Kröndlhorn
Encyclopedia
The Kröndlhorn is a high mountain in the Kitzbühel Alps in Austria
. It is one of the highest mountains on the main crest of the Kitzbühel Alps. The state border between Tyrol and Salzburger Land runs over its summit.
valley, southeast of the Kelchsau valley and southwest of the Windau valley
. A secondary ridge to the main crest of the Kitzbühel Alps runs from the summit of the Kröndelhorn northwards in a curve. This ridge surrounds the cirque
in which the mountain lake of the Reinkarsee
has formed, at a height of . This cirque is the main source region of the Windauer Ache
stream.
In front of the summit of the Kröndlhorn to the north is another peak, the Kröndlberg, only four metres lower, which looks like the actual summit when approaching from the north.
. On the interior walls of the chapel obituary
notices have been posted for many years.
In fine weather the summit offers a long view to the south into the Pinzgau
region and the Reichenspitz Group and the High Tauern and the Krimml Waterfalls.
, which may be reached via Hopfgarten im Brixental
and Westendorf in the north. Cars can also get to the foot of the mountain on a partly unmetalled toll road. There are parking areas by the Gamskogel Hut, a little way above the valley, and at the Holzlagerplatz in the valley below the Rotwand Grundalm.
An ascent may be made over two main routes. The technically easier, but longer, way runs from the Baumgartenalm through the Oberkaralm along the southeast face of the Schneegrubenspitze to the Reinkarsee . The shorter way goes from the car park at Holzlagerplatz and runs steeply through a short section of wood up to the Rotwand Grundalm . From there it continues to the Rotwand Hinttalalm . Next the way crosses the slope 200 to 400 m north of the crest to reach the Reinkarsee. Here the two routes meet and run in a southwesterly direction up to the zum Kröndlberg . From here the route is steep in places and requires surefootedness to reach the summit some 300 metres further south.
Another ascent approaches from the east through the Trattenbachalm running alongside the Trattenbach stream to the summit.
The peak may also be scaled from the south (Pinzgau
) and west (Kelchsau, kurzer Grund). For example, from the New Bamberg Hut
in the Kelchsau valley, from which other trails run to the Salzachgeier
or the Schafsiedel
mountains.
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. It is one of the highest mountains on the main crest of the Kitzbühel Alps. The state border between Tyrol and Salzburger Land runs over its summit.
Location
The Kröndlhorn rises north of the SalzachSalzach
The Salzach is a river in Austria and Germany. It is a right tributary of the Inn and is 225 kilometres in length.The river's name is derived from the German word Salz, meaning "salt". Until the 19th century shipping of salt down the river was an important part of the local economy...
valley, southeast of the Kelchsau valley and southwest of the Windau valley
Windautal
The Windautal is a southern side valley of the Tyrolean Brixental in the Kitzbühel Alps in Austria with a length of about 16 km.The valley is lies almost entirely within the territory of the parish of Westendorf; only its northernmost part lies in Hopfgarten. To the south the valley borders on...
. A secondary ridge to the main crest of the Kitzbühel Alps runs from the summit of the Kröndelhorn northwards in a curve. This ridge surrounds the cirque
Cirque
Cirque may refer to:* Cirque, a geological formation* Makhtesh, an erosional landform found in the Negev desert of Israel and Sinai of Egypt*Cirque , an album by Biosphere* Cirque Corporation, a company that makes touchpads...
in which the mountain lake of the Reinkarsee
Reinkarsee
Reinkarsee is a lake of Tyrol, Austria on the Kröndlhorn....
has formed, at a height of . This cirque is the main source region of the Windauer Ache
Windauer Ache
The Windauer Ache is a mountain stream in the scenic Windautal valley in the Kitzbühel Alps in Austria.The Ache rises on the Rainkarsee at about 2,200 m AMSL and its middle reaches run through a roughly 4 km long gorge...
stream.
In front of the summit of the Kröndlhorn to the north is another peak, the Kröndlberg, only four metres lower, which looks like the actual summit when approaching from the north.
