Allgäu Alps

Allgäu Alps
Overview map of the Allgäu Alps according to Ernst Höhne
Highest peak	Großer Krottenkopf ( 2656  m above sea level )
location	Germany : Bavaria Austria : Vorarlberg , Tirol
part of	Bavarian Alps Northern Eastern Alps
Classification according to	AVE : 2 SOIUSA : 22.II
Coordinates	47 ° 19 ′  N , 10 ° 21 ′  E Coordinates: 47 ° 19 ′  N , 10 ° 21 ′  E
Krottenspitze , Öfnerspitze and Großer Krottenkopf
"Dreigestirn" Trettachspitze , Mädelegabel and Hochfrottspitze

The Allgäu Alps are a mountain group of the Northern Eastern Alps . The mountains are located east of Lake Constance , shape the Allgäu and have an area of ​​about 75 km × 50 km.

The states of Germany with the federal state of Bavaria and Austria with the federal states of Vorarlberg and Tyrol have a share in the Allgäu Alps . The southernmost point of Germany ( Grenzstein 147 ) lies on the state border near the Haldenwanger Eck , which also forms the triangle of Bavaria, Tyrol and Vorarlberg.

Characteristic

"Elevator to the Alm" (postcard from Eugen Felle ), in the background the central ridge of the Allgäu Alps

The mountain group is characterized by an extraordinary variety of rock structure and consequently by a diverse landscape. The steep grass mountains of the Allgäu Alps with angles of inclination of up to 70 degrees are remarkable . The flora is one of the most diverse in the entire Alps. The development by cable cars and paths is above average. The high-altitude trails from hut to hut are famous , on which mountain hikers can spend seven to ten days without descending into inhabited valleys. Due to its location on the northern edge of the Alps, the area is relatively rainy and the rainiest in Germany. In winter the Allgäu Alps are relatively snowy - at least in the higher elevations. Even a small glacier and some eternal snow fields have survived to this day.

The Allgäu Alps and the Allgäu are not congruent. The Allgäu is a landscape which, according to today's understanding (almost only, see Tannheimer Tal ) is limited to the German national territory. The Allgäu Alps are a mountain group of the Alps . It was defined within the framework of the Alpine Club division of the Eastern Alps into individual mountain groups. Parts of the Allgäu Alps and the highest peak are already on Austrian territory. The Allgäu, on the other hand, extends far beyond the area of ​​the Allgäu Alps in the north and northwest.

Neighboring mountain groups

The Allgäu Alps border on the Bregenz Forest Mountains in the west, the Lechquellen Mountains in the southwest, the Lechtal Alps in the south and southeast and the Ammergau Alps in the east. Like the Allgäu Alps themselves, all of these mountain groups belong to the Northern Eastern Alps. In the north, the Allgäu Alps border the Alpine foothills .

Boundary

Only in the east , south-east and south is the limit unambiguous and clear. The Lech forms the border here from its exit from the Alps into the Alpine foothills at Füssen upstream to the confluence of the Krumbach near Warth (Vorarlberg) . The Krumbach leads the border to the Hochtannbergpass . The border continues along the Seebach and the Bregenz Ach to Au-Rehmen.

and display information about the image

The northeast flank of the Allgäu Alps, the Tannheimer Mountains and the ridge of the Falkenstein between Füssen and Pfronten, with the Hopfensee in the foreground

The border between the Allgäu Alps and the Bregenzerwald Mountains in the west is not clear orographically . The Alpine Club classification of the Eastern Alps (AVE) published in 1984 draws the border as follows: from Au -Rehmen along the Rehmerbach up to the Stogger Sattel . Then down again over the Osterguntenbach , the Schönenbach and the Subersach to the confluence with the Bregenzer Ach and along this river to the confluence of the Weißach or even to Lake Constance . The even closer demarcation, which would exclude the detour via the Subersach and stay on the Bregenz Ach, would expand the sub-mountain range named after the German Allgäu to include landscapes that lie entirely in the Austrian Vorarlberg.

The border of the Allgäu Alps in the north is variable. If the border is drawn closer, the border runs from the confluence of the Weißach into the Bregenzer Ach along the Weißach to Oberstaufen. There it goes on over the Konstanzer Ach and the Großer Alpsee to Immenstadt and on over the places Rettenberg , Wertach , Nesselwang , Pfronten -Ried and the Weißensee to finally Lech near Füssen . Hansjörg Dongus , for example, uses this border in his natural spatial structure of the Alps on sheets 187/193 Lindau / Oberstdorf and 188/194 Kaufbeuren / Mittenwald , whereby he also leaves out the bay of Langenegg , Hittisau and Andelsbuch . Other divisions start further north and include the more southerly mountain ranges of the Nagelfluhhöhen between Lake Constance and Wertach ; in particular the Pfänder (1062 m) together with the Hirschberg (1095 m), the Sulzberg (1041 m), the Salmaser Höhe (1254 m) and the Rottachberg (1115 m) are often included in the Alps.

The Hochtannbergpass connects the Allgäu Alps with the Lechquellen Mountains . The Stogger Saddle creates the connection to the Bregenz Forest Mountains .

Relief of the north-western Eastern Alps with the Allgäu Alps in the center, along with the main natural boundaries and mountain heights (for legend see image description page )

topography

The mountain groups of the Northern Limestone Alps can be divided into two categories in terms of their terrain : the chain mountains and the plateau mountains . The western mountain groups and thus the Allgäu Alps, with the exception of the area around the limestone plateau of the Hohen Ifens chain mountains, are in contrast to the eastern plateau mountains such as the Loferer Steinberge.

An actual main ridge only extends through the southeast and eastern part of the Allgäu Alps, i.e. H. in the border area between Germany and Austria. This main ridge consists, with a short interruption in the area of ​​the Rauheck, of an otherwise widespread rock, the main dolomite . It begins with the saddle of the Schrofenpass in the rearmost Rappenalpental and runs in a largely straight course to the Oberjoch.

A large number of side ridges extend from the main ridge. Coming from the southwest, branch off from the main ridge: the Hohe Licht and the Peischelgruppe to the south and east, the Himmelschrofenzug to the north, the Hornbach chain to the east, the Fürschießer to the northwest, the Kegelköpfe to the northwest, the Höfatsgruppe to the northwest, the Kanzberg ridge to the north East, the thumb group with its branches to the north, the Rosskar group to the east and the Leilach group with its branches to the east and northeast.

The main ridge of the Allgäu Alps is not in the middle of the mountain range, but on the southern and southeastern edge. It follows that the side ridges leading to the north and northwest are longer than the ridges leading to the south and east. The valleys leading to the main ridge from the north are also longer than the valleys to the south of the main ridge. This has concrete effects on mountain tourism. Large parts of the main ridge can be reached more quickly from the south than from the north, especially if you take into account the driving ban for private vehicles in some valleys south of Oberstdorf and near Hinterstein. For example, it is only 3.5 km as the crow flies south to Lechtalstrasse from the summit of Hohen Licht , while to the north it is 8.5 km as the crow flies to the next point authorized for public motor vehicle traffic. For the Hochvogel the corresponding values ​​are 3 km to the south, but 11 km to the north. In addition, the starting points south of the main ridge are often higher than the northern starting points. Despite these clear conditions, the Allgäu Alps, including their main ridge, are still mainly hiked from the north, from the German side.

There is no continuous main ridge in the western part of the Allgäu Alps. From the Fellhorn to the Widderstein there is a mountain ridge in front of the main ridge. This is followed in a semicircle by the boundary of the rear Kleiner Walsertal. The chain character of the Allgäu Alps is interrupted with the Hohen Ifen and the Gottesacker plateau (rocks from the Cretaceous period). Here - unique for the Allgäu Alps and far beyond - a karst plateau has formed. Further to the north, the Flysch Mountains form local chains again. This is followed by the Allgäu Nagelfluh layer combs made of Nagelfluh / Molasse rocks in the far north of the west wing . This is the most beautifully modeled mountain range of the Molasse in the entire Alps. The lower mountains further north also form local chains ( Nagelfluh heights and valleys between Lake Constance and Wertach ).

The central part of the Tannheim Group is made up of Wetterstein limestone, a reef limestone. The isolated position of these mountains without topographical connection with the main ridge of the Allgäu Alps can be derived from this. Within the Tannheimer Group there is a local main ridge between Aggenstein and Hahnenkamm. The mountains to the east and north of it are single mountain sticks.

Subgroups

The Allgäu main ridge

The out of print older editions of the Alpine Club Guide Allgäu Alps divide the mountain group into the Allgäu main ridge as well as the side ridges and other groups .

The Allgäu main ridge is divided into eight subgroups: Rappen Alps, Hochlicht Group, Peischel Group, Mädelegabel Group, Krottenspitz Group, Wilden Group, Hochvogel Group and Rauhhorn-Zug.

The side ridges and other groups consist of ten sub-groups: Hornbach chain , Höfats group, thumb group, Roßzahn group, Leilach group, mountains between Breitach and Stillach (Schafalpen and Warmatsgund), Walsertal mountains to the left of the Breitach, foothills west of the Iller, foothills eastward the Iller, Tannheimer Berge.

The current 16th edition of the Alpine Club Guide Allgäu Alps, which we follow below, makes a coarser subdivision into only twelve subgroups. A direct comparison between the subgroups according to the older classification and the subgroups according to the new classification is not easy because the boundaries between the subgroups have been partially redrawn. Mainly side ridge sub-groups were merged with those of the main ridge and the group "central main ridge" was composed of four sub-groups:

• The “Central Main Ridge” group was merged from the Rappen Alps, the Hochlicht Group, the Peischel Group and the Mädelegabel Group.
• The Krottenspitz group was split up: the south-western part was added to the Hornbach chain, the north-eastern part merged with the Höfats group.
• The Leilach group (secondary ridge) was merged with the main ridge group of the Rauhhorn train to form the “Visalpsee group” (only the two most south-westerly peaks of the train came to the Hochvogel group).
• The Hochvogel group was merged with its side ridge of the Roßzahn group.

The classification corresponds to orographic , non-geological or natural boundaries. Accordingly, some subgroups consist of up to four types of rock. Roughly the southeast half of the Allgäu Alps is occupied by the Allgäu Limestone Alps , on which the main ridge lies and which form the left-lech counterpart to the Lechtal Alps . The height structure of the main ridge, which is followed by the Bavarian-Tyrolean state border, looks like this, from southwest to northeast:

• Großer Widderstein (Southeastern Walsertal Mountains): 2533 m
• ↓ Schrofenpass (1688 m)
• Biberkopf (central main ridge): 2599 m
• ↓ Great Steinscharte (2262 m)
• Hohes Licht (central main ridge): 2651 m
• Madelejoch (1973 m)
• Großer Krottenkopf (minimally southeast of the ridge line; Hornbach chain): 2656 m
• ↓ Marchsattel (2201 m)
• Rauheck (Höfats and Rauheck Group): 2384 m
• ↓ Hornbachjoch (2020 m)
• Hochvogel (Hochvogel and Rosszahn group): 2592 m
• ↓ Emergency saddle (below 1879 m)
• Division into a ridge that continues in the north-east direction and one that follows the state border to the north and finally north-west (Visalpsee group):
  • Leilachspitze (to the northeast; former Leilach group): 2274 m; Ridge runs to Lech at Weissbach from
  • Gaishorn (to the north; slightly east of the ridge line, former Rauhhorn train): 2247 m; The ridge ends at the Kühgundkopf (1907 m) near Bad Hindelang .

The following list of the groups is, as far as possible, clockwise and starts in the north near Immenstadt :

Allgäu pre-Alps west of the Iller

The southern border of this subgroup runs from Oberstdorf via Rohrmoos to Sibratsgälle . The highest mountain is the Hochgrat , 1834  m above sea level. NN . These mountains are a popular hiking area. The rock structure is diverse.

In the northern part the molasse dominates. It forms the well-known Nagelfluh chains ( Allgäuer Nagelfluh layer combs ). The central high ridge chain rises from the Vorarlberg side from Hochhäderich (1566 m) to Germany to Hochgrat and Rindalphorn (1821 m) and gradually falls back to the Mittagberg (1451 m) near Immenstadt to the northeast . To the north-west of the Mittagberg, on the Immenstädter Horn (1489 m), is the north-eastern end of the northern chain, which reaches up to 1491 m, runs parallel to the Hochgratkette and continues beyond the Weißach in the Fluh (1391 m). The southern Nagelfluhkette, on the other hand, extends less far to the northeast, but further to the southwest. It stretches from the Siplingerkopf (1746 m) in Swabia to Vorarlberg with the Koppachstein (1537 m) and continues beyond the Bolgenach in the Hittisberg (1328 m), beyond the Subersach and thus nominally in the Bregenzerwaldgebirge finally in the Stangstattkopf (1095 m).

