Hochvogel Summit (2,592 m)

The Hochvogel is not without reason called the King of the Allgäu Alps.At 2,592 meters, the Hochvogel is not the highest mountain in the Allgäu Alps, but it is by far the most striking and impressive peak in the Allgäu Alps.Its peak resembles an elegant pyramid, flanked by two equally high subsidiary peaks or shoulders, approximately 150 meters lower.Although its imposing mountainous form towers over its neighboring peaks by a good 200 meters, it is not visible from any Allgäu valley – only from Hinterhornbach does it reveal its face.

A fantastic summit! Ascent from the church in Hinterhornbach via the Schwabegger Hütten, the Fuchsensattel, and the Kalten Winkel. The path was a bit overgrown at first, but this improved over time. In my opinion, the trail doesn't really offer much added value. It's a steep climb, and from the Schwabegger Hütten, you can only walk through the heat caused by the mountain pines. This improves, however, from the point where you leave the mountain pines, just before the junction with the Bäumenheimer Weg. From there, a beautiful path leads beneath part of the Hochvogel towards the Fuchsensattel. The trail continues through a single, vast scree field to the Kalten Winkel. If you're a bit experienced, the path is no problem, but you'll also see many hikers who don't have suitable footwear and/or lack experience, and who tackle the steep sections of the scree field more by luck than by wit. Tip: Proper footwear; I wore Lowa crampon-compatible shoes, which might be a bit overkill for experienced hikers. The final section to the summit isn't particularly difficult; the only thing I found a bit uneasy about on the descent was the rocky slab right at the beginning, at least for me, but ultimately it wasn't really a problem. Anyone who makes it this far is rewarded with a wonderful view on clear days; you can even see the Ortler and Wildspitze! The further descent isn't a big problem for those who've already made it up without any problems, even if you do have to climb a few more meters.

A very striking rocky peak with an interesting crevice. The distant view is fantastically beautiful.