The AlpspiX is a steel viewing platform that is attached at an altitude of about 2050 m on the

Osterfelderkopf Osterfelderkopf (elevation ) is a summit of the Wetterstein range in the German state of Bavaria. Alpinism The Osterfelderkopf lies below the northern ridge of the Alpspitze and the ''Höllentorkopf''. It is only a few meters away from the top ...

, a 2057 m high secondary summit of the

Alpspitze The Alpspitze is a mountain, 2628 m, in Bavaria, Germany. Its pyramidal peak is the symbol of Garmisch-Partenkirchen and is one of the best known and most attractive mountains of the Northern Limestone Alps. It is made predominantly of Wetter ...

. The walkable, free-floating arms of the AlpspiX are covered with gratings and provide a view of the Höllental, about 1000 meters below. The construction is about 20 meters above the mountain station of the Alpspitzbahn and has been open to the public and free of charge since July 4, 2010. At the same time as the Alpspix, a 700-meter-long circular trail, the "summit adventure trail", was opened in the vicinity.

Construction

The AlpspiX consists of two 24 meter long steel frames that swing freely about 13 meters above the rock in the Höllental, whereby the floor is transparent through the grating; at the end there is a slanted pane of glass at the end of the path, to allow a panoramic view when it is not dirty. The total weight of the construction is around 30 tons. The individual components, which weighed up to 1.4 tons, were transported up the mountain in 60 helicopter flights. According to a spokesman, the costs were in the low six-digit euro range. The name is a word-formation from the components "Alpspitze" and "X" because the crossed arms running over each other create an X-like construction.

Controversy

The

German Nature Conservation Society The Naturschutzbund Deutschland e.V. ("Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union") or NABU is a German non-governmental organisation (NGO) dedicated to conservation at home and abroad, including the protection of rivers, forests and individu ...

opposed the AlpspiX, claiming that it reduced the mountains' natural beauty. German climber

Stefan Glowacz Stefan Glowacz (born March 22, 1965 in Tittmoning) is a German professional rock climber and adventurer. He started climbing at the age of 12 and advanced to one of the world's best sports climbers only few years later. Since 1993 he has been d ...

took part in protests against the AlpspiX, holding banners reading "Our Mountains don't need flavor enhancers." The actions took place with the participation of the German branch of the nature organization

Mountain Wilderness Mountain Wilderness is an international non-governmental organization dedicated to the preservation of mountain areas, in their natural and cultural aspects. The organization was founded in Europe and has a stronger presence in alpine and pyrene ...

. The German Alpine Association stated that experiencing the mountains and not just the tourist attraction should be the focus, preferring the development of more-natural climbing trails over the steel platforms of the AlpspiX. Proponents, including

Upper Bavaria Upper Bavaria (german: Oberbayern, ; ) is one of the seven administrative districts of Bavaria, Germany. Geography Upper Bavaria is located in the southern portion of Bavaria, and is centered on the city of Munich, both state capital and seat o ...

governor Christoph Hillenbrand, asserted that the new platform would do much to increase the attractiveness of the

Wetterstein Mountains The Wetterstein mountains (german: Wettersteingebirge), colloquially called Wetterstein, is a mountain group in the Northern Limestone Alps within the Eastern Alps. It is a comparatively compact range located between Garmisch-Partenkirc ...

. AlpspiX spokespeople also claimed that the platform and summit adventure trail would make the mountains more accessible.

References

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External links

The new viewing platform on the Alpspitze

Official website
2010s architecture Cast-iron architecture Observation decks Wetterstein