The peaks rising further south are made of flysch. This is the northern of the two flysch zones in the Allgäu Alps. The mountains are characterized by gentle round shapes. This makes them a popular terrain for ski touring and snowshoeing in winter . The most famous mountain in this flysch zone is the Riedberger Horn (1787 m), which is easy to climb from the Riedberg Pass. The so-called horn group (Ofterschwanger Horn, Sigiswanger Horn , Rangiswanger Horn (1616 m) and Bolsterlanger Horn ) also belongs to the flysch zone, as does the Piesenkopf and the Feuerstätterkopf (1645 m) to the northwest .

South of the Riedbergpass and east of the Piesenkopf, in the extreme southeast of the group, the rock changes again. Now the Schrattenkalk of the chalk formation, characteristic of the next southern subgroup, begins with the striking Besler (1679 m). Its summit can be climbed directly via an exposed ramp or, somewhat easier, with a detour from the south. Like many other mountains in this sub-group, the Besler offers a good view of the main ridge of the Allgäu Alps.

Northwestern Walsertal mountains

The Kleine Walsertal forms the southern border of the northwestern Walsertal mountains , the valley line from Oberstdorf via Rohrmoos to Sibratsgfälle is the northern border. At the Üntschenpass , the northwestern and southeastern Walsertal mountains border each other at 1854  m . The highest mountain is the Hohe Ifen, 2230  m above sea level. NN . Together with the neighboring Gottesacker plateau, this mountain is also the most striking feature of the subgroup. Cretaceous rocks dominate here and in the south-west adjoining Diedamskopf (2090 m).

In contrast, the other mountains of the subgroup, i.e. the south and southeast, are made up of flysch. This is part of the southern flysch zone of the Allgäu Alps, which here in the Üntschenspitze (for the rock) reaches an impressive 2135 m. The southern flysch zone continues westward into the Bregenzerwald Mountains, where 2133 m are reached on the Glatthorn . The Hohe Ifen and the mountains adjoining the Bregenzerwaldgebirge to the west ( winter shrub in the north: 1877 m, Damülser Mittagsspitze in the south: 2095 m) separate the southern from the northern flysch zone of the north-western Eastern Alps and thus form a geological window in which the next older rock appears under the flysch cover.

Southeastern Walsertal mountains

The subgroup of the south-eastern Walsertal mountains is bordered in the north by the Kleiner Walsertal. The Stillachtal and the Rappenalptal , which are sections of the same Illerquellarmtal, run to the east and southeast . The Üntschenpass connects the southeastern Walsertal mountains with the northwestern Walsertal mountains. The central main ridge of the Allgäu Alps joins the Schrofenpass . The highest mountain in the subgroup is the Great Widderstein , 2533  m . The group includes the famous hiking and skiing area of ​​the Fellhorn and Kanzelwand lifts as well as the famous Mindelheim via ferrata . Heavily frequented areas such as the Fellhorn or in the vicinity of the Mindelheimer Hütte are contrasted with areas that have remained lonely, such as in the mountains northeast of the Fiderescharte.

In the center of the group is the Elferkopf (2387 m) made up of Lias rocks, which is separated from the Widderstein in the south-west by a very clear notch height ( Gemstelpass at 1971 m, Schärtle even lower). From the area south of the Elferberg, a Riedel goes northeast, to the Iller, which divides again into the Fellhorn (2037 m) in the north and the Alpgundkopf (2177 m) in the south. The Fellhorn is located in the southern flysch zone of the Allgäu Alps, while the ridge from the Widderstein over the Schafalpenköpfe to the Alpgundkopf consists of main dolomite .

Central main ridge

The subgroup of the central main ridge stretches between the Schrofenpass (1688 m) and the Mädelejoch (1973 m) and comprises less the "center" than the southern edge of the Allgäu Alps. The core of the group is a ridge-like horseshoe that is open to the northeast and has no notable incisions (deepest notches here at almost 2400 m) with pointed tips.

In the north rises the famous triumvirate of Trettachspitze (2595 m), Mädelegabel (2645 m) and Hochfrottspitze (2649 m), whereby the Trettachspitze branches off from the horseshoe on a side ridge to the north. To the southwest of the Hochfrottspitze, about 2 km away and beyond the Socktalscharte (at 2460 m), the Hohe Licht joins, at 2651  m above sea level. NN highest peak of the subgroup. The famous Heilbronner Weg leads along here.

South of the High light falls Hochalpgrat to about 2400 m and rises to Peischelspitze back to 2512 m to the south branching from Horseshoe Ellbognerspitze reached 2552 m. From the Peischelspitze, the ridge of the horseshoe continues to the northeast, the last independent summit is the Muttekopf (2431 m), from which the ridge gradually drops and finally ends. The so-called Peischelgruppe in the southeast of the horseshoe is much less visited than the parts between Trettachspitze and Hohem Licht.

In addition to the horseshoe and rather short side ridges that branch off from it, the subgroup also consists of a longer, flat Riedel and a second massif in the southeast. The rapidly flattening Himmelschrofenzug stretches from the Trettachspitze to the north, reaching only 1791 m at the northern summit and separating the Iller source rivers Stillach (W) and Trettach (O). A little northeast of the Hohe Licht, a secondary ridge branches off to the west at the state border to the Rotgundspitze (2485 m), south of which the Große Steinscharte (at 2262 m) leads to the subgroup's only independent massif, apart from the horseshoe. The Biberkopf (2599 m) in the southeast is close to the southernmost point of Germany, but its summit is already in Tyrol. To the northwest of the combustion ridge between the horseshoe and the Biberkopf lies the small Rappensee lake, at a proud 2047 m altitude .

The main peaks of the subgroup are made from main dolomite. This so-called Lech Valley cover has been pushed onto the Allgäu cover made of Lias rocks. The thrust orbit can be seen in many places, for example in the vicinity of the Kemptner Hütte (Trettachrinne) or the Rappenseehütte (Linkerskopf). In some cases a double thrust of the rocks can even be observed. The northern part of the Himmelschrofenzug consists of main dolomite. The southern part consists of Lias rocks of the Allgäu cover, which have been pushed onto the main dolomite. The main dolomite of the Allgäu main ridge pushes itself onto the Allgäu ceiling.

Hornbach chain

The Hornbach chain is a very rugged mountain ridge without any noteworthy gaps. It branches off from the Allgäu main ridge at Öfnerspitze ( 2576  m above sea level ) or it actually represents the geomorphological, somewhat less filigree continuation of the main ridge horseshoe, which, however, remains south-east of the state border in Tyrol and after a good 12 km length on Lech Valley meets flanking him in the southeast. To the northwest it meets the Hornbachtal , which gives it its name .

In the southwest of the Hornbach chain, only about 1 km from the state border, is the highest peak in the Allgäu Alps, the Große Krottenkopf , 2,656  m above sea level. A. , in the northeast, the Urbeleskarspitze is still 2632  m above sea level. A. achieved. The subgroup also includes a short section of the main ridge between the Mädelejoch ( 1973  m above sea level ) and the Marchsattel ( 2201  m above sea level ), the highest peak of which is the aforementioned Öfnerspitze ( 2576  m above sea level ), and the one just north this to the northwest, to Trettach , branching off Riedel des Fürschießers ( 2271  m above sea level ).

The peaks are made from main dolomite. Despite its importance, the Hornbach chain has remained rather lonely. Many - even very high - peaks of the chain are only visited by a few people each year.

Höfats- and Rauheck group

The Höfats and Rauheck group comprises part of the Allgäu main ridge between the “Märzle” called yoke (at 2201 m) and the Hornbachjoch (at 2020 m). Limiting valleys are the Trettachtal , the Traufbachtal , the Oytal , the Hornbachtal and the Jochbach valley. The highest mountain is the Rauheck , 2384  m . The steep grass mountains made of Lias rock dominate here more than in any other subgroup of the Allgäu Alps . The most famous mountain - and a landmark of the Allgäu Alps - is the Höfats (2250 m), which stretches from the Rauheck to the northeast , and with a notch height of 478 m is one of the most independent mountains in the Allgäu Alps. Further to the south-west, the Riedel of the Kegelkopf stretches to the north-west, although it only reaches 1959 m, but at a height of 283 m it is a much more independent mountain compared to its neighbors Fürschießer in the south and the Himmelschrofenzug in the west.

Only in the northern foothills of the Höfats is the main dolomite the rock sculptor. The high path between the Kemptner Hütte and the Prinz-Luitpold-Haus leads through the subgroup. Otherwise there are hardly any peaks that can be reached on paths.

Hochvogel and Rosszahn group

This subgroup includes the part of the Allgäu main ridge from Hornbachjoch (2020 m) via the eponymous Hochvogel (2592 m), which clearly dominates the area , to the Notländesattel (1879 m). Furthermore, the tributary ridge to Großem Roßzahn (2355 m) and Stallkarspitze (2350 m), which points to the east, is part of it. Limiting valleys are the Hornbachtal in the south, the Lech valley in the east, the Schwarzwassertal in the north and the Bärgündletal in the west. The subgroup consists mainly of main dolomite.

The Hochvogel is also considered the most beautiful mountain in the Allgäu Alps, especially when viewed from the north. The Hochvogel with its main base at Prinz-Luitpold-Haus is by far the most climbed mountain in the subgroup. All other peaks in the area are much less high and much less visited. In hardly any other subgroup is the contrast between crowds and absolute loneliness so great. Only a few kilometers as the crow flies from the Hochvogel are the peaks of the Rosszahn Group, which are rarely visited.

On the Himmeleck , in the south of the ridge area belonging to the subgroup, the thumb group, which is significantly larger in area comparison, branches off in the direction of Illertal to the northwest.

Thumb group

The thumb group is located east of the Illertal. The Himmeleck saddle (at around 2005 m) connects it, a little south of the Hochvogel , with the other subgroups. In addition to the Iller valley in the west, the Ostrach valley in the north and northeast, the Bärgündeletal in the southeast and the Oytal in the southwest form the borders. The highest mountain is the Big Thumb , 2280  m above sea level. NN . The famous Nebelhorn cable car mountain (2224 m) is part of this sub-group as is the Hindelang via ferrata . High-altitude trails with great views run through the southern part of the Thumb Group.

Geologically there is a tripartite division. The ridge around the big thumb in the east and the Nebelhorn in the south consists of main dolomite, its continuation in the clockwise direction from the Schnippenkopf (1833 m) in the west-northwest to the Imberger Horn (1655 m) in the north-northwest of flysch. And southeast of the Nebelhorn, on the Schneck , (2268 m) dominate the Lias rocks with their steep grass flanks. Other well-known mountains of this southeast part of the subgroup are the Himmelhorn (2111 m) immediately southwest and the Laufbacher Eck (2178 m) north of the Schneck.

Vilsalpsee Mountains

Vilsalpsee Mountains

The Vilsalpsee Mountains are located in the northeast of the Allgäu Alps between Oberjoch and the Notländsattel. Limiting valleys are the Tannheimer Tal in the northeast, the Lech valley in the southeast, the Tyrolean Schwarzwassertal in the south and the Ostrach valley in the west. The main dolomite is the predominant rock.

The highest mountain is the Leilachspitze (2,274 m) on the most southerly ridge, generally facing east-northeast, which runs northeast into the Lech Valley near Weißenbach . A middle ridge, directed overall to the northeast, forks again at the Sulzspitze (2084 m), both of which run out into the Tannheimer Tal. The west of the group is taken by the Rauhhorn train , which reaches 2247 m on the Gaishorn . It is the north-westerly continuation of the Allgäu main ridge and, following the state border, runs first to the north, then to the north-west to the Kühgundkopf (1907 m) east of Bad Hindelang .

The eponymous Vilsalpsee lies in the middle of the subgroup between Gaishorn and Sulzspitze . It is accessible from the Tannheimer Tal and at 1165 m it is a little higher than this.

The Jubiläumsweg leads from the Prinz-Luitpold-Haus northeast of the Hochvogel to the Willersalpe northwest below the Gaishorn at a significant height over a large part of the Rauhhornzug. From the opposite direction, from the high Oberjoch near Hindelang, the connecting path leads to the Jubiläumsweg via Iseler , Bschießer and Ponten to the Willersalpe. On the other hand, many peaks in the east of the group hardly receive any visitors, but can be reached without any paths for the experienced mountaineer without great difficulty.

