The Schwarzmilzferner is the last true glacier remaining in the Allgäu Alps. Since the nearby Hochalpferner and Hochvogelgletscher melted away over the past century, this modest patch of firn is now the only glacial remnant left in the entire region — a rare chance to witness an ice age relic before it disappears for good.

The glacier lies on Tyrolean ground, just across the German-Austrian border, south of the Mädelegabel and east of the Hochfrottspitze. Today it's a concave field of firn with no crevasses or visible signs of movement — a quiet white patch set against the pale rock of the surrounding main dolomite. In summer it stands out against the grey scree and green alpine meadows, while in winter and spring it's buried under wind-driven and avalanche snow from the surrounding peaks. Views toward the Hochfrottspitze and Mädelegabel from this spot are among the most striking in the Allgäu Alps.

How to get there

• High-alpine approach via the Mädelegabel–Hochfrottspitze area — requires alpine hiking experience, time varies by route, difficulty: demanding
• Also reachable from the Tyrolean side, along the ridge connecting the neighboring peaks

Good to know

• Located at an average altitude of around 2450 m — unusually low for a glacier
• No visible meltwater outflow — water seeps into the fissured dolomite rock beneath
• The glacier has been shrinking steadily and may vanish within a few years, so it's worth visiting soon

Scientists expect the Schwarzmilzferner to disappear entirely in the coming years — by 2015 its thickness had already dropped below 10 meters. It's one of the last opportunities to see a genuine ice age glacier in the Allgäu Alps.