Upper Gundalp, 1490 m

In the Realm of the Helveticum: A walk through the Lochbach Valley in the southeastern corner of the Nagelfluhkette Nature Park leads us into the Helveticum, a geological formation that stretches from Vorarlberg to the Allgäu Alps. The name of this formation is derived from the term Helvetia. Geologically speaking, we are therefore in the Western Alps. The building blocks are predominantly relatively resistant limestones, soft marl layers, and quartz sandstones. The varying resistance of the individual components results in the great diversity of formations. The Schrattenkalk, a prominent feature of the Allgäu Helveticum, is easily recognizable from afar. Formed over 100 million years ago in the Cretaceous sea, it is the main representative of the Allgäu Helveticum. The Besler mountain stands out as one of the most striking features of this geological layer, which was originally deposited further south. At its base, the Obere Gundalp offers a relatively easy destination for winter hikers. However, climbing this icy, bold rock pillar is best left for summer.