The Brauneck is an unassuming hill on the eastern edge of the Benediktenwand range. It owes its fame primarily to its ski resort, which is one of the most popular recreational destinations in the greater Munich area. However, since skiing isn’t always the best it could be in some winters—despite the heavy use of snow cannons—some climbers have come up with the idea of getting the most out of their annual investment in a season pass by exploring the numerous rock faces in the area surrounding the ski resort.
While the hike up from the valley can easily take two hours, most of the rock faces can be reached in a leisurely 15–30 minutes on foot from the cable car’s mountain station or in just a few minutes on skis from the lifts. For climbers without a season pass, however, a single-ride ticket isn’t exactly cheap, so it’s definitely worth staying overnight at one of the many huts and spending an entire weekend at Brauneck.
The development of the rock faces was largely carried out by a few dedicated members of the IG Klettern München & Südbayern e.V. The result is one of the largest and most diverse sport climbing areas in Southern Bavaria, with countless routes on often excellent rock and perfect protection.