Tannheim mountains

In the first half of the last century, the sub-group of the Tannheimer Mountains was still an independent mountain group of the Northern Limestone Alps. Sometimes the name "Vilser Alpen" was also in use. Only later was it added to the Allgäu Alps. The highest mountain is the Köllenspitze , 2238  m above sea level. NN . The wide Tannheimer Tal clearly separates the Tannheimer Mountains from the rest of the Allgäu Alps. There are also geological differences - if you disregard the nearby Sorgschrofen to the north-west, which is also north of the Tannheim Valley. While large areas of the Allgäu Alps consist of the brittle main dolomite or the Jura rocks of the Allgäu strata, which must also be handled with care, the Wetterstein limestone prevails in the main part of the Tannheimer Mountains, a reef limestone that only covers the Sorgschrofen (see Allgäu Pre-Alps east of the Iller ) Vils enters. He offers solid rock. That is why the Tannheimer Berge with their famous mountains Rote Flüh , Gimpel , Köllenspitze and Gehrenspitze are a well-known climbing area. The subgroup is also popular with mountain hikers. Especially in early summer, when the main ridge of the Allgäu Alps is still snowy, many paths are already accessible.

In addition to the Köllenspitze, the Brentenjoch (2000 m) and Einstein (1866 m) are particularly independent. The Kienberg (1536 m), which orographically can be seen as the foothills of the Einstein, is clearly visible from the subalpine distance .

Falkenstein's crest

Zirmgrat (Salober / Zwölferkopf), south view from Brentenjoch (Vilser side)

This is a very small and not particularly high subgroup on the northeastern edge of the Allgäu Alps between Pfronten and Füssen. It is known locally as the Falkensteinkamm or Zirmgrat . The Vils separates the subgroup from the Tannheim mountains. Beyond the Lech are the Ammergau Alps.

The highest peak is the Salober or Zwölferkopf (also Zirmgrat ,  1293  m ). The well-known and legendary Alatsee is in the subgroup, the larger Weissensee is on the northern edge. The mountain ridge can be crossed on paths. The view is partially limited because of the forest. Due to the prevailing Wetterstein limestone, however, there are some striking rock art. The south side is partly a steep demolition.

Allgäu pre-Alps east of the Iller

The subgroup is located north of the Oberjoch. The Illertal forms the western border, the Ostrachtal borders in the south and the Vilstal in the east. The highest mountain is the Grünten , 1738  m above sea level. NN . These mountains offer a beautiful field of activity, especially for hikers. They also have the advantage of being free of snow for longer than the subgroups of the Allgäu Alps that adjoin to the south. The mountains consist of four groups of rocks. In the northernmost, not really alpine ( Rottachberg : 1115 m) ridges, molasse is predominant. In the center ( Wertacher Hörnle : 1695 m, Edelsberg : 1630 m) Flysch dominates, in the southeast ( Sorgschrofen : 1635 m) the main dolomite. And the Grünten, between the Molasse and Flysch mountains, is crowned by Schrattenkalk from the Cretaceous and is therefore a geological relative of the Hohen Ifen.

Territorial division

The Allgäu Alps as a geographical unit and mountain group of the Alps extend over two states and over three federal states. The Bavarian part covers a little more than half of the total area and largely coincides with the catchment area of ​​the Iller, the Tyrolean part largely includes the Lech and its tributaries and the Vorarlberg part concentrates on the catchment area of ​​the Bregenzer Ach.

The three federal states of Bavaria, Tyrol and Vorarlberg border one another at one point. This three-country point is relatively unspectacular. It is located a few meters west of the Gehrner Mountain. This not particularly striking elevation is located 1.5 km north of the Vorarlberg town of Warth and 4 km west of the Biberkopf.

The border between Bavaria and Vorarlberg does not exactly follow the main European watershed, the North Sea - Black Sea. The German town of Balderschwang is already on the western side of the watershed. Conversely, the Kleine Walsertal , which belongs to Vorarlberg, is located on the eastern side of the watershed. The border between Bavaria and Tyrol largely follows the main ridge of the Allgäu Alps.

The Bavarian part of the Allgäu Alps is located entirely within the administrative district of Swabia . The district of Oberallgäu covers almost the entire Bavarian part, in the district of Ostallgäu there are smaller areas in the northeast (extreme east of the peripheral mountains east of the Iller, Bavarian part of the Falkensteinkamm and Tannheimer Group), the district of Lindau (Lake Constance) only includes parts of the not yet Alpine Natural spatial unit of the Nagelfluh heights and depressions between Lake Constance and Wertach with the northern parts of Pfänder and Sulzberg, which are sometimes included in the Alps.

The Tyrolean part of the Allgäu Alps is entirely within the Reutte district . The Vorarlberg part is entirely within the Bregenz district .

If you consider, which is rather unusual, the Allgäu Alps in a broader sense, including the Adelegg - which also belongs to the Nagelfluh heights and depressions, but is almost never counted among the Alps - then the German state of Baden-Württemberg also has a share. This part is located within the administrative district of Tübingen and within the district of Ravensburg .

The Kleine Walsertal in Vorarlberg and the place Jungholz in Tyrol are German customs connection areas. Both areas can only be reached by road via German territory. The Kleine Walsertal has a relatively long border with the rest of Vorarlberg, but high mountain ranges prevent a road connection. In the 1960s and 1970s there were plans for a road tunnel between the Kleiner Walsertal and the valley of the Bregenz Ach. However, the population of the valley rejected the tunnel. On the one hand, the tunnel would have turned the Kleine Walsertal into a valley for through traffic. On the other hand, despite the tunnel, it would still have been further to the central locations of Vorarlberg than to the centers of the Allgäu. The place Jungholz is only connected to the rest of Tyrol at one point on the summit of the Sorgschrofen .

summit

All independent peaks can be found under List of peaks in the Allgäu Alps .

The ten highest peaks

The highest peaks in the Allgäu Alps are either entirely in Austria or on the German-Austrian border.

Mountain name	height	State / State	Subgroup of AA
Big toad head	2656  m	Austria / Tyrol	Hornbach chain
High light	2651  m	Austria / Tyrol	Central main ridge
Terry lace	2648.8  m	Germany / Bavaria + Austria / Tyrol	Central main ridge
Girl fork	2644  m	Germany / Bavaria + Austria / Tyrol	Central main ridge
Urbeleskarspitze	2632  m	Austria / Tyrol	Hornbach chain
Steinschartenkopf	2615  m	Austria / Tyrol	Central main ridge
Marchspitze	2610  m	Austria / Tyrol	Hornbach chain
Board point	2609  m	Austria / Tyrol	Hornbach chain
Bockkarkopf	2608.5  m	Germany / Bavaria + Austria / Tyrol	Central main ridge
Beaver head	2599  m	Germany / Bavaria + Austria / Tyrol	Central main ridge

Other known peaks

In the Allgäu Alps, there are over 600 named and with spot elevation provided Summit. Some of the better known (in order of height and excluding the ten highest). The peaks marked with an asterisk (*) are located outside the narrower range of the Allgäu Alps (see the boundaries of the Allgäu Alps ):

Trettachspitze - 2595  m Hochvogel - 2592  m Great Widderstein - 2533  m Linkerskopf - 2455  m Elferkopf - 2387  m Rauheck - 2385  m Geißhorn - 2366  m Sheep Alpine Heads - up to 2320  m Big Thumb - 2280  m Leilachspitze - 2276  m Schneck - 2268  m Höfats - 2259  m Gaishorn - 2247  m

Kellenspitze - 2238  m Hoher Ifen - 2230  m Nebelhorn - 2224  m Bullfinch - 2176  m Rote Flüh - 2111  m Pulpit wall - 2058  m Big silts - 2056  m Fellhorn - 2038  m Upper God's sack walls - 2033  m Walmendinger Horn - 1990  m Aggenstein - 1987  m Rubihorn - 1957  m Breitenberg (near Pfronten) - 1838  m

Hochgrat - 1834  m Riedberger Horn - 1786  m Grünten - 1738  m Sonnenkopf - 1712  m Wertacher Hörnle - 1695  m Besler - 1680  m Immenstädter Horn - 1490  m Mittagberg - 1451  m Ofterschwanger Horn - 1406  m Black ridge - 1118  m Pfänder - 1063  m

The Lias grass mountains

These are grass mountains made of limestones from the Lower Jurassic (“ Lias ”) with slopes up to 70 degrees. They are the characteristic of the Allgäu Alps. In no other mountain group of the Northern Limestone Alps are Lower Jurassic limestone as relief-defining as here (in alphabetical order).

Älpelekopf - 2023  m Bear's head - 2083  m Berggächtle - 2006  m Elferkopf - 2387  m Falcons - 1905  m Fürschießer - 2271  m Gable - 1949  m Großer Seekopf - 2084  m Himmelhorn - 2113  m Höfats - 2259  m Höferspitze - 2131  m Hüttenkopf - 1939  m Cone head - 1960  m

Kleine Höfats - 2073  m Kleiner Seekopf - 2095  m Kreuzeck - 2375  m Kugelhorn - 2126  m Laugh heads - 2112  m Laufbacher Eck - 2178  m Linkerskopf - 2455  m Muttekopf - 2431  m Muttekopf (am Rauheck) - 2284  m Rappenköpfle - 2276  m Rauheck - 2385  m Rotkopf - 2190  m Red nose - 2171  m

Rothornspitze - 2392  m Salober - 2087  m Schneck - 2268  m Schochen - 2100  m Schochenspitze - 2069  m Rope hangman - 1794  m Late Gundkopf - 1991  m Jet head - 2388  m Sulzspitze - 2084  m Front Reef Head - 1563  m Wildengundkopf - 2237  m Pointer - 1994  m

Natural equipment

Flowing waters

Three river systems drain most of the Allgäu Alps. In the central part, the Iller flows north to the Danube . In the southern and eastern parts, the Lech also drains towards the Danube. And in the western part, the Bregenzer Ach system drains towards Lake Constance and the Rhine . Thus, the European main watershed North Sea - Black Sea runs over the Allgäu Alps. In addition to the three main rivers, there are a few other rivers and streams.

The catchment area of ​​the Iller

The Iller is formed north of Oberstdorf by the confluence of three rivers, the Breitach , the Stillach and the Trettach .

The Breitach drains the Kleine Walsertal. It begins at the town of Baad through the confluence of the source streams Turabach, Derrabach and Bärguntbach. Another larger side stream is the Schwarzwasserbach. In its lower reaches, the Breitach has to squeeze through the hard rock of the chalk formation. It has deepened over the years and formed the Breitachklamm , one of the most famous gorges in the Alps. The Rohrmooser Starzlach still flows behind the Breitachklamm.

The Schwarzwasserbach forms some remarkable gorges with waterfalls between the Auenhütte and the confluence with the Breitach. There it also flows under a natural bridge, the remainder of a former river tunnel in the Schrattenkalk. The natural bridge is accessible on an iron ladder. The Aubach, a tributary of the Schwarzwasserbach, is also noteworthy. With a length of 200 meters, it is one of the shortest brooks ever. Its heavily pouring spring collects the waters of the Gottesacker plateau that run off underground.

The Stillach is formed by the confluence of the source streams Rappenalpenbach and Bacherlochbach. It later runs in an arc around the elevated Freibergsee. It also flows past Oberstdorf to the west in an arc.

The Trettach is formed by the confluence of the Sperrbach and the stream from the Trettachrinne. The ascent to the Kemptner Hütte runs through the Sperrbachtobel. The ravine is extremely endangered by avalanches in winter. The valley floor of the Sperrbachtobel is covered by avalanche debris all year round. At Spielmannsau the Traufbach flows into the Trettach. It rises in a basin with several waterfalls. The next side stream is the Dietersbach, which forms a ravine with waterfalls in its lower reaches. Then follows the Oybach , which is called Stuibenbach in the upper reaches. There is the Stuibenfall. The Trettach flows through Oberstdorf and past the Nebelhornbahn valley station.

Several smaller streams flow into the Iller between Oberstdorf and Sonthofen. Among them are the Leybach, which forms a gorge worth seeing, and the Hinanger Bach with the Hinanger waterfall . Better known is the Geißalpbach, which rises from the Gaisalpseen near the Rubihorn and formed the Reichenbachtobel or Geißalptobel.

The Ostrach is a larger tributary of the Iller. It drains larger areas in the east of the Illertal. It is formed by the confluence of the Bärgündlebach and Obertalbach near the gable house and runs past Hinterstein , Bad Hindelang and Sonthofen . The famous Zipfelsbach Falls are located near Hinterstein. A side stream of the Ostrach is the Bsonderach , which drains the Retterschwanger valley and flows into the Ostrach near Bruck. The Hirschbach , which has formed the remarkable Hirschbachtobel, and the Zillenbach flow near Bad Hindelang . At Sonthofen the Starzlach flows into the Ostrach. It drains the area between the Grünten and Tiefenbacher Eck and forms the famous Starzlachklamm in the lower reaches .

