Schwarzwand

The Schwarzwand rises on the border between Salzburg and Kärnten as the highest point of a long ridge in the Nockberge range. The ridge stretches from the Schereck in the west to the Zechnerhöhe in the south-east, where it splits into two branches. The state line follows the northern slopes and then continues along the ridge past several peaks above 2 100 m. The mountain’s geology tells of repeated mountain-building events that left layers of paragneiss, orthogneiss and amphibolite exposed on its flanks. During the last ice age the Schwarzwand stood above the ice sheet as a nunatak while glaciers carved the surrounding valleys and left moraines on its slopes. Small lakes now fill some of these hollows, including the Laußnitzsee at 2 001 m on the northern side. Walkers reach the summit by routes that start from the Neue Bonner Hütte or the Dr.-Josef-Mehrl-Hütte, joining the Kärntner Grenzweg along the main ridge. The high plateau west of the top holds several peat bogs and smaller lakes, while the southern slopes once carried ski lifts that have since been removed. From the summit the view stretches over the Nockfläche, the largest surviving pre-glacial surface in the range.