Kreuzmandl

The Kreuzmandl is a subsidiary summit rising to 1,974 metres in the Allgäu Alps, a short distance from the main Grünhorn ridge. It sits on the border between the municipalities of Schoppernau and Bezau in Vorarlberg, with the Bregenzer Ach valley below to the southwest. The mountain’s flanks drop steeply north-east into the Schrecksbach valley, while the Üntschenspitze looms higher above the southern horizon. The climb is usually started from the Neuhornbachhaus at 1,650 metres, a hut perched on the south-east ridge of the Falzer Kopf. Routes also begin from the Schwarzwasserhütte or from the valley village of Schoppernau itself. The normal ascent follows the Neuhornbachjoch col and the exposed West ridge to the top, a route that calls for steady footing and a head for heights. An alternative is the lift-served Diedamskopf area, from which the Falzer Kopf is reached before descending to the same col. From the summit visitors look across the Walsertaler peaks and down into the Bregenzer Ach valley. To the north-east the Grat continues over the Bezugsscharte to the Steinmandl, while the Üntschenspitze dominates the southern skyline. The small high plateau north of the Kreuzmandl collects the headwaters of the Subersach, adding to the mountain’s varied scenery.