The Gunzesrieder Ach flows from the west at Blaichach into the Iller. It is formed by the confluence of the Ostertalbach and the Aubach at the Gunzesrieder Säge. Shortly before it flows into the Gunzesrieder Ach, the Ostertalbach forms the worth seeing Ostertaltobel . In the lower reaches the Gunzesrieder Ach flows through the Haldentobel, which, like the Ostertaltobel, is deepened into the Molasse rock. The high bridge built in 1901 over the Gunzesrieder Ach about 1 km west of Gunzesried is the oldest reinforced concrete bridge in Germany, but was demolished in 2011 and replaced by a steel composite bridge.

The Konstanzer Ach also flows from the west at Immenstadt into the Iller. It drains the valley between Oberstaufen and Immenstadt. Shortly before the confluence with the Iller, it takes in the Steigbach, which drains the area between the Nagelfluhkette and the Immenstädter Horn and forms a gorge worth seeing, the Steigbachtobel .

After Immenstadt, the Iller leaves the narrower area of ​​the Allgäu Alps. However, if you broaden the area (see boundary), you have to follow the Iller to Kempten . A side stream flowing into it from the right (east) is the Rottach , which drains the area north of the Rottachberg. In the upper reaches of the Rottach has been dammed in the large Rottachspeicher reservoir since 1991 . A few kilometers before Kempten, the Waltenhofer Bach flows from the left . He comes from the Niedersonthofen lake . The inflow into this lake is called Schrattenbach . In its upper course, this stream forms the Falltobel in the Molasse rock.

The catchment area of ​​the Lech

The Lech rises in the mountain group of the Lechquellengebirge, which is adjacent to the Allgäu Alps . It flows through the village of Lech and reaches the southern edge of the Allgäu Alps a few kilometers east of Warth . In the further course the Lech always forms the southern and south-eastern boundary of the Allgäu Alps until it exits into the Alpine foothills at Füssen.

The Krumbach flows into the Lech near Warth . The Krumbach rises from the Hochtannbergpass. The Höhenbach is the next significant side stream. It flows into the Lech near Holzgau . The Höhenbach drains the important valley cut south of the striking Allgäu main ridge. It begins with the confluence of the Schochenalpbach and Rossgumpenbach. The Simms waterfall is located in the lower reaches of the Höhenbach.

The Bernhardsbach flows into the Lech near Elbigenalp. This brook drains the valley between the central Hornbach chain and the Bernhardseck in the south.

Only at the end of the long Hornbach chain does the next larger side stream flow, the Hornbach . It drains the Hornbachtal, a longer valley between the Hornbach range in the south and the Allgäu main ridge with the Hochvogel in the north. At the beginning of the 1960s, the Hornbach was dammed two kilometers before the confluence with the Lech by a 15 m high bed load barrier (dam). In the years that followed, the bed load barrier held back hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of rubble. As part of the new nature reserve Tiroler Lechtal (see section Protected Areas), the bed load barrier was partially removed in two stages in 2003 and 2005. As a result, over 100,000 cubic meters of rubble shifted towards Lech. There they contributed to the elevation of the Lech sole by several meters.

The Jochbachtal is an important side valley of the Hornbachtal. The Jochbach rises below the Hornbachjoch and flows into the Hornbach at Hinterhornbach. In the lower part of the Jochbach forms an interesting gorge. It is not accessible, but you can look down into the gorge from the Gufelbrücke in Hinterhornbach and from the hiking trails in the Jochbachtal. This is the wildest and most pristine valley in the Allgäu Alps. Not even a road leads to the Jochbachhütten (alpine huts), which are located approximately in the middle of the valley. Like the entire valley, they can only be reached on a path that is sometimes difficult to walk.

The Schwarzwasserbach flows between Stanzach and Forbach. To avoid confusion with the stream of the same name in the Kleiner Walsertal, it is also called the Tyrolean Schwarzwasserbach . The Tyrolean Schwarzwassertal is located between the Rosszahn group in the south and the Vilsalpsee mountains in the north.

The Weißenbach flows into the Lech at the same place. It comes from the middle of the Vilsalpsee mountains from the Birkental between the Leilachspitze in the south and the Litnisschrofen in the north.

The Lech between Warth and Füssen, with its side streams, is one of the most important wild rivers still preserved in the Alps.

Shortly before it emerges into the foothills of the Alps, the most important tributary flows into the Lech, which comes from the Allgäu Alps: the Vils . It drains large parts of the Tannheimer valley and the valley cut near Pfronten. The Vils rises south of the Vilsalpsee. After leaving the lake, it runs north to the town of Tannheim . This is where the Berger Ache flows, which comes from the Haldensee in the eastern Tannheimer Tal. The Vils now turns west to the place Schattwald . There it turns north and runs in a gorge between the peaks of the Sorgschrofen and the Schönkahler . The Vilsfall is also located there. This waterfall is a bit decimated because of a power plant. Before Pfronten, the Vils turns to the east and reaches Pfronten. The Steinacher Achen flows out at Pfronten-Steinach and is called Seebach in the upper reaches of Austria. This brook runs in the valley cut between the Einstein and the Aggenstein. The Reichenbach flows behind Pfronten and comes from the Aggenstein and forms a gorge worth seeing, the Reichenbach Gorge. Shortly before the town of Vils, the Kühbach flows into it. This stream also forms some waterfalls in its lower course.

The catchment area of ​​the Bregenz Ach

The Bregenzer Ach rises in the Lechquellen Mountains neighboring the Allgäu Alps . At the village of Schröcken it reaches the southwestern edge of the Allgäu Alps. The Bregenz Ach does not accompany the mountain range of the Allgäu Alps continuously. Between Au-Rehmen and the confluence of the Subersach, it leaves this mountain group and flows through the middle of the neighboring mountain group of the Bregenzerwald Mountains .

The first tributary of the Bregenz Ach that comes from the Allgäu Alps is the Subersach . It rises in the plateau area called Hochgerach near the Hoher Ifen . From the Alport Schönenbach, the Subersach forms the border of the Allgäu Alps up to the confluence with the Bregenzer Ach. The Subersach soon deepens and runs in a cut that is not accompanied by a road or paths. The Rubach flows out at the village of Sibratsglassung , draining the valley north of the Hohen Ifen and the Gottesackerwände.

The next tributary that flows into the Bregenz Ach from the right, i.e. from the Allgäu Alps, is the Weißach . The Weißach rises in the Molasse region of the Allgäu Alps, in the valley cut between the Nagelfluhkette and the Prodelkamm. It flows past the valley station of the Hochgratbahn and then deepens into the Molasse rock. In Steibis are the Buchegger waterfalls that form charming cliffs and pools. Behind Oberstaufen , a side stream forms the Eibeles Falls . The Weißach also runs in a largely undeveloped valley cut.

The Weißach has an important tributary, the Bolgenach . It comes from the area southwest of the Riedbergpass and flows past Balderschwang before changing from Bavaria to Vorarlberg. The Bolgenach is one of the most natural rivers in a flysch-chalk area in Germany. The Bolgenach also deepens in its lower reaches before it flows into the Weißach.

The Rotachbach flows into the Bregenz Ach as the last significant tributary . It drains the area between the Sulzberg ridge in the south and the Pfänderrücken in the north.

More rivers and streams

The Leiblach runs north of the Pfänderrücken. In its lower reaches it accompanies the border between Germany and Austria as far as Lake Constance. The Rickenbach flows into the Leiblach. It comes directly from the Pfänder area and forms the Scheidegger waterfalls below the village of Scheidegg , around 40 m high waterfalls in the Molasse rock.

The Argen flows into Lake Constance at Langenargen . It is a river of the Allgäu Alps, if you take it a little wider (see boundary). The Argen flows in its lower reaches through Upper Swabia , it is formed by the two rivers Untere Argen and Obere Argen .

The Untere Argen drains the western part of the Adelegg with the Black Ridge and flows past the town of Isny . The Obere Argen rises north of Oberstaufen and has deepened the Eistobel , one of the most famous and worth seeing ravines in the Allgäu.

The Wertach rises near Oberjoch and flows into the Lech near Augsburg . It flows past the places Unterjoch and Jungholz and then flows into the Grüntensee . After leaving the lake, it deepens and leaves the Allgäu Alps. A side stream forms the Nesselwang waterfall near Nesselwang .

The main European watershed

The main European watershed between the North Sea and the Black Sea runs through the western part of the Allgäu Alps. It separates the catchment areas of Argen and Bregenzer Ach (North Sea) from the catchment areas of Iller and Lech (Black Sea).

From the north, from Upper Swabia , the main watershed reaches the Allgäu Alps in the broader sense on the eastern edge of Adelegg . It then passes east of the Sonneneck and between the Hauchenberg in the west and the Niedersonthofener See in the east. It leads north of the Alpsee over the Thaler and Salmaser Höhe, and then descends into the valley between the Staufner Berg and the Hündlekopf. There it reaches the area of ​​the Allgäu Alps in the narrower sense.

The watershed continues over the Hündlekopf and the Prodelkamm to the saddle at the Mittelberg-Alpe. There it continues to the Stuiben in the Nagelfluhkette and on the ridge to the Hochgrat . From there it goes south to the saddle at Scheidwang-Alpe and on over the ridge from Heidenkopf to the Riedberger Horn . The next saddle is the Riedbergpass . From there it goes over the Besler and the Piesenkopf to the saddle between Rohrmoos and Sibratsgälle .

In the further course, the European main watershed leads over the Gottesacker plateau and the Hohen Ifen to the Gerachsattel and over the long ridge to the Hochalppass at Widderstein. There it goes down to the Hochtannbergpass , where the watershed crosses into the Lechquellen Mountains.

Lakes

In the far west, the Allgäu Alps meet Lake Constance , the second largest lake in Central Europe. In addition, there are some larger lakes in the valley as well as a number of smaller and smallest high mountain lakes, but overall the Allgäu Alps cannot be considered to be particularly rich in lakes.

Lakes in the valley

Most of these lakes can be reached by motor vehicle. They often offer a leisure activity, e.g. B. swimming or boat rental.

The Freibergsee from a paraglider

The legendary Alatsee is located near Füssen in a high valley between the foothills of the Alps and the Vilstal. The Große Alpsee is located near Bühl am Alpsee on the northern edge of the Allgäu Alps in the narrower sense. This is the largest lake in the Allgäu Alps. The Kleine Alpsee is located between Bühl and Immenstadt . The Christlessee is a very small lake. It is located in the Trettach valley north of Spielmannsau. The lake cannot be reached by car. The Freibergsee near Oberstdorf is about 100 meters above the valley floor and cannot be reached by motor vehicle. The Grüntensee is a reservoir between Nesselwang and Wertach, which is also used for leisure purposes.

The Haldensee is beautifully located in the Tannheimer Valley between Grän and Nesselwängle . The Niedersonthofener See is already outside the Allgäu Alps in the narrower sense, halfway between Immenstadt and Kempten . The Obersee (one of several Obersee that exists in Germany) lies between Füssen and the Alatsee. The Rottachspeicher (a reservoir) is located on the northern edge of the Allgäu Alps between Kempten and Oy. The Vilsalpsee lies in a nature reserve in a side valley of the Tannheimer valley. The Weißensee is located between Füssen and Pfronten on the northern edge of the Allgäu Alps.

Lakes in the high mountains

The Hermannskarsee from the north ridge of the Großer Krottenkopf

The Hochalpsee at the foot of the Widderstein

The Schrecksee with the Älpelekopf in the background

The Seealpsee from a paraglider . Below the Oytalhaus

The high mountain lakes in alphabetical order:

The ice lake is just taken out two small lakes on the northern edge of the Rauhecks . The high path from the Kemptner Hütte to the Prinz-Luitpold-Haus leads directly past the lake. The name is derived from the snow and ice cover that is there until early summer. This has its cause in the shadowing by the mountain flank.

The Engeratsgundsee is located on the eastern slope of the Great Thumb in a beautiful location in the Allgäu layers of the Jurassic period. The top layers of main dolomite begin above the lake. The lake is located in the middle of a network of hiking trails from and to the Nebelhorn , Hinterstein , the Giebelhaus and the Großer Thumb.

The Obere and Untere Gaisalpsee are located in an Ice Age Hochkar between the Rubihorn and the Deinenkopf near Oberstdorf . The path from the Gaisalpe to the Nebelhorn leads past both lakes, the path to the Rubihorn only touches the lower (much larger) lake. Between the two lakes there is a pronounced, Ice Age karst stage.

