Hoher Ifen
Encyclopedia
The Hoher Ifen is a 2,230 metre (according to German survey: 2,229 m) high mountain in the Allgäu Alps
, west of the Kleinwalsertal
valley. In winter it forms the backdrop for a small ski area. It lies on the border between Germany and Austria. The summit is the highest point on the gently, tilted Ifen plateau.
Northeast of the Ifen plateau is the Gottesacker plateau, a karst
landscape which has been designated a nature reserve
and which has numerous cavea and rare mountain plants. The most important caves are the Hölloch im Mahdtal and the Schneckenloch Cave near Schönenbach.
On the eastern slopes of the massif a Stone Age
dwelling site was discovered on the mountain pasture of Schneiderkürenalpe at a height of about 1,500 m.
, the Austrian Alpine Club and Allgäu Climbing Group (IG Klettern Allgäu) have criticised the regulation by the Bregenz district commission, because, within its boundaries, on the southern edge of the plateau and at Bärenköpfe is one of the best sport climbing
areas in the Alps. The south faces are called the Céüse
of the Allgäu, a comparison to the most famous climbing area in Europe.
The trespass order, in its current form, was criticised as unreasonable and not technically sound particularly given the extensive development of the surrounding environment. The magazine, Alpin, wrote:"[...] such a restricted zone does not fit well into the overall concept of the Kleinwalsertal: a busy and noisy tourist area with great economic benefit here and then a restricted area there, where no recreation is permitted...
Ski touring, too, was severely limited - for example, the direct descent from the plateau into the Schwarzwasser valley is no longer possible.
. By taking over the Merckle family's 82% share and the 18% share of the family of Kleinwalsertal tourism pioneer, Alfons Herz, in 1 July 2009, the Ifen Bergbahn GmbH u. Co gained full ownership of the Kleinwalsertaler Bergbahn (KBB), Riezlern, whose main shareholders are the Allgäuer Überlandwerk and the Raiffeisen Holding Kleinwalsertal.
The Kleinwalsertaler Bergbahn AG plans to buil a link lift to the Walmendinger Horn
The expansion plans were sharply criticised by several associations because they were viewed as damaging to the environment and would promote mass tourism.
The Austrian Alpine Club section in the Kleinwalsertal criticised the plans as follows: The construction of this lift cannot be done in harmony with nature as we would wish to remind those launching such an initiative!
The Kleinwalsertal Landscape Protection Society (Landschaftsschutz Kleinwalsertal) expressed similar views.
Allgäu Alps
The Allgäu Alps are a mountain range in the Northern Limestone Alps, located in Bavaria in Germany and Tyrol and Vorarlberg in Austria. The range lies directly east of Lake Constance.-Principal summits:-External links:*...
, west of the Kleinwalsertal
Kleinwalsertal
Kleinwalsertal is a part of Austria, but only accessible from Germany to the north, and thus is an Austrian "practical exclave" or "pene-exclave". Prior to Austria joining the European Union, the area had tax-free status....
valley. In winter it forms the backdrop for a small ski area. It lies on the border between Germany and Austria. The summit is the highest point on the gently, tilted Ifen plateau.
Northeast of the Ifen plateau is the Gottesacker plateau, a karst
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
landscape which has been designated a nature reserve
Nature reserve
A nature reserve is a protected area of importance for wildlife, flora, fauna or features of geological or other special interest, which is reserved and managed for conservation and to provide special opportunities for study or research...
and which has numerous cavea and rare mountain plants. The most important caves are the Hölloch im Mahdtal and the Schneckenloch Cave near Schönenbach.
On the eastern slopes of the massif a Stone Age
Stone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
dwelling site was discovered on the mountain pasture of Schneiderkürenalpe at a height of about 1,500 m.
Climbing, hunting and conservation
On the southern side of the mountain an undisturbed wildlife area has been declared by the Bregenz district commission at the instigation of the Walser Hunting Club (Walser Jägerschaft), that has restricted the usual Austrian freedom of passage in accordance with § 33 of the Forestry Act. Mountaineering clubs, in particular the German Alpine ClubGerman Alpine Club
The German Alpine Club or DAV is the largest climbing association in the world and the eighth largest sports union in Germany. It is organised into 354 legally independent branches with a total of around 815,000 members...
, the Austrian Alpine Club and Allgäu Climbing Group (IG Klettern Allgäu) have criticised the regulation by the Bregenz district commission, because, within its boundaries, on the southern edge of the plateau and at Bärenköpfe is one of the best sport climbing
Sport climbing
Sport climbing is a form of rock climbing that relies on permanent anchors fixed to the rock, and possibly bolts, for protection,...
areas in the Alps. The south faces are called the Céüse
Ceüse
Céüse is a hamlet in the Hautes-Alpes département of France, part of the commune of Manteyer. The nearby Montagne de Céüse is home to one of France's most important venues for sport climbing....
of the Allgäu, a comparison to the most famous climbing area in Europe.
The trespass order, in its current form, was criticised as unreasonable and not technically sound particularly given the extensive development of the surrounding environment. The magazine, Alpin, wrote:"[...] such a restricted zone does not fit well into the overall concept of the Kleinwalsertal: a busy and noisy tourist area with great economic benefit here and then a restricted area there, where no recreation is permitted...
Ski touring, too, was severely limited - for example, the direct descent from the plateau into the Schwarzwasser valley is no longer possible.
Ski area
At the beginning of the 1970s the first ski lifts appeared on the Ifen, from which today's company, the Ifen-Bergbahn-Gesellschaft, emerged. For a long time it was mostly owned by Ruth Merckle, the wife of the pharmaceutical businessman Adolf MerckleAdolf Merckle
Adolf Merckle was a businessman, and one of the richest people in Germany.Merckle was born in Dresden, Germany into a wealthy family. Most of his wealth came from inheritance. He developed his Bohemian grandfather's chemical wholesale company into Germany's largest pharmaceutical wholesaler,...
. By taking over the Merckle family's 82% share and the 18% share of the family of Kleinwalsertal tourism pioneer, Alfons Herz, in 1 July 2009, the Ifen Bergbahn GmbH u. Co gained full ownership of the Kleinwalsertaler Bergbahn (KBB), Riezlern, whose main shareholders are the Allgäuer Überlandwerk and the Raiffeisen Holding Kleinwalsertal.
The Kleinwalsertaler Bergbahn AG plans to buil a link lift to the Walmendinger Horn
The expansion plans were sharply criticised by several associations because they were viewed as damaging to the environment and would promote mass tourism.
The Austrian Alpine Club section in the Kleinwalsertal criticised the plans as follows: The construction of this lift cannot be done in harmony with nature as we would wish to remind those launching such an initiative!
The Kleinwalsertal Landscape Protection Society (Landschaftsschutz Kleinwalsertal) expressed similar views.