Krottenkopf
2,657 m
Austria
Also known as Großer Krottenkopf, Grosser Krottenkopf, +1Also known as
Großer Krottenkopf · Grosser Krottenkopf · გროსერ-კროტენკოპფი
- Elevation
- 2,657 m
- Prominence
- 997 m
- Difficulty
- 4/10
- Alpine hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Sep
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1Sources differ: mittel (moderate), from the Kemptner Hütte (alpenvereinaktiv.com)
The classic ascent of the highest peak of the Allgäu Alps: through the Sperrbachtobel gorge to the Kemptner Hütte, over the Oberes Mädelejoch into Tyrol, then up scree to the Krottenkopfscharte and by a red-dotted line over slabs and ledges of brittle dolomite (UIAA I) to an airy final ridge. Usually split over two days.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 10.1 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,763 m
- −101 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 2,657 m
- Time Up
- 7h 21m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 5h 08m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
From Oberstdorf take the Bergsteigerlinie bus into the car-free Trettach valley to Spielmannsau. A road leads past Alpe Oberau to the Kemptner Hütte's goods lift, then a good path climbs along the Trettach and steeply to the chapel Maria am Knie. The path then enters the Sperrbachtobel, a wet, slippery gorge in landslide-prone marl, secured with wire ropes. Avalanches, meltwater and heavy rain repeatedly damage the path, and avalanche snow can block it in spring. Above the gorge a grassy basin leads to the Kemptner Hütte (1,844 m), about 2 hours from Spielmannsau (4 hours from Oberstdorf on foot). From the hut head south, then east to the Oberes Mädelejoch (2,033 m) on the German–Austrian border. Descend somewhat on a frayed, partly loose path into a barren cirque, traverse east towards the Ramstallspitze, and turn left at the signpost where the path from the Lech valley joins. Over increasingly barren ground and a short, easy rock step you reach the Krottenkopfscharte (2,350 m), often meeting walkers coming up from the Hermann-von-Barth-Hütte via the Hermannskar. From the col the path winds up scree and slabs of banded Hauptdolomit, well marked with red dots; hands are needed mainly on the ledges in the upper part (UIAA I). The last metres along a narrow, exposed ridge lead to a surprisingly roomy summit, about 45 minutes from the col and just under 3 hours from the hut. Descend the same way; take care with old snow on the upper slabs early in the season.
Start
Spielmannsau990 m
- Train to Oberstdorf (line from Immenstadt), then the Bergsteigerlinie bus from Oberstdorf station to Spielmannsau.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spielmannsau → Kemptner Hütte | 6.1 | 887 | 35 | 3h 47m |
| 2 | Kemptner Hütte → Großer Krottenkopf | 4.1 | 874 | 66 | 3h 33m |
Waypoints
- Station: Spielmannsau990 m
End of the Bergsteigerlinie bus from Oberstdorf; valley closed to private cars
- Feature: Maria am Knie1,389 m
- Hut: Kemptner Hütte1,844 m
- Col: Oberes Mädelejoch2,036 m
- Col: Krottenkopfscharte2,345 m
- Summit: Großer Krottenkopf2,657 m
Key Passages
- Sperrbachtobel gorge (wire ropes, unstable marl)
- Loose descent east of the Oberes Mädelejoch
- Ledges and slabs above the Krottenkopfscharte (UIAA I)
- Exposed final ridge to the summit cross
Equipment
0/6 packedDownloads
Route confidence 85%Overview
The highest peak of the Allgäu Alps (2,657 m), a brittle dolomite pyramid wholly on the Tyrolean side, climbed from the Kemptner Hütte above Oberstdorf by a marked path and an easy, exposed scramble (T4, UIAA I).
The Großer Krottenkopf stands on a side branch of the Hornbach chain, which runs about 15 km east from the main Allgäu ridge; the summit lies entirely in Tyrol, Austria, a few kilometres east of the German border. Built of banded, brittle Hauptdolomit, it rises above the Hermannskar and its lake, which is often ice-covered until high summer. The name comes from the old word 'Krott', meaning stony, rubble-covered terrain.
