Easy via ferrata for families in Berchtesgadener Land

Via Ferrata for Families and Beginners on the Jenner in the Berchtesgaden Alps

The Schützensteig was designed so that the safety rope is not too high and the trail includes traverses for long stretches. However, parents should ensure additional safety for children and not force them if they are afraid of heights.

There are two options for the approach:

• 1. Option (30 min): Take the Jennerbahn cable car to the mountain station at 1,802 m. On the wide, well-maintained path, keep left and walk over the Jennergrat to the paragliding launch site at 1,675 m. Above the Kleiner Jenner, descend for 20 minutes and turn left to a small saddle at the foot of the Kleiner Jenner summit (rest bench and via ferrata information board). From here, continue north on a narrow forest path through the sparse forest to the start of the via ferrata. After about 200 m, you'll reach the emergency exit, where you can access a shorter version of the via ferrata. After another 100 m north, you'll reach the actual start.

• 2nd variant (1.5 - 2 hours): The starting point is the Hinterbrand parking lot at 1,130 m. Hike along the Königsweg towards the Jennerbahn mid-station. Once you reach the ski area, you can either ascend the steep path along the Krautkaser piste or follow the road straight ahead to the mid-station and continue towards Mitterkaser Weitausholden until you reach the top station of the Krautkaser chairlift. The shortest access is the ascent via the Krautkaserhang. Above the mountain station, you walk along the road or ravine at 1,445 m and continue into the Mitterkaser basin (mounted). Keep right to the Jennergrat and continue hiking to the paragliding launch site. Here, a wide path leads you down to the right into a small saddle below the Kleiner Jenner (information board, bench) and then down a path to the right to the start of the via ferrata.

Description of the actual via ferrata

From the start, following the rope safety, you first descend a few meters on ledges to a rocky indentation, which you cross using a cable car (flying fox). However, you can also simply bypass the flying fox (A). Behind it, you continue along ledges and a rock traverse (A/B) to another, larger rocky indentation, which you cross using a suspension bridge. The emergency exit is at the end of the suspension bridge. You continue along a grassy ledge and climb over some steeper rocky sections to a small peak, then descend gently from there. You then follow the rope anchors steeply up to the summit of the Kleiner Jenner and circle it on its southwest side to the summit ridge. You continue along this narrow rocky ridge, past the "Bürgermeisterbankerl" (Mayor's Bench), up to the summit of the Kleiner Jenner at 1,694 m.