Eckskopf

The Eckskopf is a mountain in the Rätikon range, standing at 1,563 metres above sea level. It lies within the municipality of Nenzing in Vorarlberg, Austria. The mountain is surrounded on three sides by deep valleys and gorges. To the south and south-east, it overlooks the Gamperdonatal, while to the north and north-east, the Gamptal valley lies below. The Gampbach stream cuts deeply into the rock on the eastern side, creating the Gampfall waterfall and giving the peak its distinctive jutting appearance. The Eckskopf marks the northern end of a long ridge that begins at the Naafkopf. This ridge forms the western boundary of the Gamperdonatal and acts as the watershed between the Gamptal and Gamperdonatal valleys. The mountain is the northernmost summit between these two valleys, with the Fundel Group forming the eastern boundary of the Gamperdonatal. Geologically, the area is highly unstable due to past glacial erosion and ongoing erosion by the Gamperdonatal and Gamptal streams. Deep cracks and large sinkholes have formed in the rock, some measuring up to 40 metres wide, 400 metres long, and 150 metres deep. A local legend tells of a hunter who, on the Feast of the Assumption, hunted chamois without attending Mass. A black buck and a herd of chamois reportedly chased him, forcing him to flee up a fir tree. He believed the buck to be the devil and did not dare shoot until evening fell. The Gamperdonatal itself is divided into three sections, with the middle section beginning at the Eckskopf. The mountain’s slopes drop steeply into the valleys below, creating dramatic views of the surrounding terrain.