Between the Forest and the Gorge

Last summer one of my biggest wishes was to visit the Alpine Garden on the Schachen. On every free legal day or mini-holiday/ weekend we had to postpone due to rain or heavy rainfall - the day when clear skies were forecasted, we immediately made plans for the next morning to wake up as early as possible and make my (our) wish come true.

All was going well for our initial part of the route: taking the Werdenfelsbahn (regional train from Munich), arriving in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, going through Partnach Gorge, then crossing Ferchenbach (Ferchen Creek), taking the forestry

road, all the while enjoying the morning sun, admiring the mountains, the trees, the plants, listening to the birds singing, stopping from time to time to take some

photos, looking carefully at various plants, laughing here and there, greeting people

(who were coming down from the mountain)... But then, as we went on, walking on Kälbersteig - which at 1,660 m joined Königsweg (King's Path) - the trail(s) started to become narrower and narrower, steeper and steeper.

Suddenly I've found myself thinking: "if birds and butterflies can do it ("it" as in "climbing an unmarked trail - T6 - in the Wetterstein Mountains"), I can do it, as well!" - that's how I've motivated myself, from time to time, looking forward to arrive up, at our destination. Sure: there's a significant difference between a human climbing on a rocky slippery mountain (for the first time) and birds and butterflies who can actually fly, but in that moment that was my method of coping (mostly) with the heat, the camera backpack (which was making me sweat from time to time), the lack of water (at some point) and the trail difficulty. After tiny moments of pausing and catching our breath and strength, I was again so focused and waiting

to see if  we were getting closer to the Garden - I wasn't even slightly disturbed about the big gap on my left side which appeared suddenly; only the water running down the steep mountain wall, on my right side, was way too cold for my bare hands and made me feel uncertain for a couple of seconds, thinking only about how to have a good grip...

We almost reached our destination because our feet needed rest (since neither of us had a good mountain climbing/ hiking practice before this one). It was slightly detoured the moment we saw Schachenhaus from afar: we knew for sure we were going to just be snaily and spend some time there and postpone the visit to the Alpine Garden for the next year.

After one hour and a half of enjoying the breathtaking location, the delicious sweet

lunch, the cold beer(s) [and Radler] - now I want to go back, right away - we decided it was time to leave and take the way back.

We started on, cheerful, walking down the path, on the other side of the mountain,

afterwards walking on a trail, then on a forestry road and then: we realized we've taken the wrong road down, since maps wasn't making any sense; this was the long route to Elmau and not to Partnachklamm/ Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Neither taking the long route to Elmau, nor going back to Schachen(haus) would have been an option, since we thought darkness might catch up with us - we had no idea how the trail was going to look like...

So we walked and walked until at one point we encountered a sign indicating the path we have been on (back to Schachen) and the opposite way - the one to Elmau Castle. Moving forward, in short time, we reached the entrance of a woods, where on a white sign it was written in black, in german "paths not cleared and strewed - Partenkirchen municipality" (="Wege nicht geräumt und gestreut - Gemeinde Partenkirchen"); since the sign wasn't specifying that the usage of the path is done at one's risk (just like the sign which I see daily  - or at least 6 times per week - at

home), we thought it shouldn't be that difficult; after checking maps and seeing that apparently there's a trail going into the forest, we decided this will be the only way back.

As soon as we stepped into the woods we realized the path was blocked by fallen trees and vegetation which had grown all over the place. Such beauty that I couldn't feel afraid, especially after we quickly noticed fresh footprints on the exact same trail we were walking on! At times we either had to step over fallen tree logs or disturb different plants in order to make our way through the forest. It was serene to hear birds singing, chirping, calling, to see butterflies flying around us... and the forest was so dense that the sunlight was barely visible, flickering through the mighty tall trees... and, again, I was thinking "if butterflies and birds can do it, I can do it, too!".

