Eiskapelle (Ice Chapel) below the Watzmann

Above you rises the Watzmann east face, the highest rock wall in the Eastern Alps; in front of you, in the middle of summer, lies a grey, gritty snowfield among the boulders. The Eiskapelle at the foot of the east face is the lowest year-round snowfield in the German Alps, its lower end at about 930 metres. It was named after an ice cave that meltwater hollowed out of the snow, and that cave largely collapsed in September 2025. The hike from St. Bartholomä on the Königssee is still one of the most impressive short walks in Berchtesgaden National Park, as long as you take the dangers seriously.

How the snowfield forms

In spring avalanches thunder down the east face and pile up in the corner below the wall. This avalanche snow feeds a snowfield that never fully disappears in summer. At the first survey of Bavaria's glaciers in 1892, the Eiskapelle was still a small glacier of its own; it lost its tongue between 1920 and 1950. Meltwater from the Eisbach carved a tunnel-like cave inside, the actual "ice chapel". With climate change the ice melted ever faster until the cave caved in. Whether it will ever form again is uncertain.

Together with the east face, the Eiskapelle is listed among Bavaria's hundred finest geotopes. The east face is the highest rock wall in the Eastern Alps and has claimed more than 100 lives since it was first climbed in 1881.

What to see

• The east face in its full height, more striking than from the boat.
• The snowfield: Grey firn, meltwater and scree show how much ice has gone.
• The Eisbach: A wide, often dry stream bed of pale limestone blocks, some with fossil shells.
• St John and Paul Chapel: A small chapel at the edge of the forest.

The hike

The only way is via St. Bartholomä, so first take the boat across the Königssee. Follow signs from the national park information point over the Eisbach to St John and Paul Chapel, then through a short stretch of forest and rough boulder terrain to the snowfield. Allow three to four hours for about 6 km return and 250 m of ascent; sturdy shoes are essential.

Safety

Do not walk onto the snowfield or under ice. People have been killed here by falling ice, and since the collapse the national park strongly warns against entering the area. Rockfall can happen at any time, and streams can swell during snowmelt or after heavy rain.

Boat and prices (as of October 2026)

Boats run from Seelände in Schönau am Königssee to St. Bartholomä in about 35 minutes; return €23.40, single €11.70. In the summer timetable (until 11 October 2026) boats run roughly every 30 minutes, and the service operates year-round. Go before 10:30 and return before 14:30 to avoid queues.

Tripto tip

Make a morning of it: early boat, hike to the Eiskapelle, then the pilgrimage church with its red onion domes and the national park exhibition at St. Bartholomä.