Well, the Samerberg is definitely one of the most beautiful corners of Bavaria. And according to the map, "the Samerberg" is not a mountain at all, but a municipality in the district of Rosenheim. However, the small idyllic villages and lush alpine pastures are spread across a high valley in the foothills of the Alps, which is why we locals say that we live on the Samerberg instead of in Samerberg. But either way, our little postcard idyll on the border with Tyrol is a paradise for bikers and from my front door I can see as far as Munich, 80 kilometres away, when the weather is fine.
From the Hochries on downhill trails
It winds its way down from our highest peak, the 1569 metre-high Hochries. Even as a six-year-old, I was fascinated by this mountain. Our primary school teacher, who was obsessed with mountain hiking and experienced in the Himalayas, regularly dragged our whole class up to the Hochries mountain pastures. From the Hochrieshütte itself you have a gigantic panoramic view over the Simssee, the Chiemsee, the Inntal and the Bavarian Forest and on the other side you can even make out the white Großglockner in the main Alpine ridge. But one of these hikes particularly stuck in my memory and was to characterise my later biking life: the Feichteck in the Hochries region. The view was stunning even back then. You stand up there like a king and look out over the countryside. Even then, I wondered how adventurous it would be to hike south over all those mountains.
But then I got my first mountain bike at the age of twelve and my hiking boots were soon on the hook. There was soon no trail that I hadn't tried out here on the Samerberg. Only my current favourite trail from the Hochries - I quickly learned to ride around it. Completely unrideable, I painfully realised. But the gravel paths over the Wagneralm on the southern flank were also really nice on the way down. Back then.
Uphill through the Trockenbach valley
Today you can literally plunge into the northern flank of the mountain! However, you have to get up there first and that involves a bit of effort: You can easily reach the high forest car park near the Duftalm by car. But from here it's a pretty steep ascent. But at least it's in the shade of the forest. Shortly after the Wagner Alm, the landscape opens up and provides a view of the other side of our ascent: the Trockenbachtal valley. Behind it are the Spitzstein, Klausenberg, Predigtstuhl and the striking peaks of the Kampenwand - all my local mountains. On the ridge between Karkopf and Hochries, it's worth taking a short break, if only because the view is so incredible.
Now climb a few more forest road switchbacks, then you've made it: an overgrown path initially runs along the steep northern slope. After a few hundred metres, the path takes four serpentine bends, where an inconspicuous hiking trail suddenly branches off to the right. Here the path drops steeply downwards and this is where it really gets going. Hold on tight and concentrate well: After just 150 metres, you reach the old path that was once built to supply the Pölcheralm with electricity from the valley.
Today it is a trail interspersed with loose stones and rocks à la Lake Garda. At the end, just before the Doaglalm, you are surprised by several higher drops and deep furrows. You drop and surf along the narrow path. It looks like you'll soon be able to open the brakes, but be careful, there's a barrier at the end of the path. So slam on the brakes - which is a good thing anyway, because another magnificent view awaits you here. If you fancy a freshly tapped buttermilk, make a short stop at the Doaglalm and treat yourself to a glass.
Afterwards, you can gain momentum again on the 500 metre long concrete descent, because the next test awaits at the edge of the forest: a hiking trail shortcut with large stones and a stream passage, a long root carpet that really shakes you up again - and finally leads into the Spatenau car park on the Samerberg.