As the path into the woods was ending, we could hear water flowing fast; we were sure it had to be some kind of a bridge to cross over to the other side, over the stream, just like maps was showing. When we got closer to the edge and we've noticed there was no sign of any bridge, we slowly stopped and looked down at the big part of the broken land, abruptly ending with no trail, no vegetation, no anything... simply sandy dark brown soil and the creek flowing down... Therefore, we decided maybe it would be best to try getting down, even closer to the edge of the woods, as near as possible to the creek, to look for the bridge. I relied on on my knees and hands (did not wish to mess up my ankles at such a big level difference between the forest edge and the creek bed). As we were getting closer to the edge we've noticed a big tree log, fallen exactly over the creek (what were the odds of this circumstance?!), acting as a connection to the other side. After stepping down on the rocky shore, even though we were located very close to the corner where the water was speeding, we weren't able to see too much, but we had a feeling, which turned really fast into a fact: there was no bridge - since apparently it was destroyed (so far 3 or 4 times - or more) by fallen trees from the woods and debris brought up by the creek itself from the other part of the mountain, plus heavy rainfall and snow, equals landslides.

I had no time to react: I was told we cannot go back since it was already getting late; but I wouldn't even have thought either of going back, or, just as well, dared of imagining to cross the stream.

I immediately had to leave my imagination behind since my-just-as-better-as-me-half told me "You have two options: you either cross the creek on the log, or you go literally in the water - but you'll have to hold yourself onto the tree log, since the creek flows really fast; I'll hold your camera backpack, just be careful how you step!" - or something 99,9% similar.

I immediately replied "No way: I am not going through the river... it is way too cold, the current is way too quick and my shoes are gonna be wet for the rest of the journey."

Since I was undecided about how to cross the stream, he went ahead, stepping - kind of fast for my pace - onto the fallen tree log and going over on the other side of the creek.

At which I immediately reacted by turning my back and my legs started shaking like a leaf.

"Are you coming?! Come on, there's no time, we cannot go back, it's already getting dark into the woods and we still have to walk a lot on this side! ... Wait, don't come! Wait, I'm coming back! Don't look at the water, just look in front of you, at the tree log and look at my feet: both are slightly in the same line and I am moving them slowly, one by one. And remember: they have to be a bit curved, to fit the form of the log!"

All that time I was only looking at the water and I could only feel it splashing tiny cold droplets on my legs.

Once near me, he took my camera backpack, I stepped slowly onto the fallen tree and I crossed Ferchenbach, not looking at it, but really seeing it out of the corner of my eye.

After stepping down from the log, my legs were, again, shaking. Then I turned my back once more: I couldn't see him (or almost watch him), for the third time, stepping on that tree log; it's no easy task watching the person you love, the most, crossing a mountain river, on a fallen tree log... three times... And I knew best, once again, how not to face my fear: standing there, at that moment, I just looked quickly in disbelief at the creek in front of me, then, with my back turned, and my legs shaking, my mind was going nowhere, suspended in time, just waiting...

Once we were both on the other side, it was... challenging (to say the least): at times we had to walk on missing trail and grab on to tiny plant roots and young trees, just to be 100% that we have a good grip. When I knew (not sure how exactly, but I knew - maybe I could hear Partnach flowing in the distance) we were close to exiting the second part of the woods, I couldn't wait much longer so I walked fast and stepped into a tall bush of Rosa Canina (I think) and scratched, just a tiny bit, my knee, in two places.

When I saw the old stone bridge over Partnach (or Ferchenbach?!) I said loudly "Civilization! Quick!!! Please take a photo with your phone, so I don't have to

stop right now and take my camera out from the backpack!".

After crossing over the bridge and walking for a bit, very close to Partnach Gorge, I've noticed this sign, a bit hidden and I couldn't believe my eyes:

After exiting the Gorge, we bought water, sat down on a bench and took everything in, for some minutes.

We ended up only being thirsty, tired and with some fresh earth, from the woods and mountains, on our legs and sneakers.