The normal route starts from Oberstdorf in Bavaria: through the car-free Trettach valley and the Sperrbachtobel gorge to the large Kemptner Hütte (1,844 m), then over the Oberes Mädelejoch into Tyrol and up to the Krottenkopfscharte (2,350 m). The final 300 m follow red dots over scree, slabs and ledges, with easy scrambling and an exposed few metres on the summit ridge. Other approaches come from Holzgau and Elbigenalp in the Lech valley and from the Hermann-von-Barth-Hütte via the Hermannskar; the north ridge is a UIAA III climb.
Technically the mountain asks only for sure-footedness and a head for heights, but it is a long and strenuous outing: about 1,800 m of ascent from Spielmannsau, so most parties spend a night at the Kemptner Hütte. The summit is popular but rarely overcrowded, and the section between the hut and the col can be quiet.
Climbing Notes
Requirements are fitness for 1,000–1,800 m days, sure-footedness on loose scree and slabs, and a head for heights on the final ridge; Oberstdorf's alpine information strongly discourages inexperienced walkers. A typical itinerary is Oberstdorf or Spielmannsau to the Kemptner Hütte on day one (2 hours from Spielmannsau, about 4 hours from Oberstdorf), then the summit (just under 3 hours) and return to the valley on day two. Fit parties do it in a single 8–9 hour day from Spielmannsau. Choose a day with stable weather, ideally in high summer or early autumn; old snow on the upper slabs early in the season needs care. A helmet is useful given the brittle rock and parties above.
History
The first documented ascent was by the geologist Carl Wilhelm von Gümbel in 1854. Hermann von Barth climbed it in August 1869 and described the haymaking on the steep slopes at the Knie. The Kemptner Hütte was built by the Allgäu-Kempten section of the Alpine Club in 1891 and has been enlarged repeatedly since; the path through the Sperrbachtobel was blasted into the gorge wall in 1904.
Season
Best Jul–Sep- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Not advisable
- April: Not advisable
- May: Not advisable
- June: Possible
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Possible
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Winter; avalanche danger in the Sperrbachtobel; hut closed (winter room only)
- Feb
- Winter conditions
- Mar
- Winter conditions
- Apr
- Avalanche snow in the Sperrbachtobel
- May
- Snow on the route; hut closed
- Jun
- Hut opens early June (4 June in 2026); old snow on the upper route
- Jul
- Main season; afternoon thunderstorms
- Aug
- Main season; the hut is very busy
- Sep
- Early autumn is ideal
- Oct
- Hut closes early October (4 October in 2026); early snow possible
- Nov
- Winter conditions
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Hut Booking
- Book the Kemptner Hütte online through huetten-holiday.com (bookable 4 June – 4 October 2026). It sleeps about 290 people and is the first night of the popular E5 Oberstdorf–Meran crossing, so summer weekends fill early.
- Fees
- Bergsteigerlinie bus fare Oberstdorf–Spielmannsau
- Hut overnight fees, with discounts for Alpine Club members
- Rules
- The Trettach valley (Spielmannsau) is closed to private cars; park in Oberstdorf
- Sleeping-bag liner required in Alpine Club huts
- Getting There
Oberstdorf (Germany); Holzgau (Austria) on the Lech valley side
Memmingen (FMM); Munich (MUC) and Innsbruck (INN) are alternatives
- Train to Oberstdorf via Immenstadt, then the Bergsteigerlinie bus from Oberstdorf station to Spielmannsau
- Car: park in Oberstdorf (the Trettach valley is closed to traffic)
- From the Lech valley: Holzgau, then the E5 path through the Höhenbachtal past the Simms waterfall
Hazards
- Rockfall
- Exposure
- Weather
- Avalanche
Huts & Shelters
1- 1,844 m
Kemptner HütteHutStaffedBooking required
290 beds · Staffed early June to early October (4 June – 4 October 2026); winter room when closed