The Guggersee is located on the Höhenweg from the Mindelheimer Hütte to Birgsau via the Taufersbergalpe. It lies high above the Rappenalpental on the southern slope of the Sheep Alps.

The Hermannskarsee lies in the Hornbach chain in the cirque of the same name between the Großer Krottenkopf and the Marchspitze . The high path from the Kemptner Hut to the Hermann von Barth Hut leads directly past the lake. The lake is covered with snow and ice until summer.

The Hochalpsee in the southwest of the rock colossus of the Widderstein is a comparatively small lake. It is located on the Kleinwalsertal side of the watershed. The lake can be reached in a few minutes from the Baad –Widdersteinhütte hiking trail . The lake is not ice-free until the end of June.

The Hörnlesee is located in an Ice Age cirque directly east of the summit of the Wertacher Hörnles near Unterjoch . This lake is reminiscent of lakes in some low mountain ranges such as the Black Forest or the Bavarian Forest . Hiking trails lead past the lake and above the lake.

The tiny Koblatsee is located on the eponymous Koblat, a stone surface made of main dolomite on the southern slopes of the Wengenköpfe and the Großer Daumen . The hiking trail from Nebelhorn to Großer Thumb leads past the lake.

The Kreuzkarlesee , in some maps also Kreuzkarsee, is located in the Hornbach chain in the Kreuzkar on the north side of the Kreuzkarspitze .

With pool , a lake is right next to the Landsberger Hütte referred. The lake is located directly north of the Lachenspitze and is the uppermost lake of the three lakes Vilsalpsee , Traualpsee and Lache. Hiking trails pass on all sides of the lake.

The Laufbichlsee is like the Koblatsee on the Koblat on the southern slope of the Big Thumb . The Laufbichlsee is slightly larger than the neighboring Koblatsee, but smaller than the Engeratsgundsee, which is located in a neighboring bar northeast of the Laufbichlsee. At the lake, the hiking trail splits from the Nebelhorn into the path to the summit of the Großer Thumb and the path to the gable house and to Hinterstein .

The Rappenseen consist of a larger and a small lake right next to the Rappenseehütte , the starting and end point of the Heilbronner Weg .

The Schlappoltsee is the only high mountain lake in the flysch formation. It is located on the eastern slope of the Fellhorn right by the middle station of the Fellhornbahn near Oberstdorf in a hiking area. The area around the lake is protected in the nature reserve of the same name.

The Schrecksee is the only lake in the Allgäu High Alps that has an island. It is situated in mountainous location on the top Traufersbachtal, a tributary of the Ostrach Valley at Hinterstein . The climbs to the lake are comparatively long, which is why it is rarely visited. The jubilee trail from the Prinz-Luitpold-Haus to the Willersalpe leads past the lake. Here the Saalfelder Höhenweg branches off above the Schrecksee to the Landsberger Hütte .

The Seealpsee is located in a high valley high above the Oytal near Oberstdorf south of the Nebelhorn . The so-called glide path, the descent from the Nebelhorn into the Oytal, passes above the lake.

The Traualpsee is located in a cirque on the ascent from the Vilsalpsee to the Landsberger Hütte . It is the middle of the three lakes Vilsalpsee, Traualpsee and Lache. The lake is somewhat dammed, its runoff is used to generate electricity.

Glaciers and snowfields

Upper edge of the black anthrax in July 2009

In the Alps, the height at which glaciers form is usually set at 2,800 to 3,000 meters. The highest mountain in the Allgäu Alps reaches a height of 2,657 meters. Nevertheless, a small glacier has survived in the Allgäu Alps, the Schwarzmilzferner . It is located on the Allgäu main ridge on Tyrolean soil south of the summit of the Mädelegabel and southeast of the Hochfrottspitze. Glaciers are referred to in the Bavarian language area (Bavaria and Tyrol) with the term Ferner .

There are two reasons that this glacier has existed to this day. In the area covered by the glacier there is a larger area with only a slight slope. This area is also due to its location directly southeast of the steep summit cliffs of the Hochfrottspitze from midday without direct sunlight. An even more important factor, however, is the abundance of precipitation in the Allgäu Alps, which in winter and spring leads to the deposition of enormous amounts of snow on the high altitudes.

The Heilbronner Weg leads directly over the glacier. However, there are no crevices, so that no glacier-typical equipment is required for the short distance. The well-known global warming means that the black spleen remover is getting smaller and smaller. If the current trend continued, the glacier would have completely disappeared in 25 years at the latest.

In addition to this little glacier there are some eternal snow fields of various sizes. These include the snow hole on the north side of the main ridge in the uppermost Bacherloch ( Waltenberger-Haus ) and the Trettach gutter between the Mädelegabel and Kratzer . The most famous permanent snow field is in the Kalten Winkel . The normal ascent to the Hochvogel from the Prinz-Luitpold-Haus runs over this snowfield .

The altitudes above 2000 meters with their high-altitude trails are generally not largely free of snow until the beginning of July. August and September and, with restrictions, October are the months with the least snow cover.

The global warming leads to a progressive melting of the glaciers and eternal snow fields. In recent years, however, it has hardly resulted in the high elevations in the Allgäu Alps becoming snow-free earlier in the year.

caves

Large parts of the Allgäu Alps have few caves. In one layer of rock, however, the Schrattenkalk of the chalk formation, there are several and remarkable caves. The only show cave in the Allgäu Alps and Allgäu, the Sturmannshöhle near Obermaiselstein , is located in this rock formation.

Other caves, which are not developed for tourism, are located on the neighboring Gottesacker plateau . According to a ranking from 2005, the Hölloch is the longest cave in Germany. It is located in the upper Mahdtal, a side valley of the Kleiner Walsertal. The ascent takes place on a path from the Kleiner Walsertal, which crosses the national border.

The Schneckenlochhöhle is also known . It is located on the western edge of the Gottesacker plateau in Vorarlberg. It is the longest cave in Vorarlberg. There are also many other caves on the Gottesacker plateau that are only accessible to experts.

Moors

Kematsried-Moos (high moor near Oberjoch) with Kühgund

The Allgäu Alps offer the best conditions for the formation of moors in some areas . This includes high levels of precipitation, leveling areas with little runoff at an altitude below about 1,800 meters above sea level as well as a suitable rock substrate. Moors are mainly found in the north-western part of the Allgäu Alps.

For tourism, the moors are in the shadow of the high mountains, which receive the greatest attention. In specialist circles, however, the importance of the moors in the Allgäu Alps is well known. This has also been shown in recent years by the designation of some moorland protection areas within the framework of the EU network of protected areas Natura 2000 .

The Engenkopfmoor is only 5 kilometers as the crow flies from the center of the famous resort of Oberstdorf .

There are other moors mainly in the area around the Piesenkopf northwest of Rohrmoos . A path from the Toniskopfalpe to the Alte Piesenalpe leads through one of these moors, the Ziebelmoos.

Another important moor is located on both sides of the Germany – Austria border north of the Hochhäderich in the Nagelfluh chain . This bog is protected in both states.

A typical high moor with the clock-glass- shaped bulge is located in the Kleiner Walsertal south of the Schwarzwasserbach, right by the brook bridge below the Mahdtalhaus. There are also bog remains between Oberjoch and Unterjoch , as well as in Vorarlberg on the plateaus around the Bolgenach and the Subersach.

geology

The individual rocks

The Allgäu Alps are made up of sedimentary rocks that were deposited in the Mesozoic and in some cases also in the Modern Age. As a result of the pressure of the African plate on the Eurasian plate, the rock layers were lifted, folded, transported horizontally and partially pushed one on top of the other. As a result, older rocks are partly deposited on top of younger ones in the Allgäu Alps today (see also discordance and ceiling construction ). The geology of the Allgäu Alps, as well as some neighboring mountain groups, becomes comparatively complicated. In contrast, z. B. the rocks in the mountain groups south of the main Alpine ridge have not been pushed over one another.

During the Middle Ages ( Triassic , Jurassic and Cretaceous ) the following rocks were deposited:

• in the Triassic the main dolomite and the Kössen layers ,
• in the Jurassic period Lias - spotted marl and aptych - and chert limestone ,
• in the Cretaceous marl , sandstone and limestone .
• in the Tertiary Molasse , in the coarse-grained, strongly solidified (conglomerate) variant called Nagelfluh

tectonics

The different tectonic ceiling of the Allgäu Alps were pushed like roof tiles from the southeast to the northwest, the layers mostly to the southwest come .

The south and east of the Allgäu Alps (main ridge) belong to the highest and originally southernmost alpine ceiling storey, the Eastern Alpine Northern Limestone Alps ; it consists of sediments from the Triassic and Jurassic.

To the northwest and underlying the Limestone Alps follows the "southern" Penninic flysch zone (rhenodanubian flysch) with sandstones and marls from the Cretaceous period.

Before or below it is the Helvetic made of chalk and limestone, which is otherwise widespread in Switzerland . The Helvetic was in places pushed over by the Ultra-Helvetic, originally located south between the Penninic and the Helvetic, and now lies as a Feuerstätter ceiling north of the Helvetic. The "northern" Cretaceous flysch and chalk-limestone appear here.

At the bottom and in the north-west lies the part of the Molasse, which is pushed over by the Alps, which in turn was included in the tectonics and is therefore called Subalpine Molasse . The slightly deformed southern part of the pre-alpine molasse was also partially lifted and is therefore geomorphologically counted as part of the Alps (e.g. Pfänder).

The spread of the rocks

From Hauptdolomit the Northern Limestone Alps, most of the peaks of the Allgäu main ridge is constructed, for example Biberkopf , High light , Mädelegabel , Big Krottenkopf , Hochvogel , Urbeleskarspitze .

Some peaks adjacent to the main ridge mountains from Hauptdolomit are built from Lias spotted marl from the Northern Limestone Alps, such as the Linkerskopf , the Kegelköpfe , the Rauheck or the Fürschießer .

The famous Allgäu grass mountains such as Schneck and Höfats are made up of aptych and chert limestone from the Northern Limestone Alps.

From the Helvetic deposits from the Cretaceous of are high Ifen , the Gottesackerwände which Besler , but also parts of Grünten up.

From Flysch there are mountains like the Fellhorn and the sun heads (rhenodanubischer flysch) and the horn section and the feuerstätterkopf (ultrahelvetischer flysch).

The high ridge chain and the Siplinger Kopf , for example, consist of the rocks of the subalpine molasse .

Geotopes in the Bavarian part

→ Main articles : List of geotopes in the Oberallgäu district  and list of geotopes in the Ostallgäu district

The Bavarian State Geological Office, which is part of the Bavarian State Office for the Environment, maintains a directory of geotopes in Bavaria with over 3400 geotopes. There are a number of geotopes in the Allgäu Alps. They are listed below in alphabetical order.

The geotope outcrop on the Oybach near the confluence of the Oybach in the Trettach south of Oberstdorf shows the stratum boundary of the Kalkalpin-Flysch thrust. The outcrop on Breitachstrasse north of Weidach near Oberstdorf shows a sequence of layers in the Schrattenkalk of the Helveticum . At the geotope outcrops in the lower Steigbachtal near Immenstadt, the higher Steigbach layers of the lower freshwater molasse are developed. The geotope outcrops in the lower Weissach-Tobel near Steibis contains layers of the lower freshwater molasse. The basalt outcrop on the Bad Hindelang-Oberjoch road shows the formation of an oceanic crust during the Cretaceous period. The Hinterstein landslide near the town of the same name is one of the largest landslides in the Allgäu Alps. It occurred in 1965 and was favored by the clayey layers of the Allgäu strata.

The Breitachklamm near Oberstdorf is the deepest gorge in the Allgäu. The gorge was created postglacial along a fault system in the Schrattenkalk. At Eisenbreche and Äulesgasse southeast of Hinterstein , the Ostrach overcomes the main dolomite bar in a narrow and deep gorge. The former sandstone quarry northwest of Oberstdorf contains Oberstdorf green sandstone, a regression formation in the Helvetian facies area . The Engeratsgund lake in the thumb group is also a geotope. The sea-filled Karmulde lies in easily erodible Allgäu layers with 100 meter high Karwalls. Above this lies the main dolomite of the Lech Valley ceiling. The fold on Riedbergstrasse shows an overturned north Vergent saddle in the Ofterschwanger layers of the flysch. The rocky slope on Lochbachstrasse near Obermaiselstein shows a sequence of layers of green sandstone from the Helveticum.

The glacier cut north of Weiher near Rettenberg shows scratches and welts in the direction of the ice movement. The Hölltobel in the lower reaches of the Dietersbachtal , a side valley of the Trettach valley, illustrates an example of the confluence of side valleys in the main valleys with greater glacial depth. The Geotop Kar with Geissalpseen includes the Hochkar of the two Geissalpseen near Oberstdorf. There is a 150 meter high karst step between the two lakes as evidence of a well-developed Pleistocene high mountain form.