That night I tried a bit to make sense of what we've experienced during the day:

Even my background reminded me of our journey into - basically - the Unknown:

Next morning I tried again to backtrack everything:

Meanwhile my background had a homey feeling

and discovered how fit had been tracking one long workout:

The following days, after researching online and reading various articles, I was: unsettled to find out that landslides have occurred in Ebenwald and in the area close to Partnach Gorge; displeased when reading that Ferchenbach has been quite abandoned, more than 11 years ago; and when realizing that there were suppose to be signs and fences to mark a blocked zone, I was disappointed, overall.

From time to time I (we) recall that day, in Werdenfelser Land and I remain grateful and thankful to the mountains for receiving us in a not-so-hostile-way: to type "lucky" it wouldn't be enough.

Where: from Partnach Gorge way up to Schachenhaus and back - south of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Bayern;

When: a little bit after the middle of August 2019;

With: Nikon D5300 (40mm f/2.8G; ISO 160-1600; 1/60s-1/2000s- f3.2-11; 0EV) - unless specified under photos "Handy photo" or "photo taken with my Handy".

Disclaimer: the road described is under no circumstances safe for persons who have never climbed a mountain, or haven't got any training for hiking on difficult mountain trails (T6), especially without proper equipment, drinkable water, printed map.

This is my own experience and I've tried to express it as best as I could, in a positive way [since I believe it would make no sense to focus on the not so good moments].

Bibliography/ further reading:

a) Wikipedia articles:

• in English - "Werdenfelser Land", "Partnach Gorge","Wetterstein", "Rosa Canina".
• in German - "Wettersteinalm", "Schachen (Wetterstein)", "Schachenhaus", "Schachensee", "Wettersteinalm", "Map of Wettersteingebirge" (Wetterstein Mountains), "Ferchenbach affluent of Partnach in Bayern" (mobile page).

b) Mountain bike News - internet bike community forum (in German):

• "Strecke am Ferchenbach Richtung Ellmau Murenabgang" (Route on the Ferchenbach in the direction of Elmau Mudslide) - both pages;
• "Ferchenbach Weg Sperrung, noch aktuell?" (Ferchenbach Route Blocking, still current? - both pages;
• Documented trail near Ferchenbach, from July 2019, with photos taken by geronet (part of the photos reflect exactly how the missing part of the woods and the trail was looking back on August 18th 2019, as well)

c) Alpine Garden on the Schachen route indications on Botanical Garden München-Nymphenburg website - in English;

d) Regional ticket information regarding the price and the route from Munich to the mountains (in German);

e) Alpine grades difficulty on Berg Freunde (in English);

f) Various articles in German:

• "Garmisch-Partenkirchen: Am Ferchenbach drohen Hänge abzurutschen" (=Mountain slopes threaten to slide in Ferchenbach) - 21.06.2018, 04:26 Uhr [video no longer available];
• "GAP: Ferchenbach wieder von Holz befreit" (=Garmisch-Partenkirchen freed from wood again) - Freitag, 10 August 2018;
• "Großer Stress um kleine Brücke" (= Big stress for a small bridge) - Aktualisiert: 23.10.12 - 19:13;
• [BR/ Breitkopf, Martin] "Bewährungsprobe für Hochwasserschutz in Garmisch-Partenkirchen" (=Probation test for flood protection in Garmisch-Partenkirchen) - 21.05.2019, 04:27 Uhr.
• [Brinkmann, Tanja] "Schwierige Lösungsfindung: Ferchenbach bleibt ein Sorgenkind" (=Difficult solution finding: Ferchenbach remains a problem child) - Aktualisiert: 24.02.19 - 18:44;
• [Igelspacher, Alois] "Gesperrte Wege - Betretungsrecht, Naturschutz und Sicherheit" (= Blocked Paths - Right of Access, Nature Protection and Safety) - 02.08.2015 (aktualisiert am 19.04.2019) [also mentions the missing bridge and has a photo of Ferchenbach];
• [Schlegel, Julia]"Der Ferchenbach - die Bedrohung für die Partnachklamm" (=The Ferchenbach - the threat for the Partnach Gorge) - 21.06.2018, 02:51 Uhr.