After breakfast at Stöhrhaus, follow Alpine Club Trail 417 across the Untersberg high plateau, with gentle ups and downs through stretches of mountain pine. Right at the start, you have another opportunity to make a detour to Berchtesgadener Hochthron.
After 2.5 hours, turn right at the distinctive Mittagsscharte toward Schellenberg Ice Cave and Toni-Lenz-Hütte (Alpine Club Trail 463). The well-secured Thomas-Eder-Steig leads through rocky terrain, with impressive views along the way, and takes you down to Schellenberg Ice Cave at 1,570 meters in about 30 minutes. Guided tours of Germany’s largest ice cave begin every hour on the hour. Bring warm clothing and allow about an hour for the tour. Equipped with a protective helmet, you’ll follow secured paths deep into the icy world inside the mountain.
Back in daylight, a 15-minute descent brings you to Toni-Lenz-Hütte at 1,438 meters, where you can enjoy a well-earned break. Five minutes below the hut, turn left onto Alpine Club Trail 462. You initially descend gently below Salzburger Hochthron before climbing for about 1.5 hours to Schellenberger Sattel at 1,400 meters. From here, you continue into Austria, descending beneath the impressive Untersberg cable car to Obere Rositten at 1,300 meters. After another 30 minutes, the trail meets Dopplersteig above a spring, coming up from Glanegg.
The final section of this fascinating trail is carved into the rock of the Untersberg’s steep northern face. Well secured with cables, the route takes you across rock and wooden steps, with sweeping views over the rolling Salzach countryside to the city of Salzburg and imposing Hohensalzburg Fortress. After this final climb, continue past Taxhamer Kreuz to the junction with Reitsteig, which joins from the right, then follow the trail through corridors of mountain pine. After about an hour, you reach your destination for the day, Zeppezauerhaus at 1,663 meters, where breathtaking views await.
