Frau Hitt (2,270 m) is a striking rock needle in the Nordkette, the mountain chain that towers over Innsbruck as part of the Karwendel range. Shaped like a woman riding a horse, it once served as an unofficial symbol of the city, visible from streets far below.

There's something captivating about this peak's silhouette and the legend behind it - a giant queen turned to stone for her greed and cruelty toward a beggar woman. From the summit you get sweeping views over the Inn Valley, the rooftops of Innsbruck, and the wild, rocky bowl of the Frau Hitt-Kar to the north. The terrain is rugged and rocky, calling for a steady head and some scrambling experience, and the mood shifts sharply with the seasons - a rewarding summer scramble for confident hikers, but a serious, exposed climb once snow settles in.

How to reach the summit

• Frau Hitt Saddle (2,235 m) — approach via the west shoulder, grade II with one grade III section, demanding
• Eastern route to the shoulder — grade II, an easier alternative approach
• Western route to the shoulder — grade III+, a tougher variant

Good to know

• The Nordkette Cable Car up to Seegrube (1,905 m) makes access easier, with the trail continuing from there
• The Frau Hitt Saddle is a key junction, linking the Inn Valley with the Gleirschtal valley
• The Innsbruck Klettersteig starts nearby, and a route via Hafelekarspitze leads on to the Pfeis Hut
• Scrambling skills are needed here — this is not a simple walking trail

Legend says Frau Hitt was turned to stone along with her horse as punishment for mocking a starving beggar woman, and parents still warn children they'll end up like her if they waste food. Artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude once planned to wrap the peak in a spectacular installation, but the project never got off the ground due to lack of funding.