Steinmandl

The Steinmandl is a subsidiary summit of the Grünhorn in the Allgäuer Alps, standing at 1,982 metres in the Austrian state of Vorarlberg. It sits on the mountain ridge that runs from the Diedamskopf to the Grünhorn, with the Kreuzmandl immediately to the west. The Schwarzwassertal valley lies to the east, while the Üntschenspitze rises above the Schrecksbach valley to the south. The summit marks the border between the municipalities of Mittelberg, Bezau and Schoppernau. Climbers approach the Steinmandl from the Schwarzwasserhütte at 1,620 metres, following the eastern ridge in summer. A more challenging route over the rocky ridges from the Grünhorn or Kreuzmandl requires sure-footedness, a head for heights and basic climbing skills. In winter the mountain is reached on skis, ascending the same route and descending the eastern flank. An alternative winter route starts from the Neuhornbachhaus at 1,650 metres and follows the southern bowl. At the top stands a wooden summit cross, rebuilt in 2011 after lightning destroyed the previous one. The new cross was made by students from a Stuttgart trade school and erected with help from a film crew. The surrounding Walsertaler peaks and high plateaus offer wide views across Vorarlberg’s alpine landscape.