Kuhgehrenspitze, 1910 m

A little-known viewpoint in the Kleinwalsertal valley: Almost within shouting distance of the bustling Fellhorn-Kanzelwand mega-ski resort, a grassy mountain, rarely visited in either summer or winter, slumbers peacefully. It is the Kuhgehrenspitze, a peak rising 850 meters above the Breitach valley floor, situated on a small side ridge of the eastern Walsertal mountains. Previously, it was reserved for ski tourers. However, since snowshoeing has become increasingly popular in the Allgäu region, the discerning mountaineer wonders whether, given the increasingly dense forest belts, the tour might be better suited to the gentle soles of the feet than to the sharp steel edges of skis that shave the shoots of young trees. Apart from these three narrow strips of spruce trees, the Kuhgehrenspitze promises the most breathtaking views. There, the Trettachspitze, Mädelegabel, and Hochfrottspitze rise above the rocky ridge between the Kanzelwand and the Walser Hammerspitze. The imposing Widderstein bulwark and the formidable twin peaks of Zwölferkopf and Elferkopf stand defiantly before us. The jagged summits around the Mindelheimer Hütte and the distant Lechquellen Mountains present a magnificent sight. Below us, the charming scattered settlements of the Kleinwalsertal valley line the gleaming white banks of the Breitach river. And on the Heuberg, the extensive avalanche barriers give us pause for thought.