Even at the valley station, there’s a sense of anticipation in the air. The children can hardly wait to finally get on the cable car. The roughly 20-minute ride to the mountain station at 1,800 meters takes you over meadows and through forests; far below, the valley disappears from view, while all around, the Watzmann and the mountains of the Berchtesgaden Alps rise up. Even the cable car ride itself is a real adventure.
Once we arrive at the Jenner mountain station, we take a deep breath. The fresh air—much cooler than down in the valley—feels really good during this heat wave. Before we set off, we first get our bearings using the large hiking map. There are so many ways to spend a day here on the mountain. Today we’ve set our sights on the easy hike to the Stahlhaus. The trail is well-marked, offers great views, and the kids are thrilled to have a real mountain hut as our destination. After a short, steep descent, the trail is mostly flat. Perfect for us as a family, but also for leisure hikers and anyone who wants to experience the mountains without too much effort.
After just a few steps, you’ll notice how diverse nature is up here. Despite the heat and the fact that summer is well underway, alpine flowers are still blooming in the meadows and among the mountain pines. We spot the poisonous blue monkshood, the purple gentian, and the delicate white marsh heartleaf. The panoramic view is simply spectacular: rugged peaks, green alpine meadows, and a view stretching far into the Berchtesgaden National Park.
Our destination is the Carl-von-Stahlhaus, which is open year-round, lies right on the German-Austrian border, and belongs to the Salzburg section of the Austrian Alpine Club. On the sun terrace at 1,733 meters, the food tastes twice as good.
We enjoy the fluffy Kaiserschmarren and the savory Kaspressknödel. Just the thing after a relaxing hike. While we adults take in the view, the kids quickly set off on new adventures around the hut. In addition to hikers, mountain bikers also pass by from time to time: the challenging route around the Hoher Göll leads past the Stahlhaus and down into the Austrian Bluntau Valley.
After our break, we head back along the same route. Numerous silver thistles are already glinting in the grass. An unmistakable sign that midsummer is over! The kids are still having a lot of fun on the small boulders along the way and tackle the final steep section to the mountain station with ease.
Since we’d also promised to spend some time at the playground, we get off at the midway station. The slide, climbing frame, and excavator are put to good use before we head back down to the valley. A lovely way to wrap up a thoroughly enjoyable day of hiking.
Our conclusion: The hike from Jenner to Stahlhaus combines a scenic cable car ride, an easy, family-friendly hike, impressive natural scenery, and a cozy stop for refreshments. Overall, the hike is easy to manage and suitable for just about anyone. With our children (ages 4 and 6), it took us about 45 minutes each way. The short steep section right at the start requires a bit of caution; hiking poles are helpful.