The Lechfall near Füssen is one of the most beautiful geotopes in the Swabian administrative district. The water masses of the Lech plunge over five steps over the hard rock layers of the Wetterstein Limestone a total of twelve meters into the depth. Below the waterfall, the Lech enters the Lech Gorge. This is the only gorge in the entire Bavarian Alpine region through which a larger Alpine river can still flow freely. The Geotope Prallhang of the Bolgenach near Balderschwang shows an interestingly folded sequence of layers of the Feuerstätter ceiling over aptych layers.

The Seealpsee geotope is located south of the Nebelhorn in a valley that is slightly deeper than the glacial. The Starzlachklamm near Sonthofen encompasses the breakthrough of the Starzlach through the hard Nummulite limestone . In the Wup quarry southwest of Kranzegg , layers of the Lower Freshwater Molasse and the Lower Sea Molasse are exposed . The road outcrop on the creek in Oberstdorf shows ultra-Helvetian glue layers. The Sturmannshöhle south of Obermaiselstein lies at the intersection of the layer joint and the steep chasm in the Schrattenkalk of the Helveticum.

The Täschlefall geotope includes a 70 meter high, almost stepless waterfall of the Täschle brook in the valley of the Bärgündlebach, a source brook of the Ostrach. The peat rock on the Weißensee near Füssen represents a rock gate on the south bank of the Weißensee. It consists of a breccia of calcareous alpine components that indicate an earlier erosion of parts of the limestone Alps. The waterfall northwest of the Nesselburg castle ruins is located near Nesselwang on the northern slope of the Alpspitze. The waterfall overcomes a height difference of 22 meters in the lower freshwater molasse in four stages.

Outside the more narrowly defined area of ​​the Allgäu Alps in the area between the Pfänderrücken and the Adelegg (see boundaries ) there are other no less interesting geotopes. They are also listed below in alphabetical order.

The outcrop in the Kollerbach valley shows the typical sequence of layers of the upper freshwater molasse in the area of ​​the Adelegg alluvial fan. It is located northwest of Kempten. The former Buchenberg quarry near the town of the same name west of Kempten is about two kilometers north of the tectonic northern edge of the Alps in the upper freshwater molasse. The Eistobel southwest of Maierhöfen is the breakthrough of the Upper Argen through the ridge between Kugel and Kapf. There the profile between the lower freshwater molasse via the upper sea molasse to the upper freshwater molasse is developed.

The boulder near Langenegg is located on the Iller halfway between Immenstadt and Kempten. It is an erratic block of rocks from the lower freshwater molasse. The boulder near Oberdorf south of the Niedersonthofener See consists of a coarse conglomerate of the lower freshwater molasse. The Rabenstein boulder near Ermengerst, made of rocks from the lower freshwater molasse, is located in the area of ​​the former Kemptner Glacier directly west of Kempten. The erratic boulder near Unter Wilderness between Adelegg and Sonneneck probably comes from an old moraine of the Rhine glacier. The boulder near Weiler is located in the community of Weiler-Simmerberg in the northeast of the Pfänderrücken. It is the largest boulder transported by distant glaciers in the northern foothills of the Alps. However, its volume has become smaller due to its temporary use as a quarry. The Iller breakthrough geotope near Oberkottern is located south of Kempten. There are rocks of the granitic molasses.

The Kerbtal of the Schrattenbach south of Rieggis is west of the Niedersonthofener See. Here is a 30 meter high fall that is accessed via a path. The stream follows the glacial channel between the molasse ribs. The Molasse outcrop at Riegis is located between the Niedersonthofener See and the Hauchenberg. It shows conglomerates of the upper freshwater molasses. The Geotop Palast-Kar south of Waltrams is located on the northern slope of the Hauchenberg. It is the most northerly and deepest cermit of a local glacier during the Würm high glacial in the foothills of the Alps.

The Rauhen Stein geotope near the hamlet of Eschachberg contains the remains of an oldest Pleistocene gravel strand in the western Alpine foothills. It is located west of Kempten near the Blender mountain . This mountain with its radio tower is for the z. B. on the A 7 coming from the north to see drivers from afar. The Scheidegg waterfalls near Scheidegg are among the most beautiful geotopes in the administrative district of Swabia. The Rickenbach falls in two stages over a total of 40 meters in the rocks of the upper freshwater molasse. The Toteisloch geotope near Vogelsang is located at the northeastern end of the Pfänderrücken. From the ice tongue of the Rhine glacier dissolved ice blocks were covered with gravel. After the ice later melted, the top layer sagged.

See also: Waterfalls in the Allgäu Alps

Protected areas

Baden-Württemberg

Only a very small part of the Allgäu Alps in the broader sense belongs to Baden-Württemberg (see chapter delimitation ). These are the areas east and south-east of Isny , especially the western part of Adelegg and a section of the northern slope of the mountain range of the Kugel.

The Hengelesweiher nature reserve was designated in 1990. It has an area of ​​54.4 hectares and is located southeast of Isny ​​at the foot of the ridge of the Kugel. A pond with characteristic silting zones and reed areas as defining elements of the cultural landscape are protected.

Almost the entire area of ​​the part of the Allgäu Alps in Baden-Württemberg is taken up by the Adelegg landscape protection area and the associated tertiary foothills . The protected landscape area extends far into the Upper Swabian foothills in the west and northwest. The protected landscape area has a size of 6,814 hectares and was designated in 1994. Priority should be given to protecting the rich structure of wide valley areas and towering elevations, grassland, hillside pastures, alpine plateaus and forests and their effect on the natural balance.

Bavaria

There are six nature reserves in the Bavarian part of the Allgäu Alps:

• The Allgäu High Alps nature reserve extends over large parts of the main ridge and the side valleys. It was designated on January 16, 1992 and has a size of 20,724 hectares.
• The Schlappolt nature reserve is located on the summit slopes of the Fellhorn and also includes the Schlappoltsee. It was designated on December 4, 1986 and has a size of 163 hectares.
• The Aggenstein nature reserve is located in the summit zone of the mountain of the same name. It was designated on December 7, 1964 and has an area of ​​85 hectares.
• The Eistobel nature reserve is located south of Isny. It was designated on September 4, 1970 and has a size of 70 hectares.
• The Hoher Ifen nature reserve includes parts of the mountain of the same name and the Gottesacker plateau. It was designated on August 12, 1964 and has an area of ​​2,430 hectares.
• The Rohrachschlucht nature reserve is located near Lindau on the border with Vorarlberg. It was designated on October 28, 1992 and has a size of 178 hectares.

Tyrol

The Vilsalpsee nature reserve has long been the only reserve in the Tyrolean part of the Allgäu Alps. It covers the area around the lake of the same name up to the mountain ridge between Gaishorn and Leilachspitze and is almost square in shape. The nature reserve was designated in 1957 and re-ordained on December 15, 1998. It has a size of 18.2039 km².

Only in 2004 was another protected area added with the Tiroler Lechtal nature reserve . This protected area was designated after a long and controversial discussion. At times the establishment of a national park was also under discussion for the Tyrolean Lech. The nature reserve is generally more linear and extends along the Lech from the confluence of the Vils upstream to Lechleiten and along some side valleys. It was designated on December 1, 2004 and has a size of 41.38 km². In many places the area only comprises a comparatively narrow strip on both sides of the Lech. In the area of ​​Elmen from the confluence of the Streimbach coming from the Lechtal Alps, the strip becomes wider. Between Stanzach and Weißenbach am Lech, wide gravel areas are part of the protected area.

The protected area also extends over some side valleys of the Lech Valley in the Allgäu Alps. Upstream, this includes the Vilstal from the German-Austrian border at Pfronten to the confluence with the Lech. From Weißenbach am Lech, the Weißenbach is part of the protected area up to the level of the village of Gaicht. The Tyrolean Schwarzwasserbach to the south of the Kastenkopf is also part of the protected area. In the Schwarzwassertal, larger forest areas on the southern flank of the Leilachspitze are also part of the nature reserve. The next side valley belonging to the nature reserve is the Hornbachtal from Hinterhornbach to the confluence with the Lech. The Hornbachtal also includes the forest and mountain pine areas on the north side of the Hornbach chain from the Klimmspitze to the Urbeleskarspitze. Further areas are the lower reaches of the Bernhard Bach and the lower reaches of the Hohenbach near Holzgau with the Simms waterfall. The Tiroler Lechtal Nature Park is congruent with the nature reserve of the same name.

As part of the EU's Habitats and Birds Protection Directive ( Natura 2000 ), the state of Tyrol has designated a total of 13 areas with a total area of ​​1,836.37 km². Of these, two areas with a total area of ​​5,969 hectares are wholly or partly in the area of ​​the Allgäu Alps described in this article.

The FFH and bird sanctuary Vilsalpsee coincides with the nature reserve of the same name. It has a size of 1,831 hectares and was designated for the Natura 2000 network in 1995. The Lechtal FFH and bird sanctuary coincides with the nature reserve and nature park of the same name. It has a size of 4,138 hectares and was designated for the Natura 2000 network in 2000.

Vorarlberg

The largest of the protected areas in the Vorarlberg part of the Allgäu Alps is the Hochifen and Gottesacker Plateau plant protection area . It was designated in 1964 and covers an area of ​​2,956 ha. The area includes the southern slopes of the Hohen Ifen and the Gottesacker plateau as well as the area around the Schwarzwasserhütte and the source area of ​​the Subersach. The category of the plant protection area originates from the early days of area nature protection in Vorarlberg and is no longer used today. Some of the plant protection areas designated in the past decades have meanwhile been incorporated into newly designated nature protection areas. At the end of 2005 there were only three plant protection areas in Vorarlberg, including the one described here. The protective effect of a plant protection area is comparatively weak. The plant protection area could not prevent the Ifensesselbahn and ski slopes from being built on the southern slope of the Gottesacker plateau.

In the Vorarlberg part of the Allgäu Alps there are other, but much smaller protected areas. They are listed below in alphabetical order.

The local protected area Bengerpark is located in Bregenz. Also near Bregenz is the protected landscape area Era-Wäldele . The local protected area Halbenstein was designated in 2001 and includes the area around the Halbenstein castle ruins on the northern slope of the Pfänderrücken near Hörbranz. Rare plant communities are protected there. The Hirschberg nature reserve was designated in 1974 and covers an area of ​​328 hectares. The area is located in the vicinity of the Hirschberg, the highest elevation of the Pfänderrücken. The Kojenmoos nature reserve was designated in 1987 and covers an area of ​​56 ha. This area is located on the plateau between the Hochhäderich in the Nagelfluh chain and the Kojen ridge and borders the German-Austrian border.

The local protected area Langenegg Nord is located in the north of the municipality of Langenegg on the ridge between the Bregenzer Ach, the Weißach and the Bolgenach. The protected part of the Maihof landscape was designated in 1992. It is located north of Lochau near Lake Constance. The Mehrerauer Seeufer-Bregenzerach estuary nature reserve was designated in 1991 and covers an area of ​​107 hectares. It is located on both sides of the area where the Bregenzerach flows into Lake Constance and on the eastern shore of Lake Constance.

The Rohrach nature reserve was designated in 1992 and covers an area of ​​47.5 hectares. This area is also a natural forest reserve in which forestry use has ceased. It is located near the Rickenbach on the north side of the Pfänderrücken near the German-Austrian border. The Rossbad nature reserve was designated in 1973 and has an area of ​​103 ha. It is located north of the municipality of Langenegg. Its northern border is formed by the Weißach, the western border runs along the Glatzbach. In this area a mosaic of moors, meadows and forests is protected. The protected landscape part Schurreloch was designated in 1978 and covers an area of ​​0.7 hectares. The area is located directly west of the Bolgenach reservoir, northwest of the municipality of Hittisau.

As part of the EU's Habitats and Birds Directive ( Natura 2000 ), the state of Vorarlberg has placed five areas in the Allgäu Alps under protection with a total area of ​​626.31 hectares.

