Großes Ochsenhorn

The Grosses Ochsenhorn stands at the heart of the Loferer Steinberge in Salzburg. It rises 2,511 metres above sea level as the highest peak in this rugged limestone range. Four distinct ridges radiate from its summit: the Ochsenhornkamm stretches east toward the Vorderhorn, the Sattelhorn ridge divides the Schneegrube from the Wehrgrube, the Rotschartel separates it from the western section of the Steinberge, and a sheer north face plunges into the Schneegrube. South-facing walls drop precipitously toward the Fellerer Sand, where several demanding climbing routes ascend steep pillars and abrupt rock faces. The mountain draws climbers and hikers who tackle its accessible routes. The normal way begins at the Sattelhorn col and involves easy scrambling graded I on the UIAA scale, taking about an hour to reach the top. Three marked approaches lead to the col: one follows the Loferer Hochtal and reaches the Schmidt-Zabierow-Hütte after four hours, another follows the Schärdinger Steig from St Martin bei Lofer in three and a half hours, and the third crosses the Grieseltal and the Rotschartel from St Ulrich am Pillersee in four and a half hours. On the summit visitors find wide views across the Steinberge and the surrounding valleys. The rocky crest offers space for a small group to stand together while the north face shows the dramatic drop into the Schneegrube below. The southern walls reveal the jagged pillars used by climbers, and the east ridge leads onward toward the Vorderhorn.