre (approx. 1h from Reit).
In Unken, cross the main road and the Saalach valley, passing the Gasthof Schütterbach inn before reaching the Gaissteig (goat’s climb) and the Innersbachklamm ravine. In Reit, the track leads onto the asphalt road. Here, keep to the left and then continue uphill to the right.
(Christina Schwann, OeAV)

Just after the Neue Traunsteiner Hut, cross the border into Austria and you will cross alpine farmland that is centuries old to reach the Alte Traunsteiner Hut, which was built in 1901 and replaced in 1938 by the new one situated on Bavarian territory. The reason for the new construction was the problem with the border crossing. Now, the old refuge in the Traunstein section is mainly only used by the local young people. The farmers from Reit drive their animals over the old alpine pastureland, but the importance of alpine farming is dwindling. The Berchtesgaden Alps differ from the rest of the Bavarian region in that the mountain ranges are tabular and their sides rise steeply out of the valleys, whereas narrow summit crests and flatter mountainsides (towards the bottom) prevail elsewhere in the Bavarian mountains. The beauty of the tabular structure is particularly evident on the karstified tablelands of the Reiter Alm and the Steinerne Meer mountains. These plateau-like massifs were formed from "banked" Dachsteinkalk limestone that was formerly sediment from the Thetis Sea, which over millions of years was compressed into limestone and is now right before our eyes. The numerous summits encircling the high plateau of the Reiter Alm do fall steeply downwards but nevertheless offer worthwhile hiking and skiing destinations thanks to their mostly gentle inward slope. Reit is situated in the Austrian Saalachtal valley, an important trade route even since Roman times, which today joins Salzburg and Innsbruck through the so-called "German Corner". This valley was a battle scene three times during the coalition wars against Napoleon between 1800 and 1809, during which there were also bitter struggles between the Austrians and the Bavarian allies of Napoleon. Today, as a sign of the European Union, the border is no longer of any real significance, and this is something that is much treasured by the inhabitants of the surrounding areas and hikers alike. The Kalkofengut (Local History Museum of Unken) is one of the last Streckhof farm buildings still preserved in the lower Saalachtal valley, where man and beast lived under one roof. The shingle-covered roof weighed down with stones and the use of building materials such as erratic stones and wood that can be found while clearing the ground is typical. The channelling of the hot smoke from open fireplaces (so-called “German chimneys”), made it possible from an early stage to have a second floor above the work areas of the ground floor.
(Michael Kleider)