The FFH area Bregenzerachschlucht with a size of 434.02 hectares was designated in 1995. It encompasses the Bregenzerach gorge from the confluence of the Weißach to its exit into the plain of the Alpine Rhine at Kennelbach. This is a wild and romantic gorge biotope with largely natural forest types and other biotopes. The FFH area Leiblach with a size of 7.62 hectares was designated in 2002. It is located in the course of the Leiblach river in the far north of Vorarlberg. The Leiblach is a near-natural low mountain range river. The FFH area Mehrerauer Seeufer-Bregenzerach estuary was designated in 1995 and includes the nature reserve of the same name. It is located at the confluence of the Bregenzerach in Lake Constance and includes a largely natural bank. The FFH area Rohrach with a size of 48.19 hectares was designated in 1995 and includes the nature reserve of the same name. It is located in the far northeast of Vorarlberg north of the Pfänderrück in the forest gorge of the Rickenbach. It is a natural forest reserve in which no forestry use is permitted. The FFH area Witmoos with a size of 18.19 ha was designated in 1995. It is located in the front Bregenzerwald near Langen, south of the Pfänderrücken. It contains a largely natural bog complex.

tourism

Mountain, mountain and pass roads

Compared to other mountain groups in the Alps, the Allgäu Alps are not very accessible by mountain roads. Between the Riedbergpass and the Tannheimer Tal, the Allgäu main ridge can be crossed non-motorized over a length of approx. 65 kilometers.

The Riedbergpass is the only real pass road in the Allgäu Alps. It connects the Illertal with the Bregenz Forest and reaches a height of 1406  m . The pass is passable all year round, because for the German town Balderschwang it is the only connection with the rest of Germany. The grass miter ski area is at the pass.

The Rohrmoossattel from Oberstdorf via Rohrmoos to Sibratsgälle in the Bregenzerwald is only permitted for public vehicle traffic as far as Rohrmoos. The road is closed between Rohrmoos and Sibratsgfälle. From Oberstdorf to Rohrmoos, a user fee is charged for the section from behind Tiefenbach to Rohrmoos. The road reaches a height of 1120  m .

From Oberstdorf, the Kleiner Walsertal to Baad is accessible at an altitude of 1244  m , as is the Schwarzwassertal, a side valley, up to the Auenhütte at 1275  m . The Stillachtal is passable for public motor vehicles from Oberstdorf to the valley station of the Fellhornbahn. Only the public bus can continue to Birgsau. So-called Stellwagen, horse-drawn carriages with public transport, continue to Einödsbach. The Trettachtal is closed to public traffic. Stellwagen drive to Spielmannsau.

The Gunzesrieder valley is accessible by motor vehicle from Sonthofen to the Gunzesrieder Säge. From there, two private roads lead to the Scheidwangalpe and Höllritzer Alpe. A user fee is charged for these roads.

On the southern edge of the Allgäu Alps is the Hochtannbergpass with a height of 1676  m . It connects the Lech Valley with the Bregenz Ach valley. The ascent from the Bregenz Ach side to the top of the pass is much steeper than the ascent from the Lech Valley side. This is typical of the Rhine-Danube watershed.

The Ostrachtal is passable from Sonthofen via Bad Hindelang to Hinterstein without restrictions. In the further course to the end of the valley at the gable house , the Ostrachtal is closed to motor vehicle traffic. There is a bus route there.

The Tannheimer Tal is a high valley that can only be reached from all sides via passes. However, these are very gentle, barely noticeable pass heights. There is no public road along the Vils, which drains the valley. From Sonthofen or Wertach you cross the Oberjochpass at an altitude of 1178  m . Only from the direction of Sonthofen via Bad Hindelang does the impression of a pass road arise. The Tannheimer Tal is reached from the Lechtal via the Gaichtpass . This pass height can only be felt as such from the Lech Valley. Finally, from Pfronten , a road through the Engetal reaches the village of Grän in the Tannheimer Tal. The pass of this road at 1154  m is just before the entrance to the Tannheimer Tal near Grän.

From Vorarlberg there are several ways to get to the edge of or into the Allgäu Alps on cul-de-sac. You can reach the Schönenbach-Vorsäß on a road from Bizau through the Bregenzerwald Mountains . A fee is sometimes charged for using the road. The Schönenbach-Vorsäß is the largest alpine settlement far and wide. It is located on the western edge of the Allgäu Alps and is a starting point for the western side of the Hohen Ifen with the Gottesacker plateau. From Hittisau in the front Bregenzerwald you can reach Sibratsgälle on the western edge of the Allgäu Alps. The road approved for public motor vehicle traffic still leads a little to the east of Sibratsgälle. To the north of Hittisau, a dead end road leads free of charge to the Hochhäderich inn at an altitude of over 1200  m . The end of the street is on a spacious saddle in the westernmost Nagelfluhkette. This is a high starting point for hikes in the western part of the Nagelfluh group. There is also a ski area there.

Huts

There are 24 Alpine Club huts in the Allgäu Alps . Most of the huts are located in the high mountains and can only be reached after several hours on foot. Some huts are in the valley. The highest hut is the Hermann von Barth hut with a height of 2131  m . The largest hut is the Rappenseehütte with over 350 beds and camps.

• Altes Höfle: Height: 966  m , for self-catering, supervised on weekends, 40 beds, 16 mattress dormitories, valley location: Gunzesried, walking time from Gunzesrieder Säge: 0.25 hours.
• Bad Kissinger Hütte : Altitude: 1792  m , open in summer from the beginning of May to the end of October, 10 beds, 55 mattress dormitories, valley location: Pfronten-Steinach, walking time from Grän: 2 hours
• Edmund-Probst-Haus : Altitude: 1930  m , open from late May to mid-October in summer and from Christmas to White Sunday in winter, 43 beds, 82 mattress dormitories, valley location: Oberstdorf, right next to the Nebelhornbahn mountain station
• Fiderepasshütte : Altitude: 2067  m , open in summer from the end of May to mid-October, winter room with AV lock, 10 beds, 100 mattresses, valley location: Mittelberg, walking time from the mountain station of the Kanzelwandbahn: 2 hours
• Grüntenhaus : altitude: 1540  m , cultivated; in summer: closed on Mondays; only open on weekends in winter. Located directly below the transmitter on the hiking trail from Burgberg to Grünten
• Haldenseehaus : Height: 1150  m , all year round for self-catering, drinks available, 56 beds, 44 mattress dormitories, on the Haller-Nesselwängle street
• Haus Schattwald : Altitude: 1100  m , all year round for self-catering, 20 beds, 22 mattress dormitories, directly in Schattwald, district of Fricken
• Hermann-von-Barth-Hütte : Altitude: 2131  m , open from mid-June to early October, 53 mattress dormitories, valley location: Elbigenalp, walking time from Elbigenalp: 3.15 hours
• Bad Hindelang , youth education center, altitude: 870  m , 103 beds, at the Bad Hindelang-Luitpoldbad bus stop
• Kaufbeurer house : Height: 2005  m , for self-catering, Sat / Sun served from Whitsun to the beginning of October, the rest of the time accessible with AV key, 50 mattress dormitories, winter room with 14 dormitories and AV lock, valley location: Hinterhornbach, walking time from Hinterhornbach : 2.75 hours
• Kemptner Hut : Altitude: 1846  m , open in summer from mid-June to mid-October, 85 beds, 200 mattress dormitories, winter room with 26 dormitories open, valley location: Oberstdorf, walking time from Holzgau: 3 hours
• Landsberger Hütte : Altitude: 1810  m , open in summer from Whitsun to mid-October, 30 beds, 170 mattress dormitories, winter room with 16 dormitories open, valley location: Tannheim, walking time from Vilsalpsee: 1.5 hours
• Mahdtalhaus : Height: 1100  m , for self-catering, manned, 16 beds, 18 mattress dormitories, valley location: Riezlern, walking time from Riezlern: 0.25 hours
• Mindelheimer Hütte : Altitude: 2058  m , open in summer from mid-June to mid-October, 120 mattress dormitories, winter room with 12 dormitories and AV lock, valley location: Mittelberg, walking time from Mittelberg: 3 hours
• Otto Mayr Hut : Altitude: 1530  m , open in summer from the beginning of May to the end of October and at Christmas, 24 beds, 60 mattress dormitories, valley location: Musau, walking time from the mountain station of the Füssener-Jöchl lift: 1 hour
• Otto-Schwegler-Hütte : Height: 1070  m , for self-catering, manned all year round, 50 mattress dormitories, valley location: Gunzesried, walking time from Gunzesrieder Säge: 0.5 hours
• Prinz-Luitpold-Haus : Altitude: 1846  m , open in summer from the beginning of June to mid-October, 20 beds, 142 mattress dormitories, winter room with 16 dormitories open, valley location: Hinterstein, walking time from the gable house: 3 hours
• Rappenseehütte : Altitude: 2091  m , open in summer from mid-June to mid-October, 42 beds, 300 mattress rooms, winter room with 30 beds open, valley location: Oberstdorf, walking time from Lechleiten: 2.5 hours
• Ravensburger Haus : Height: 950  m , supervised all year round for self-caterers, 50 beds, valley location: Steibis, walking time from Steibis: 0.25 hours
• Schwarzenberghütte : Altitude: 1380  m , open from summer to All Saints' Day and winter from Christmas, 4 beds, 38 mattress dormitories, valley location: Hinterstein, walking time from the gable house: 0.75 hours
• Schwarzwasserhütte : Altitude: 1620  m , open from the beginning of June to mid-October in summer and from Christmas to mid-March in winter, 41 beds, 30 camps, valley location: Hirschegg, walking time from the Auenhütte: 1.5 hours
• Staufner Haus : Altitude: 1634  m , open in summer from the beginning of May to All Saints' Day, open in winter during the holiday season and on weekends, 10 beds, 76 mattress dormitories, valley location: Steibis, walking time from the Hochgratbahn mountain station: 0.25 hours
• Tannheimer Hütte : Altitude: 1760  m , open from May to October, 22 mattress dormitories, valley location: Nesselwängle, walking time from Nesselwängle: 1.5 hours
• Waltenbergerhaus : Altitude: 2085  m , managed from mid-June to early October, 6 beds, 60 mattress dormitories, valley location: Oberstdorf, walking time from Einödsbach: 3 hours
• Willi-Merkl-Gedächtnis-Hütte : Altitude: 1550  m , for self-caterers from mid-May to mid-October, serviced on Sat / Sun, 38 mattress dormitories, valley location: Musau, walking time from the mountain station of the Füssener-Jöchl cable car: 1 hour

Long-distance / long-distance hiking trails

The European long-distance hiking trail E 4 (Pyrenees-Bodensee-Neusiedler See-Balaton-Rila-Crete) crosses the northernmost part of the Allgäu Alps in an east-west direction. From Bregenz you first take the public bus to Lingenau in the Bregenz Forest. There you start on foot and first reach Hittisau via the Rotenberg. From Hittisau it goes over the Leckner See to the Hochgrat and on over the ridge of the Nagelfluhkette to Sonthofen. From Sonthofen it goes over the Tiefenbacher Eck to Unterjoch and further along the Vils to Pfronten. From Pfronten the path runs over the Falken ridge and past the Alatsee to Füssen. There the E 4 continues through the Ammergau Alps. There are two alternative routes of the E 4 between Bregenz and Lake Neusiedl. The normal route crosses the Allgäu Alps as described. The alternative E 4 alpin runs south past the Allgäu Alps through the Bregenzerwald Mountains, the Lechquellen Mountains and the Lechtal Alps.

The European long-distance hiking trail E 5 (Atlantic-Bodensee-Alpen-Adria) crosses the Allgäu Alps from north to south. From Bregenz to Sonthofen the course is identical to the E 4. From Sonthofen to Oberstdorf you follow the Iller. The Kemptner Hütte is reached from Oberstdorf via the Trettach valley and the Spielmannsau. From the Kemptner Hütte the path first climbs to the Mädelejoch. At 1,974  m, this is the highest point of the E5 in the Allgäu Alps. At the Mädelejoch you cross the border between Germany and Austria. From the Mädelejoch the path descends into the Lech Valley to Holzgau. In the Lechtal you hike down the Lech to Bach. There the E 5 enters the Lechtal Alps.

The Via Alpina , a cross-border long-distance hiking trail with five partial routes through the entire Alps, also runs through the Allgäu Alps.

The Via Alpina Red Trail runs in four stages through the Allgäu Alps as follows:

• Stage R 49 runs from Weißenbach am Lech to the Prinz-Luitpold-Haus
• Stage R 50 runs from Prinz-Luitpold-Haus to Oberstdorf via the Käseralpe and the Oytal (see stage A66)
• Stage R 51 runs from Oberstdorf to the Mindelheimer Hütte
• Stage R52 runs from the Mindelheimer Hütte to Schröcken

The Violette Path of the Via Alpina runs in four stages through the Allgäu Alps as follows:

• Stage A 63 runs from Füssen to Pfronten
• Stage A 64 runs from Pfronten to Tannheim
• Stage A 65 runs from Tannheim to the Prinz-Luitpold-Haus
• Stage A 66 runs from Prinz-Luitpold-Haus to Oberstdorf via Edmund-Probst-Haus (see stage R 50)

The Violette Weg ends in Oberstdorf.

