Oberlech-Mohnenfluh-Butzensee-Oberlech

Overview

A beautiful round trip up a peak of 2544 meters height and past a gorgeous mountain lake, with breathtaking views on all sides.

Lowest point and at the same time beginning and end of the route: Oberlech, 1740 meters (5709 feet)
Highest point: Mohnenfluh, 2544 meters (8346 feet)
Height gain: 804 meters (2637 feet)
Overall mileage: about 6 kilometers (3.73 miles)

Getting There

First, you need to get to Lech am Arlberg.

Nearest airports: Zürich, Munich, Innsbruck.

Here are the three simplest ways of getting to Lech by car:

Coming by car from Zürich: Take the motorway to St. Gallen and continue on the motorway, following the signs to St. Margrethen-Chur, as far as Diepoldsau. Here, turn left and follow the road to Hohenems (Austria). Now take the A14, following the signs to Innsbruck, past Feldkirch until Bludenz. Then follow the E60 (Arlberg-Schnellstrasse) as far as Langen am Arlberg (Langen a. A.). In Langen, turn off and follow the road leading through the village of Stuben up towards the Arlberg pass. 3 km before the top of the Arlberg, there is the turn-off towards Flexenpass-Zürs-Lech. Follow this road to Lech. Distance: 196,8 km, duration: 2h 13min.

Coming by car from Innsbruck: Head for the A12 direction Bregenz and follow it until it ends in Landeck. In Landeck, follow the signs to Bregenz and continue on the road through the Stanzer Tal as far as St. Anton. Then take the road to St. Christoph-Arlbergpass, go over the pass and 3 km down the other side. At crossroads, turn right and follow the road leading over the Flexenpass to Zürs and Lech. Distance: 116,8 km; duration: 1h 32min.


Coming by car from Munich: Follow the E533 towards Garmisch-Partenkirchen, then, in Oberau, just ca. 5 km before reaching Garmisch, turn right, following the signs to Reutte (Austria). Upon arrival in Reutte, stay on the road (no. 198) leading up the entire tyrolean Lechtal valley and in Warth, turn left onto the road to Lech. Distance: 188,7 km; duration: 2h 45min.


Coming by means of public transportation: All fast trains commuting between Zürich (Switzerland) or Bregenz (Austria) and Vienna stop in Langen am Arlberg. In Langen, change to the postal car that commutes regularly between Langen and Lech. Coming from Munich: Take one of the international trains bound for Italy via Innsbruck, alight in Innsbruck and change to one of the fast trains bound for Bregenz or Zürich. Alight in Langen a. A., then take the postal car to Lech.

Oberlech is situated on a natural terrace about 300 meters above and west of Lech and is reachable by car, by public bus and by cable-car.

Route Description

Start in Oberlech. Follow the trail in westward direction to the Kriegeralpe saddle (2000m, there is a restaurant here), then turn right, following the signs to Mohnenfluh on a broad path leading up the slope to 2300 meters, then on a narrow trail horizontally crossing the eastern slope of the Zuger Hochlicht to the Mohnensattel col (2311m). From here, the summit trail to the Mohnenfluh leads first in easy serpentines up the rubbled flank, then through a more rocky section, for which a good security of step is needed – one should not be afraid of heights, either - to the Mohnenfluh’s pre-summit. The last meters to the summit are easy.
Descend back down to the Mohnensattel col, turn right and descend 200 meters, following the well marked and easy trail, to Lake Butzensee. Follow the lake to the end, then turn left and follow the path that does a slight rise above the Butzensee’s west shore and leads to a col (pt. 2204). Keep following the trail, continuing to descend gently towards the east (in 2008, there was a landslide that created a point on the trail that was difficult to pass. Now, in 2010, even though the landslide is still there, the trail has been consolidated and it is no more problem to get past that point.). After about two kilometers, the trail meets with the broad path of ascent on about 2150m. The circle is completed. From here, descend to Kriegeralpe and Oberlech the same way as you came up.[img:648233:aligncenter:medium:The Mohnenfluh (2544m)]

Essential Gear

Apart from good mountain shoes, rain and wind protection, a good security of step and non-fear of heights, no extra equipment is needed, although walking sticks can be useful.

External Links

Online weather forecast for Lech

Maps

Kompass Wanderkarte no. 33 Arlberg Verwallgruppe 1:50000

Images

View Oberlech-Mohnenfluh-Butzensee-Oberlech Image Gallery - 48 Images