Berchtesgaden · Königssee Lake · Obersee Lake · Almbach Gorge · Ramsau · Hintersee Lake · Wimbach Gorge · Jenner Mountain · Salt Mine · House of the Mountains · Garmisch-Partenkirchen · Neuschwanstein Castle · Kuhflucht Falls · Partnach Gorge · Eckbauer Mountain · Höllental Gorge · Hupfleitenjoch Saddle · Osterfelder Kopf Summit · Eibsee Lake · The King's House at Schachen · Oberstdorf · Nebelhorn Summit · Breitach Gorge
August 31, 2022
The morning light hangs like a diaphanous curtain dangling loosely from the sky, between the peaks of the Bavarian Alps and the Olympic ski jump in Oberstdorf, Germany. We want to hike from the valley to the top of the Nebelhorn mountain. More than six miles, 5 hours, and a 4,600-foot change in altitude according to our map app. Well, that's no evening stroll along the Riviera, but neither is it a reason to panic.
Or so we thought.
Three hours later, we are sitting in scorching heat on a mountain ridge that is only as wide as a human foot in some places. Exactly one foot. wonder how we ever got on this trail that had looked so doable on the map.
And suddenly it happens: panic.
August 21, 2022
I'm standing on a rugged ridge near the top of mountain. "And when I count to three, you run and don't stop running until we're in the air!" my jump guide implores me.
Run? On this nearly vertical runway? If I take even one step, I'll drop over the side of the mountain and then that's it. This dude cannot be playing with a full deck!
But my bucket list included "paragliding." Because I'm sure it's awesome. Especially in the Alps. And we're in the Alps. Three weeks of hiking and adventure in Bavaria. Promised to my boyfriend, who really wants to see more of Germany. And as much as I get a fit when I hear oom-pah music and see Oktoberfest goofiness, the mountains in this somewhat strange German state are simply terrific. And those huge, solid mountains are what we're going to jump off. Now.