The Via Alpina Yellow Path runs in two stages through the Allgäu Alps as follows:

• Stage B 39 runs from Holzgau in the Lechtal to the Kemptner Hut
• Stage B 40 runs from the Kemptner Hütte to Oberstdorf

The Yellow Path also ends in Oberstdorf. The route of the Yellow Path of the Via Alpina through the Allgäu Alps corresponds to the route of the European long-distance hiking trail E 5 in the opposite direction.

The Oberallgäu circular hiking trail leads in a circle with the walking direction counterclockwise through the Oberallgäu and the northern half of the Allgäu Alps.

These are the stages through the Allgäu Alps:

• Stage 4a) leads from the Hündlebahn valley station near Oberstaufen to Scheidwang over the Nagelfluhkette
• Stage 4b) leads from Scheidwang to Grasgehren on the Riedbergpass
• Stage 5a) leads from Grasgehren to Rohrmoos
• Stage 5b) leads from Rohrmoos to Riezlern in the Kleiner Walsertal
• Stage 6a) leads from Riezlern to Schönblick at the Söllereckbahn
• Stage 6b) leads from Schönblick over the Freibergsee to Oberstdorf
• Stage 7a) leads from Oberstdorf over the Gaisalpe to the Altstädterhof
• Stage 7b) leads from the Altstädterhof to Bad Hindelang
• Stage 8a) leads from Hindelang over the Wertacher Hörnle to the Schnitzlertalalpe
• Stage 8b) leads from the Schnitzlertalalpe to Wertach

The Schwäbisch-Allgäu hiking trail (Augsburg – Sonthofen) leads through the Allgäu Alps in two stages. The eighth stage of the route leads from Maria Rain to Wertach over the Elleger Höhe. The ninth and last stage of the route leads from Wertach to Sonthofen over the "Great Forest" and the Starzlachklamm.

High trails

The distinctive chain character of the Allgäu Alps made it possible to create a whole network of high-altitude trails. The high-altitude trails connect huts of the Alpine Club or other huts and inns and allow tours lasting several days. However, the extensive network of hiking trails also offers many opportunities for day trips.

Especially in the course of the main ridge in the southern and southeastern part of the Allgäu Alps, there is the possibility of going on multi-day tours from hut to hut without descending into inhabited valleys. However, the time window within the year during which these tours can be undertaken is comparatively short. It ranges from the beginning of July to mid-September.

Five high-altitude trails have been given their own names. The Heilbronner Weg leads from the Rappenseehütte to the Waltenberger-Haus or on to the Kemptner Hütte in the central main ridge. The Düsseldorfer Weg runs from the Kemptner Hütte to the Hermann-von-Barth-Hütte to the north around the Großer Krottenkopf and the Marchspitze over the saddle “Im Märzle” and the Marchscharte. The Jubiläumsweg connects the Prinz-Luitpold-Haus with the Willersalpe above Hinterstein . The Enzensperger Weg runs in the eastern Hornbach chain between the Hermann von Barth hut and the Kaufbeurer house . And the Krumbacher Höhenweg connects the Fiderepasshütte or the Kühgundalpe with the Mindelheimer Hütte .

In addition to the stages described above, there are other high-altitude trails: high-altitude path from Edmund-Probst-Haus (Nebelhorn near Oberstdorf) to Prinz-Luitpold-Haus or to Kemptner hut, high path from Neunerkopf above Tannheim to Landsberger hut and high path from Hermann-von Barth hut to the Kaufbeurer house (Enzensperger Weg).

There are also high-altitude trails outside the Allgäu main ridge and its side ridges, but they do not form a coherent network. So you can cross the Nagelfluhkette with an overnight stay in the Staufner Haus in two days. From the Hochgrat to the Riedbergpass a high path runs over the summits of the Molasse and the Flysch. The Gottesacker plateau can be crossed in different ways. And in the Tannheimer mountains it is possible to cross over several days from Pfronten via the Bad Kissinger Hütte and the Gimpelhaus or the Otto Mayr Hütte to the Hahnenkamm.

Via ferratas

In the relevant literature and in the corresponding directories, 6 via ferratas are listed for the Allgäu Alps . These are the Hindelang via ferrata from the Nebelhorn to the Großer Thumb, the Heilbronner Weg from the Rappenseehütte to the Kemptner Hütte, the Mindelheimer via ferrata from the Fiderepasshütte to the Mindelheimer Hütte, the Hohe Gänge via ferrata between Rotspitze and Breitenberg , the Bäumenheimer Weg to the Hochvogel from the south and the Friedberger via ferrata from the Füssener Jöchle over the Schartschrofen to the Roten Flüh.

A new via ferrata was opened on the Iseler in July 2008; it leads through the north face of the Iseler, following a logical line of ribbons and steep steps to the summit of the Iseler.

The individual routes subsumed under the term via ferrata are very different. The Heilbronner Weg, for example, is more of a high-altitude trail than a via ferrata. When this trail was opened in 1899, the term via ferrata was not yet known. There is an iron ladder and many meters of wire rope along the Heilbronner Weg. However, the iron is primarily intended for securing and less as an aid to locomotion. The situation is similar with the Bäumenheimer Weg, the southern ascent to the Hochvogel from Hinterhornbach, which has been officially closed since 2014 due to the risk of rock falls.

Real via ferratas were only inaugurated in the Allgäu Alps much later than the two mentioned routes. In the 1970s, three via ferratas were inaugurated, copying the ones that already existed in many of the southern Limestone Alps. The Mindelheim via ferrata was opened in 1975, the Hindelang via ferrata and the Friedberger via ferrata followed a little later. These three via ferrata are of medium difficulty. The Friedberger Klettersteig enables a direct and interesting connection from the mountain station of the Füssener-Jöchle-Bahn to the central Tannheimer group around Rote Flüh and Gimpel.

The Hohe Gänge via ferrata complements the Hindelang via ferrata. However, it can also be used as an independent destination, with the comparatively long approach and departure routes guaranteeing a certain amount of calm. The short via ferrata to the Jungfrauspitze in the south ridge of the Wolekleskarspitze in the Hornbach chain, opened in 1983, runs over a height difference of 20 meters on a continuous wire rope and is very difficult. Via ferrata-like facilities have also found their way into the foothills of the Alps. The Steineberg in the Nagelfluhkette can now be climbed directly via a very long and airy ladder with a wire rope section in front.

Mountain railways with summer operation

In the Allgäu Alps there are currently the following mountain railways that are in operation in summer for day trippers, hikers and mountaineers:

The Breitenbergbahn is a monocable gondola lift from Pfronten-Steinach in the Allgäu to the Untere Breitenberg, an offshoot of the Breitenberg.

The Diedamskopfbahnen lead in two sections from Schoppernau in Vorarlberg to the Diedamskopf .

The Fellhornbahn in Oberallgäu runs from Faistenoy in the Stillachtal south of Oberstdorf to the Fellhorngrat.

The Füssener-Jöchle-Bahn is a monocable gondola (small cabin lift).

The Hochgratbahn is a single-cable gondola (small cabin lift) from Lanzenbach Säge in the Westallgäu to the ridge below the Hochgrat summit. The valley station is located in the Weißach valley south of Oberstaufen and Steibis.

The Hörnerbahn is a monocable gondola lift in Bolsterlang . It leads to the Horngrat between Bolsterlanger Horn and Weiherkopf.

The Kanzelwandbahn is a two-cable gondola lift in the Little Walsertal in Vorarlberg. It leads from Riezlern to the pulpit wall.

The Nebelhornbahn runs from the outskirts of Oberstdorf in Oberallgäu in three sections to the Nebelhorn summit. This is the highest point in the Allgäu Alps that can be reached by cable car.

Pfänderbahn in Bregenz

The Pfänderbahn in Vorarlberg leads from Bregenz on Lake Constance to the Pfänder .

The Reuttener Bergbahn leads from Höfen near Reutte in Tyrol to the Hahnenkamm .

The Vogelhornbahn is a monocable gondola lift (small cabin lift ). It was put into operation in 2000 and replaced an earlier chairlift. It leads from Tannheim in the Tannheimer Tal in Tyrol to the Neunerkopf (the Vogelhörnle is the neighboring mountain).

The Walmendingerhornbahn is an aerial tramway (large cable car) in the Little Walsertal in Vorarlberg. It leads from Mittelberg to the Walmendinger Horn .

First ascents

On July 25, 1669 - according to another statement, 1664 - Pastor Bickel managed the first recorded ascent of the Großer Widderstein ( 2533  m above sea level ) in the Allgäu Alps. The famous peaks of the Allgäu Alps, such as the Hochvogel or the Mädelegabel, were not documented until the middle of the 19th century when mountaineers such as Otto Sendtner or Hermann von Barth climbed them.

Literature / maps

• Alpine Club Guide Allgäu Alps and Ammergauer Alpen alpin, 16th edition 2004, Bergverlag Rudolf Rother, Munich, ISBN 3-7633-1126-2
  According to the new guidelines for Alpine Club guides, this guide only includes tours up to level II. The more difficult climbing tours are not listed more. This means that there is currently no work that describes the Allgäu Alps in their entirety from a mountaineering and tourist perspective.
• Alpine Club Guide Allgäu Alps up to the 15th edition, Bergverlag Rudolf Rother, Munich, out of print.
  The older editions of the Alpine Club Guide contain all known climbing tours (excluding sport climbing routes).
• Alpenvereinskarte 2/1 Allgäuer-Lechtaler Alpen - West 1: 25,000, 8th edition 2004
  The boundaries of the area shown on the map are as follows: in the north the northern edge of Oberstdorf, in the west a line from Fellhorn to Biberkopf, in the south near the village Steeg in the Lechtal and in the east from the Großer Wilden to the Ilfenspitzen.
• Alpenvereinskarte 2/2 Allgäuer-Lechtaler Alpen - Ost 1: 25,000, 7th edition 2002
  The boundaries of the area shown on the map are as follows: in the north a little north of the Schwarzwasserbach, in the west a line from the Großer Wilden to the Ilfenspitzen, in the south across the Lechtal to the Lechtal Alps and in the east a line from Stanzach in the Lechtal to the Kogelseespitzen in the Lechtal Alps.
• Alpenvereinskarte 3/2 Lechtaler Alpen Arlberggebiet 1: 25.000 Edition 2003
  This map shows only the southernmost edge of the Allgäu Alps, the area around the Hochtannbergpass and the triangle Hohes Licht, Biberkopf and Ellbogner Spitze.
• Scholz, Herbert (1995): Building and Becoming the Allgäu Landscape. Stuttgart: Schweizerbart'sche Verlagbuchhandlung, ISBN 3-510-65165-0
• Topographic map 1: 50,000 Kempten and the surrounding area, Bavarian State Surveying Office, Munich
• Topographic map 1: 50,000 feet and the surrounding area, Bavarian State Surveying Office, Munich
• Topographic map 1: 50,000 Lindau-Oberstaufen and the surrounding area, Bavarian State Surveying Office, Munich
• Topographic map 1: 50,000 Allgäu Alps, Bavarian Land Survey Office, Munich
• Thaddäus Steiner : Allgäu mountain names. The summit names of the Allgäu mountains . Lindenberg: Kunstverlag Josef Fink, 2007, ISBN 978-3-89870-389-5
• Klaus Schlösser, Erich Knoll: Allgäuer summit book: mountain names and their meaning. Alpine history and summit sayings . Kempten: SL-Verlag, 2008, ISBN 978-3-9810320-4-8
• Uli Auffermann : Allgäu mountain fever - mountaineering history (s) a rough region . Bruckmann Verlag , Munich 2010, ISBN 978-3-7654-5522-3

Web links

Commons : Allgäu Alps  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Wikivoyage: Allgäu Alps  - travel guide

• Hiking, mountaineering and huts in the Allgäu Alps
• Website of the state government of Baden-Württemberg with information on the Natura 2000 areas
• Website of the geological state office of Bavaria with information on the geotopes

Individual evidence

1. ↑ The height of the notch is sometimes given as 1879 m, but according to the BayernAtlas this is the height of a small intermediate peak. Which also correlates with the (less precise) Opentopomap
2. ↑ Schärtle according to Opentopomap
3. ↑ Hiking trails in Allgäu: Alatsee, Weißensee and Falkenstein ruins , section via the Zirmgrat back to the Alatsee , tour description on wanderwege-allgaeu.de (accessed January 10, 2015).
4. ↑ Chronicle closure of the Bäumenheimer Weg. Donauwörth section of the German Alpine Club, accessed on November 4, 2018 . 
5. ↑ History of the Walser Community Schroecken - Church - Tannbergbrücke , on warth-schroecken.com