A series of pictures and factoids for Create's NaJoPoMo Challenge.

Instructions:

1. Go to Bavaria in winter. (Stop groaning.)
2. Wear really good hiking boots.
3. Visit Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
4. Climb the Partnachklamm, or Partnach Gorge.

The ever-informative Wikipedia has this to say:

In the Triassic, about 240 million years ago, on the bed of a shallow sea, dark grey, relatively hard layers of Alpine Muschelkalk, so-called Wurstelkalk, were laid down in the area of the present day Partnach Gorge. On the bead-like strata of this rock the traces of the burrowing and feeding of marine animals can still be seen.

I imagine this:

'Hey, du Seetier, du! Pass' auf! Du machst mir mein Kalk kaput!

'Rutsch' mir den Buckel runter, du Muschelkalk, du! Du bischt mir Wurscht!

Ask a German-speaking Researcher.

Wiki also informs us that there was a rock slide there in 1991, but fortunately, no loss of life. That's good to hear. Apparently, they've dug a tunnel around the rockfall, and one can pass through 'in perfect safety'. Until the next rockslide, natürlich.

It's worth the risk, however. I remember riding back down on the Seilbahn, a closed car suspended by a cable. It was nearly silent, and the view was breathtaking. I pressed against the big window, and had the sensation of standing in midair. It's an exhilarating feeling.

I visited the Partnachklamm on New Year's Day, 1975. Rockfall or no rockfall, I'd recommend you try it in winter. It's a memorable experience.