Huts and climbs

Ibex route

A trail that crosses the Allgäu Alps – over lush, green pastures one day and rocky mountain peaks the next. Occasionally passing traditional “Sennalpen” (dairy
huts), sometimes traversing mountain meadows blanketed with flowers!

Thanks to the rich geology of the region, the Allgäu Alps offer an extraordinary diversity of plant and animal species that is unrivalled anywhere in the Alps. Following a multi-day route
along the Allgäu’s central main ridge will give you an opportunity to be amazed on a daily basis by the wealth of plant and animal species that make their home here in the stunning
mountain landscape. The network of ridgeways known as the “Steinbocktour” (ibex route) or the “Allgäu-Querung” (Allgäu crossing), which total some 60 km in length, connect
the multi-faceted summits of the Allgäu’s central main ridge to create a completely unique experience!

The lowest point of this multi-day route is at 1,552 m at the end of the Rappenalptal valley between the Schrofen pass and the Mindelheimer Hütte. The highest point of the Allgäu
crossing, meanwhile, is the Hohes Licht at 2,651 m. Hiking the length of the Heilbronner Höhenweg ridgeway between the Rappenseehütte and the Waltenberger Haus is most
definitely the highlight of this multi-day tour in terms of natural scenery and Alpine experience. At the same time, it is the most technically demanding of the daily stages, occurring between the easier stages of the first few days and the routes between shelters towards the end of the Allgäu crossing, which require more physical fitness but are technically easier. However, there is no real alternative to completing the Heilbronner Höhenweg ridgeway section on this route.
The daily stages vary from a manageable three to four hours of hiking in the first few days to a maximum of eight hours of hiking a day during the final few stretches between shelters
on the extended route. After the shorter stages at the start of the route, you can choose to embark on additional, shorter summit hikes in the afternoons. The times specified
are based on average hiking times. You may take more or less time to complete the routes depending on your physical fitness. (As a general rule, flat to gently climbing stretches
can be covered at a speed of 4 to 6 km per hour, while it will take an hour to cover an elevation gain of 300 to 400 metres on steeper ascents, e.g. on mountain hiking trails).

The ibex route is divided into the following daily stages:
Day 1: From the Fellhornbahn cable car to the Fiderepasshütte
Day 2: Via the Fiderescharte to the Mindelheimer Hütte
Day 3: High above the Rappenalptal valley
Day 4: Via the Heilbronner Weg and the Schwarze Milz
Day 5: From the Kemptner Hütte to Oberstdorf
Day 6: (extension):
Via the Eissee lake to the Prinz-Luitpold-Haus
Day 7: (extension):
Via the Laufbacher Eck to the Edmund-Probst-
Haus, from the Edmund-Probst-Haus to Oberstdorf
For more information about the individual sections,
see www.oberstdorf.de/alpininfo

Huts and climbs

German Alpine Association (DAV)