Get ready for the ride of your life...
Get ready for the ride of your life...There is no more exhilarating sound in the Winter Olympics than the thunder of a bobsled as its steel runners bite savagely into the ice. Hurtling down prepared runs at speeds of up to 130 km/h, pulling as much as 4.5 G-force as the bob swings through the curves, the driver has no margin for error. The rumbling, metallic roar—a constant reminder of how dangerous the sport is—sends shivers down your spine and raises the hair on the back of your neck. For € 80 it is possible to experience the Formula One of the Winter Olympics at the Kunsteisbahn at Königssee, south of Berchtesgaden. One of the first of its kind ever to be built, and still considered by many to be among the most technically demanding, the Kunsteisbahn at Königssee can provide you with one of your most memorable winter thrills. To accompany the internationally experienced driver down the 1,200-m run on a four-person bob, you need to be fit and healthy—and have a large dose of courage. The € 80 includes accident insurance. See www.rennbob-taxi.de for details or call (08652) 958 80 to book. Of course bobsledding is the most extreme form of a pastime that almost everyone who has grown up near snow has tried at least once in their life. Sledding, tobogganing or rodeln, as it is known in Bavaria, is an activity sure to be enjoyed by the whole family—and a great way to shake the winter blues. The Bavarian Alps boast a wide selection of sledding runs, including some of the longest, most challenging and exhilarating ones around. With many devoted entirely to the sport, you don’t have to worry about avoiding skiers and snowboarders. Schönau am Konigssee has the longest sled run in Bavaria with a length of 7.5 km. It is about a two-and-half-hour walk to the top of the Kühroint-Alm. It then takes about 30 minutes to descend this challenging run, which ranges from being difficult in the upper, curvy reaches to easy at the lower level. The track ends at the parking lot in Hammerstiel, having dropped 670 m in altitude from top to bottom. In Bavaria, the majority of the runs that are devoted entirely to sledding are accessible only on foot. However, there are still enough that can be reached by lift to provide interest for those who are less active. For example, Marquartstein, Niedernfels, has an intermediate-level 3.5-km run that can be reached by the Hochplattenbahn ski lift. The difference in altitude covered by this run is 430 m. It takes slightly over an hour to walk to the top. Other runs that are provided with lifts are at Mittenwald (1.6 km, 225 m altitude difference, intermediate), Oberaudorf (3 km, 350 m, intermediate) and Ramsau near Berchtesgaden (3.3 km, 260 m, intermediate), which is known by the colorful name of Toter Mann (Dead Man). This may be due to the lower levels, which can become tricky in icy conditions, especially with nearby pedestrians oblivious to the dangers of rapidly approaching sleds. At Reit im Winkl, Blindau, near the Austrian border, the Dirnhofer family of the Hindenburghütte (Tel. [0171] 543 79 23) will drive you to the top of the run for a small fee. The track itself is specially prepared and is four kilometers long. It has a difference in altitude of 550 m, and is rated an intermediate run—though sections of it are ideal for families with small children. The Dirnhofers also rent out single and double sleds. In addition, the family is also planning to organize moonlight sledding in the 2004/2005 ski season. See www.hindenburghuette.de for details. The most rustic run in Bavaria is undoubtedly in Schwangau at the Drehhütte (Tel. [08362] 85 85), where you can rent a horse-drawn sled (€ 12 for adults, children receive a discount depending on the mood of the driver) from the Müller family to pull you to the top of this 3.9-km prepared run. The run is rated intermediate and has a difference in altitude of 400 m. Call two to three days ahead to book the horse sled. Toboggans can be hired from the Tegelberg Ski Station (Tel. [08362] 98 36 51). Of course, for the ultimate sledding experience, you could also make the five-hour drive to St. Moritz. Although sledding can be traced as far back as the 16th century, it was some 300 years later that it began to develop as a sport, when Swiss hoteliers created runs for bored English guests. The result was luge or skeleton: a sport whereby riders fly down at speeds of up to 140 km/h with their nose hovering a mere 15–20 cm from the icy ground. The first international competition was held in Davos in 1879, but the most famous run in the world is undoubtedly the Cresta Run in St. Moritz. Built in 1885, this has collected its share of anecdotes over the years. For example, the slowest time was set by Errol Flynn, after he stopped halfway down for a glass of champagne before gliding down slowly to his waiting chauffeur. To experience the rarefied atmosphere of this very British club will cost you € 295 for five beginner practice runs—but it is open only to men. For details contact the Secretary, Lt. Col. Johnny Moss, at www.cresta-run.com . Further information is available under www.rodeln.com (in German only).