In Germany, there is a saying among hikers and mountaineers: Der Weg ist das Ziel. (It’s about the journey, not the destination.)
For many ascents, I’ll sign that immediately. I am a friend of varied paths. I prefer winding singletrails over roots and stones, which at best also offer beautiful views at times.
Yesterday I probably had the most boring climb ever for me. About 2,5 km forest highway with an approximately continuous slope of about 15%. Rarely times a view in country. The last meters of altitude were then at least unpaved. - ok: above it is nice, but you have no view.
I hereby declare the Bühlerstein DM/BW-857 the most boring SOTA ascent for me.
For me the most boring summit I have climbed so far in DM/BW is the Blankenhalde DM/BW-853. It is a real drive-in and can be reached in a few minutes without any effort.
When I started reading this thread I was thinking about my personal lowlight and even without reading @DM3FAM’s post I came to the same conclusion: DM/BW-853 can be reached by just walking a couple of metres across a lawn and doesn’t offer any panoramic view.
However, if DM/BW-042 would still be active, I had chosen it because the access is on a boring dirt road and the activator has to sit in the middle of a forest without any view
Here in Poland’s Beskidy (SP/BZ-xxx) there are plenty of trails which lead through the dence woodland and even the summit does not provide views. However, I find that in winter, when there is plenty of snow these are the most magical walks.
Hochstollen, HB/OW-009, was boring for me since you follow a ski lift for about 45-60 minutes. But don’t get wrong about this starter: the view from the summit after a second hour of ascent is stunning! Or in the language of Asterix & Obelix: “Per aspera ad astra”.
The Blankenhalde is only boring if you see this summit as a drive-by.
In fact you can also start your hike at Beuron at the railway station or the archabbey ( Beuron Archabbey - Wikipedia ) and use part of one of the most beautiful “premium wanderweg” to the “Alpenblick” (at least a nice view over the Donau valley) and within one hour you reach DM/BW-853.
Roys Peak in Wanaka (Mt Alpha ZL3/OT-311 to SOTAholics). 1100 vertical meters of gravelled track on a constant gradient similar to yours. On a north-facing sun-baked face with not a tree to be found. Yes - the view from the top is outstanding, but getting there has to be the most boring walk to a SOTA summit in New Zealand.
So WHY is it the most popular tourist walk in ZL?!!!
