Tour report
A Day in the Mountains When the Summit Did Not Matter
We left Landsberg at 7:45 a.m. and reached the valley station in Grän shortly before 9:00 a.m. The drive along the Achtalstraße from Pfronten into the Tannheimer Tal already set the tone for this special day. Tyrolean grazing cattle stood in the road, making us drive at walking pace through the impressive scenery of the Allgäu mountains. After the roughly ten-minute ride up to the Füssener Jöchle mountain station, we were greeted by a magnificent mountain landscape. From the mountain station, we set off with Lou towards Große Schlicke. The tour had been described as manageable with a dog, but it became increasingly demanding as we gained elevation. Lou handled the route and the first scrambling sections admirably. At the same time, we could tell that the warm conditions and the terrain were taking a great deal of energy. Around 140 vertical metres below the summit, the scrambling sections became larger and noticeably more challenging. At that point, it was clear to us that Lou was reaching his limit. We therefore decided not to continue to the summit and turned back. Our dog’s health mattered more to us than the summit. Even without reaching Große Schlicke, the tour was rich in wonderful mountain moments and shared experiences. After returning, we stopped at Sonnenalm and took our time winding down after the demanding section. Thunderstorms had been forecast for midday, but they never materialised. Instead, we were able to enjoy a beautiful, sunny afternoon in the Tannheimer Tal. After the ride back down into the valley, we stopped at Haldensee, where Lou got to swim once more. Afterwards, we had ice cream in Tannheim. On the way home, we took one final break at Dorfwirt in Pfronten and enjoyed a cold beer. In the end, it was a challenging and very beautiful tour – without reaching the summit, but with many memories and the certainty that we had made the right decision at the right moment.
Moment
„Not every great day in the mountains needs a summit – sometimes turning back together is the most important decision.“
Route
The route.
The hike began at the Füssener Jöchle mountain station. From there, the route led through the mountain landscape towards Große Schlicke. The terrain became increasingly demanding with elevation and included ever larger scrambling sections. Around 140 vertical metres below the summit, we stopped our ascent out of consideration for Lou and headed back. Afterwards, we stopped at Sonnenalm.
Personal note
What we remember most is how enthusiastic Lou was along the way and how confidently he mastered the first scrambling sections. Giving up on the summit did not feel like a defeat, but like a natural decision for the journey we were sharing.
Tour participants