Krämerkogel

The Krämerkogel is a 2074-metre mountain in the Ankogel group of the Central Alps. It stands on the border between the Salzburg towns of Bad Hofgastein to the west and Großarl to the east. Nearby peaks include the 2027-metre Kreuzkogel to the north and the 2136-metre Aukopf to the south. Alpine pastures cling to its slopes: the Krämeralm on the north-western side belongs to the village of Harbach, while the Paulihütte occupies the eastern flank near Bach. The summit zone shows bands of marble, phyllite and mica-schist. Northwards these rocks give way to more phyllite, quartzite and breccias. Strict protection zones cover parts of the mountain: the Aukopf summit area is closed to walkers from 1 December to 31 May, and the Paulihütte zone on the eastern slopes is out of bounds from 1 November to 31 May. Visitors find open grassland and low shrubs near the top, with patches of rusty-leaved alpenrose on the eastern side. Below that, green alder thickets spread across the lower slopes. The western flanks carry a birch pioneer forest. The wide views take in the surrounding peaks and the valleys of Bad Hofgastein and Großarl.