Germany · Berchtesgaden & Bad Reichenhall
Dahoam is Dahoam
A long-day alpine-flavoured plaisir route on the Untersberg's summit wall. Pitches range from UIAA 5+ to 6+ (≈5b–6b), with 5+ obligatory.
6a+10 pitches250 m
Die Schönheitskönigin von Schneizlreuth
Rabensteinhorn (above Bad Reichenhall-Karlstein) · Berchtesgaden & Bad Reichenhall · Germany
Bail with caveatsBolting confidence: high
Six pitches on excellent grippy limestone with views to the Watzmann, established 2012. Pitch grades are converted from the UIAA topo (6-, 6, 6, 5+, 5+, 6); 5 is obligatory.
- Hardest pitch
- 6a
- Pitches
- 6
- Length
- 165 m
- Approach
- 75 min
- Aspect
- SW
- South-west-facing
- Rope
- 1×60 m
The route
Overview
A six-pitch plaisir route on the south-west side of the Rabensteinhorn (1373 m) above Bad Reichenhall-Karlstein, in the Chiemgau Alps. The rock is steep, rough, well-featured limestone, with a pillar, grooved slabs, a strenuous steep start to pitch 3, a chimney and crack, and a short overhanging finish. Every pitch is generously bolted with modern expansion bolts and all belays are on two bolts. The climbing is short (165 m, about 2 h) but the walk-in and walk-off make it a five-hour outing, with a view to the Watzmann.
The climbing
Pitch by pitch
5c6a6a5+5+6a
| Pitch | Grade | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1 | 5c | 30 m | UIAA 6-. Follow the pillar on steep, juggy rock to a belay on a ledge. |
| P2 | 6a | 30 m | UIAA 6. Traverse 2 m right, then easy grooved slabs, finishing up the corner right of a big flake. Belay on top of the flake. The flake is hollow: treat it with care. |
| P3 | 6a | 30 m | UIAA 6. The crux pitch. Several powerful moves on the steep start, easier in the second half. Comfortable belay on a ledge. |
| P4 | 5+ | 30 m | UIAA 5+. Slabby pitch. Some bolts are well off the climbing line: skip or extend them. Finish up a corner to a fairly uncomfortable hanging belay. |
| P5 | 5+ | 25 m | UIAA 5+. Chimney on the left, then a crack and ramp diagonally left. Uncomfortable hanging belay under a small overhang, best skipped by linking into pitch 6. |
| P6 | 6a | 20 m | UIAA 6. Three athletic metres of gentle overhang straight off the belay (2 bolts), then easy broken ground to a tree. Many loose blocks on the exit. |
Getting there
Approach
To the parking
Base is Bad Reichenhall. By car: A8 Munich-Salzburg to the Bad Reichenhall junction, then the B20 bypass to the Karlstein exit; or A8 to Traunstein/Siegsdorf and via Inzell and Weißbach (B305). Park at the walkers' car park in Karlstein below the Kugelbach (Parkplatz Kugelbachweg, about 515 m). An alternative start is the Wandererparkplatz Wegscheid (about 630 m). Public transport: train to Bad Reichenhall, then bus to Karlstein.
On foot · about 75 min
1 h 15 to 1 h 30 by the forest road. From the Karlstein car park follow the forest road to Gasthof Kugelbachbauer and on to the Paul-Gruber-Haus (about 50 min; mountain bikes can go as far as the turning place beyond). From the hut take the path south and immediately branch left towards the Müllnerhorn. The path is wide at first, then narrows to a steep, partly exposed and partly cable-secured trail under the south flank of the Rabensteinhorn. Opposite a tree with a red mark, a faint path leads left to the foot of the wall. The start has a name plaque. From Wegscheid the alternative is the Reibwandsteig (partly exposed, cable-equipped), 1 h 30 to 2 h in total.
Map of the walk-in
- Route base
- Parking
Loading map
The point marks the base of the route.
Parking
47.70451, 12.80657
Wandererparkplatz Wegscheid (camptocamp access point)
Point from camptocamp route 1120726
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Contains the route point and parking. Opens in most mapping apps and GPS watches.
Points are compiled from published sources, with the precision stated above. They were not surveyed on the ground: check them against a current topo.
Coordinates: 47.69466, 12.82070 (route base) · Parking: 47.70451, 12.80657
Getting down
Descent
Walk off. From the end of the route (slings round a big tree, route book) go up right about 30 m of height on path traces, then traverse a long way right on cairned traces across slabs and scree without losing much height, and finally descend a wooded gully to the Müllnerhorn trail. Turn right to get back to the start (about 30 min from the top), then reverse the approach. bergsteigen.com gives 1 h 45 for the whole descent to the car park.
Retreat
Bailing off the route
Bail with caveats
No source describes a retreat, and the route is set up for a walk-off, not for abseiling. It looks workable all the same: every belay is two bolts without a chain, and the pitches are 20 to 30 m, so a 60 m single rope should reach belay to belay if you leave gear at each one. R4 and R5 are hanging belays, which makes rigging abseils there uncomfortable.