Summit
On the summit of the Kröndlhorn is a small chapel that only accommodates two people. It contains a stamp and a summit registerSummit register
A summit book is a record of visitors to the summit of a mountain, usually one without a maintained trail. It is usually enclosed in a weatherproof, animalproof metal canister. Some books are maintained in an informal manner by an individual or small group, while others are maintained by a club...
. On the interior walls of the chapel obituary
Obituary
An obituary is a news article that reports the recent death of a person, typically along with an account of the person's life and information about the upcoming funeral. In large cities and larger newspapers, obituaries are written only for people considered significant...
notices have been posted for many years.
In fine weather the summit offers a long view to the south into the Pinzgau
Pinzgau
The Bezirk Zell am See is an administrative district in the federal state of Salzburg, Austria, and congruent with the Pinzgau region....
region and the Reichenspitz Group and the High Tauern and the Krimml Waterfalls.
Use of the mountain
Above the tree line the open slopes are used as grazing for sheep, goats, cows and horses. Herds of sheep, in particular, may be seen in summer around the Reinkarsee. A material ropeway runs from Holzlagerplatz to the Rotwand Grundalm. The trails are all signed with tree and ground markers.Reinkarsee
A scenic high point of an ascent of the Kröndlhorn is the Reinkarsee, which lies at a height of . The area around the lake is a good place to observe sunrises.Ascents
The most frequently used ascent route is from the WindautalWindautal
The Windautal is a southern side valley of the Tyrolean Brixental in the Kitzbühel Alps in Austria with a length of about 16 km.The valley is lies almost entirely within the territory of the parish of Westendorf; only its northernmost part lies in Hopfgarten. To the south the valley borders on...
, which may be reached via Hopfgarten im Brixental
Hopfgarten im Brixental
Hopfgarten im Brixental is a market town in Tyrol, Austria, in the Kitzbühel district. It is located at an elevation of 622 m above sea level. With an area of 166.57 km² it is the largest municipality in the district, and among the largest in Tyrol....
and Westendorf in the north. Cars can also get to the foot of the mountain on a partly unmetalled toll road. There are parking areas by the Gamskogel Hut, a little way above the valley, and at the Holzlagerplatz in the valley below the Rotwand Grundalm.
An ascent may be made over two main routes. The technically easier, but longer, way runs from the Baumgartenalm through the Oberkaralm along the southeast face of the Schneegrubenspitze to the Reinkarsee . The shorter way goes from the car park at Holzlagerplatz and runs steeply through a short section of wood up to the Rotwand Grundalm . From there it continues to the Rotwand Hinttalalm . Next the way crosses the slope 200 to 400 m north of the crest to reach the Reinkarsee. Here the two routes meet and run in a southwesterly direction up to the zum Kröndlberg . From here the route is steep in places and requires surefootedness to reach the summit some 300 metres further south.
Another ascent approaches from the east through the Trattenbachalm running alongside the Trattenbach stream to the summit.
The peak may also be scaled from the south (Pinzgau
Pinzgau
The Bezirk Zell am See is an administrative district in the federal state of Salzburg, Austria, and congruent with the Pinzgau region....
) and west (Kelchsau, kurzer Grund). For example, from the New Bamberg Hut
New Bamberg Hut
The New Bamberg Hut lies at 1,756 m AMSL in the Kelchsau in the Kitzbühel Alps in Austria and is a mountain hut owned by the German Alpine Club's Bamberg Section....
in the Kelchsau valley, from which other trails run to the Salzachgeier
Salzachgeier
The Salzachgeier is a rugged peak on the edge of the Kitzbühel Alps on the border of the Austrian states of Salzburg and Tyrol. In the cirques and high alpine meadows of its eastern slopes and the two neighbouring peaks of Fünfmandling and Schwebenkopf are the headstreams of the Salzach, the...
or the Schafsiedel
Schafsiedel
The Schafsiedel is a high mountain in the Kitzbühel Alps in Austria. It is one of the highest peaks on the main crest of the Kitzbühel Alps. It also the summit most frequently climbed from the New Bamberg Hut, not least because of the 3 mountain lakes that are passed en route: the photogenic lower...
mountains.