Misthaufen is a 2,435 m peak whose blocky, angular shape gives it its unusual name — it resembles a well-built farmyard manure heap, once a point of pride for local farmers. The mountain rises in the Lechquellengebirge range in Vorarlberg, Austria, just north of the well-known Rote Wand, and appeals to experienced hikers seeking quieter, less-trodden terrain.
The peak sits along a rugged ridge that continues via the Bettlerspitze, Klesenzahörner and Gadnerköpfe toward the higher Hirschenspitze above the Gadnergschröf. The surrounding landscape is typical alpine limestone terrain — stark, rocky and dramatic. In summer the upper sections are demanding and largely trail-less; in winter the terrain becomes essentially inaccessible for hiking.
How to reach the summitThe mountain's odd name is no joke — a neatly built manure heap was traditionally seen as a farmer's pride, and this peak's tidy, pyramid-like silhouette earned it the comparison.