- Retreat from
- Not documented. By inference, from any of the two-bolt belays; R1 and R3 are on ledges, R2 is on top of a hollow flake.
- Point of no return
- None documented. Pitch 5 runs diagonally left to a hanging belay, so from there the 20 m top pitch is probably the easier way off. That is an inference.
- Carry
- 1×60 m rope. Two maillons or old karabiners and cord per abseil, up to five abseils.
- Basis
- Inferred from the route factscamptocamp (German text) states that all belays are double bolts without chain and gives the pitch lengths; that you can abseil from them on a 60 m rope is inferred, and no source mentions retreat.
Partly inferred from the route facts
Safety
Hazards
- Hollow flake on pitch 2 and its belay on top of the flake: bergsteigen.com says caution is needed.
- Many loose blocks on the easy exit of pitch 6 above the overhang.
- Bolts on pitch 4 are partly far from the climbing line; extend or skip them to avoid drag.
- The approach path under the wall is steep and partly exposed, with cable sections.
- Belays are two bolts without chain and the route is set up for a walk-off, not for abseiling.
Sun and weather
Conditions
South-west facing, low altitude (the summit is 1373 m). bergsteigen.com gives no explicit season; the April to October season listed here could not be checked against a source.
Usual season · Apr to Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Sun on the wall · SW-facing
Working out the sunlit hours for this month.
- January: not yet worked out
- February: not yet worked out
- March: not yet worked out
- April (usual season): not yet worked out
- May (usual season): not yet worked out
- June (usual season): not yet worked out
- July (usual season): not yet worked out
- August (usual season): not yet worked out
- September (usual season): not yet worked out
- October (usual season): not yet worked out
- November: not yet worked out
- December: not yet worked out
Sun on the wallDaylight, wall in shade● Usual season
Estimated from the wall's aspect only. Ignores surrounding terrain, gullies and the wall's exact shape. Clock times are local to the wall (Central European time), for the 15th of each month.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr (usual season) | May (usual season) | Jun (usual season) | Jul (usual season) | Aug (usual season) | Sep (usual season) | Oct (usual season) | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean daily high °C | −1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 4 | −1 |
| Mean daily low °C | −10 | −9 | −6 | −3 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 1 | −5 | −9 |
| Rain days 1 mm or more | 14 | 14 | 17 | 16 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 15 |
| Sunshine hours a day | 5.5 | 6.6 | 8.1 | 10.0 | 10.3 | 11.0 | 11.2 | 10.4 | 8.6 | 7.2 | 5.7 | 5.0 |
● marks the usual climbing season. Averages for 1991-2020 at about 1337 m. Area climate from Open-Meteo reanalysis (about 10 km grid): the wall and valley can differ. Data: Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0.
What to carry
Gear
Single 60 m rope. 11 quickdraws (bergsteigen.com) or 12 with 2 extendable (camptocamp). Slings for the belays, which are two bolts without chain. Helmet. No nuts or cams needed.
Checklist
- Quickdraws
- 11
- Rope
- 1×60 m
- Helmet
- One each
- Maillons or spare karabiners
- To leave behind if you retreat
- Cord
- Mentioned for retreat
Derived from the route data; check it against a current topo
From climbers
Reader reports
Reader reports are not being collected yet. Until they are, check a current topo and the local club or guidebook publisher for recent changes to Die Schönheitskönigin von Schneizlreuth.
Worth knowing
Tips
- Link pitches 5 and 6 (45 m) to avoid the uncomfortable hanging belay.
- Can be combined with the Kugelbachweg (UIAA 7-, 4 pitches, 110 m); afterwards descend along the rocks back to the start.
- bergsteigen.com rates the neighbouring 'S'Leben zählt' (6+) to the right as less good.
- Mountain bikes can be used on the forest road as far as the turning place past the Paul-Gruber-Haus.
- Obligatory grade is UIAA 5 (bergsteigen.com); most of the route is 6- or easier with a few moves of 6.
Open questions
Where sources disagree
- Quickdraws: 11 (bergsteigen.com) vs 12 including 2 extendable (camptocamp).
- Obligatory grade: UIAA 5 (bergsteigen.com) vs 5b on camptocamp's scale.
- Approach: 1 h 15 (bergsteigen.com) vs 1 h to 1 h 30 by the forest road (camptocamp).
- Descent time: bergsteigen.com gives 1 h 45 to the car; camptocamp gives about 30 min back to the start plus the walk out. These are consistent.
- Grade conversion: UIAA 6 is given here as 6a and 5+ as '5+' (about 5b/5c).
Provenance
Sources
- bergsteigen.com – Die Schönheitskönigin von Schneizlreuth, RabensteinhornUsed for: grade, length, times, protection, gear, approach, descent, access, hazards, combinations
- Camptocamp – Die Schönheitskönigin von SchneizlreuthUsed for: pitch grades, lengths and descriptions, belays, approach options, descent, first ascent
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Compiled from published sources and last verified October 2026. Bolts, anchors and access change. Climbing is dangerous and you are responsible for your own decisions: check a current topo and read the disclaimer.