Kröndlhorn rises to 2444 m and ranks among the highest peaks along the main ridge of the Kitzbühel Alps in Austria. Its summit marks the border between Tyrol and Salzburg province, making the climb feel like standing on the edge of two worlds at once.

The mountain's character is shaped by open alpine pastures above the tree line, where sheep, goats, cows and horses graze through summer - flocks of sheep are especially common near the Reinkarsee, a mountain lake at 2194 m that forms the main source of the Windauer Ache stream. On clear days the summit rewards hikers with sweeping views south into the Pinzgau region, the Reichenspitze group, large parts of the Hohe Tauern, and even the Krimml Waterfalls. A tiny chapel sits right on top, big enough for just two people, holding a summit stamp and register book - it commemorates the tragic death of a six-year-old girl in 1893 and was rebuilt in 1955.

How to reach the summit

• Holzlagerplatz car park (1297 m) in the Windautal valley - steep climb through forest to Rotwand-Grundalm (1597 m), then on to Rotwand-Hinttalalm (1830 m) and a long traverse to the Reinkarsee; shorter route, demanding terrain
• From Baumgartenalm via Oberkaralm along the southeast face of the Schneegrubenspitze (2237 m) to the Reinkarsee - longer but technically easier
• From the Neue Bamberger Hütte in the Kelchsautal via the Nadernachjoch and the southwest flank, about 2.5 hours

Good to know

• A small chapel from 1955 stands on the summit, holding a stamp and summit register
• Memorial cards for the deceased have been hung on the chapel's inner walls for years
• The final stretch from Kröndlberg to the true summit, roughly 300 m further south, is steep in places and requires sure-footedness
• Trails are marked with both tree and ground markings

The neighboring Kröndlberg summit, just 4 metres lower, is often mistaken for the true peak when approaching from the north.