“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”
John Steinbeck
The experience of awakening to the first snowfall of winter is magical, especially when Mother Nature delivers as she did today in Oberammergau, Germany. (There was nothing to shovel, but confectioners’ sugar-like dustings on the surrounding mountaintops).
Tricia A. Mitchell is a freelance writer and photographer. Born in Europe but raised in the United States, she has lived in Valletta, Malta; Heidelberg, Germany; and Split, Croatia. An avid globetrotter who has visited more than 65 countries, she has a penchant for off-season travel. Tricia has learned that travel’s greatest gift is not sightseeing, rather it is the interactions with people. Some of her most memorable experiences have been sharing a bottle of champagne with distant French cousins in Lorraine, learning how to milk goats in a sleepy Bulgarian village, and ringing in the Vietnamese New Year with a Hanoi family. She welcomes any opportunity to practice French and German, and she loves delving into a place’s history and artisanal food scene.
A former education administrator and training specialist, Tricia has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in international relations. She and her husband, Shawn, married in the ruins of a snowy German castle. They’ve been known to escape winter by basing themselves in coastal Croatia or Southeast Asia.
Her writing has appeared in Fodor’s Travel, Frommer’s, and International Living.
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14 thoughts on “Mount Kofel Dressed in Snow – Oberammergau, Germany”
Gerard, we did hike to the top over the summer, but I would never attempt it during the winter months! We have a family friend who did so as a teenager, and she said it was terrifying given how slippery it was.
We miss the white presence of snow here on the lower mainland. But when we do want a snow fix we can drive an hour up to the local mountains. Coming from the prairies we miss the distinct four seasons. Love your photographs as always. V.
Having it within an hour’s reach is the best of both worlds, Virginia. I love seeing how it transforms the landscape, but not driving in or shoveling it. :) Are your son and daughter-in-law now in SE Asia?
Tricia we picked them up yesterday afternoon. Two tired travelers a little happy to arrive in Vancouver after over 20 hours of flying. Ho Chi Min City to Hong Kong then on to Vancouver. Callum informed us they had ten over 2,000 pictures. We are looking forward to getting all the news and seeing their photos. Lovely of you to remember. XX Virginia
Glad to hear they made it back safely. Hopefully they have some photo/video coverage of dodging motorbikes to cross the streets in Ho Chi Minh City! That’s always an adventure. :)
Stay warm! I am in this moment looking at snowflakes swirling in the wind. The East Coast is plunging into winter….
So pretty. We just had our first snowfall in Cincinnati, too, but I missed it. I’m sitting on the equator in Singapore while my family enjoys the first white flakes of winter. Luckily, I know there will be more.
Mark, as someone with a fear of heights, hiking to the top was a great triumph. As much as I loved taking in the views, I’m not sure I’d do it again though.
Travels With Tricia 
Tricia, did you climb to the top?
Gerard, we did hike to the top over the summer, but I would never attempt it during the winter months! We have a family friend who did so as a teenager, and she said it was terrifying given how slippery it was.
We miss the white presence of snow here on the lower mainland. But when we do want a snow fix we can drive an hour up to the local mountains. Coming from the prairies we miss the distinct four seasons. Love your photographs as always. V.
Having it within an hour’s reach is the best of both worlds, Virginia. I love seeing how it transforms the landscape, but not driving in or shoveling it. :) Are your son and daughter-in-law now in SE Asia?
Tricia we picked them up yesterday afternoon. Two tired travelers a little happy to arrive in Vancouver after over 20 hours of flying. Ho Chi Min City to Hong Kong then on to Vancouver. Callum informed us they had ten over 2,000 pictures. We are looking forward to getting all the news and seeing their photos. Lovely of you to remember. XX Virginia
Glad to hear they made it back safely. Hopefully they have some photo/video coverage of dodging motorbikes to cross the streets in Ho Chi Minh City! That’s always an adventure. :)
Stay warm! I am in this moment looking at snowflakes swirling in the wind. The East Coast is plunging into winter….
“Snowflakes swirling” sounds so idyllic – except for the shoveling that may result, of course. :) Stay warm, Annette!
A beautiful setting. Snow is always best when there is no shoveling involved, at least IMO. :)
Spoken like a Floridian. :) Having grown up in the Midwest, I subscribe to that same logic, Ron!
So pretty. We just had our first snowfall in Cincinnati, too, but I missed it. I’m sitting on the equator in Singapore while my family enjoys the first white flakes of winter. Luckily, I know there will be more.
The “grass is always greener” isn’t it, Juliann? :) Did work take you just to Singapore or another Asian spot? Wish you safe travels back to Ohio!
Impressive climb summer or winter, well done Tricia.
Mark, as someone with a fear of heights, hiking to the top was a great triumph. As much as I loved taking in the views, I’m not sure I’d do it again though.