Seefelder Spitze — The Karwendel Crown

Rising sharply from the Seefeld plateau, the Seefelder Spitze (2,221m) is a classic peak in the Karwendel Alps. The trail from the Rosshütte cable car station follows a sustained ridge-line connecting the Seefelder Joch with the summit. The terrain is typical Karwendel: brittle limestone, narrow ridges, and significant vertical drops into the surrounding range. While the lift provides a useful head-start, the hike itself demands surefootedness and good aerobic fitness, and rewards those who complete it with a panorama spanning from the Zugspitze to the main alpine ridge.

Sarek National Park is considered Europe's last true wilderness: no marked trails, no cabins, no bridges over raging glacial rivers, and no cell service. However, on the very eastern edge of Sarek lies Mt. Skierfe (1,179m), boasting a sheer 700-meter vertical drop overlooking the braided, turquoise waters of the Rapadalen delta. The view from the top is universally acclaimed as the most beautiful in all of Sweden. To reach it without undertaking a strenuous 10-day survival expedition deep into Sarek, hikers take a multi-day detour off the Kungsleden trail to the STF Aktse hut. From Aktse, Skierfe is climbed as a demanding 10-mile (16km) round-trip day hike through dense birch forests and steep alpine tundra, terminating at the demanding, unprotected cliff edge.