02^Sep Sat
07:05

Meeting at 7.05 am on platform München Hbf Gl.27-36

The train (RE76) departures at 7.20 am to Oberstdorf. Please have your Deutschland ticket (49 euro)

 https://chat.whatsapp.com/DMR7YNrSzWT2h0gjLRWHLR

It is a moderate/medium hike, mostly easy to walk paths, but a good basic physical condition is required. We might stop for a while to take a swim in Gaisalpsee, small and nice lake in the middle of the mountains.

Rubihorn is arguably the last (or first depending on your viewpoint) "real" mountain of the Allgäu Alps. It is the westernmost bastion of the Daumen - Nebelhorn ridge and towers roughly 1000m above the village of Rubi in the Iller Valley underneath. The mountain is a near 2000er, made of grey main dolomite rock which is more brittle than the yellow-whitish Schlern dolomite which you find in the Dolomite mountain ranges in northern Italy. Rubihorn displays steep east, north and west faces, which drop down into the valley underneath. It is connected by a sharp knife-edged ridge with neighbouring Gaisalphorn, which is only one four meters lower. The ridge can be traversed by a protected trail (gesicherter Steig) which is one of the most interesting hiking routes in the Allgäu Alps. Thanks to the exposed position of both mountains the ridge offers perfect views into the Allgäu Alps and the surrounding mountain groups of the area. Rubihorn has two summits, the main summit at 1957m and the northern summit at 1952m.

The regular routes to the summit of Rubihorn are far less difficult, rather regular hiking trails, which get rather steep near the summit. The south-western route from Oberstdorf traverses the forest at the base of the mountain before endlessly zig-zagging towards the Rubihorn-Gaisalphorn ridge, which it reaches close to the Rubihorn summit. The north-eastern route follows the Gaisalp Valley, where it passes by two beautiful mountain lakes. The final ascent is a steep scree scramble along well-trodden paths.

There is also a video available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OI5km0zn3vs

Photo: Thomas Siegler