I suppose it makes sense that we didn't see much signage for the Maximiliansweg on the days we weren't entirely on the Maximiliansweg. Leslie's muscles (and consequently Leslie's brain) were much happier avoiding steep downhills, so we took the lower-elevation SalzAlpenSteig trail southward out of Inzell, rather than the higher-elevation east-heading Maximiliansweg. The two trails joined up a few miles west of Bad Reichenhall, so it wasn't an entirely Maximilianless day.
Inzell is home to the Max Aicher speedskating arena. We deftly peeked through the windows (without touching the glass, of course, because touching the glass is Not Allowed) and saw speedskaters doing their morning rounds:
The SalzAlpenSteig is a 230-km trail that runs from Prien through Berchtesgaden and on into Austria, ending in Obertraun. It traces the history of the salt trade through the Alps, where salt and brine are abundant: 250 million years ago, before the Alps rose up, this area was covered by ocean. Signs along the trail provided history about the first salt brine pipeline in the world, which was made of wood and ran through here:
My hiking style is generally to go and go and go, without stopping until I reach my destination, while Leslie is better about stopping to smell the roses. The SalzAlpenSteig provided multiple shelters with scenic views that encouraged me to be more conscientious about taking breaks.
We knew when the SalzAlpenSteig joined up with the Maximiliansweg because Komoot told us. Despite the blazes on the trees, the Maximiliansweg continued to be unmarked. The blue zigzags on a yellow field are for the SalzAlpenWeg, and the white-red-white stripes indicate an alpine trail.
Once we rejoined the Maximiliansweg, it was a steep but straightforward downhill zigzag all the way into Bad Reichenhall. This section of trail was a great place to practice trotting downhill--easier on the muscles, with less likelihood of slipping, than going at a more controlled pace.
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| My, what a huge root system you have! |
We took a stretch break next to these sheep. I'm certain sheep are highly intelligent creatures, but I can also understand why it's so hard for us dumb humans to recognize that in their if-I-can't-se-you-you-can't-see-me behavior. Baa.
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| Cyclamen |
We arrived in Bad Reichenhall's Altstadt...
...and found our hotel. Leslie took a break, while I set off in search of Kuchen. On my meandering, I discovered we had arrived at just the right time to catch a free outdoor abridged performance of Mozart's Marriage of Figaro.
But first, Kuchen: hazelnut with brickle bits...
Then Figaro, scored for five vocalists, one narrator, string quartet, and (brilliantly) accordion.
...and a brief stroll after dinner.
Ta da! 11 miles.
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