Augstenberg

Page Type Page Type: Mountain/Rock
Location Lat/Lon: 47.04000°N / 9.36000°E
Additional Information Elevation: 7739 ft / 2359 m
Sign the Climber's Log

Overview


The Augstenberg is located in southern Liechtenstein, approximately 1.5 kilometers south of Malbun (a small ski town). In Swiss coordinates, it is located at Right 764878 Up 216883. It is 759 meters above the town of Malbun, and the summit cross is a great marker. In all honesty, it is a beginner's mountain in the summer time, and not very challenging. They even have a sign up on the beginning of the trail that says no high heels, boots only! Many Bergwanderers (Trekkers) use the Augstenberg as a warm up for the Naafkopf (2,570m), which is Liechtenstein's 3rd Highest Mountain (after Grauspitz 2,599m and Hinter Grauspitz 2,574m). The Augstenberg is probably the highest "named" mountain wholly within Liechtenstein, as the higher named ones are on a border with at least one other country. They even sell post cards in Malbun with kids around the summit cross of the Augstenberg. In the snow season, however, it is VERY different. It has cornice ridges, saddles with snow over waist deep, and some dangerous slopes to slide down if you lose control. For people relatively new to snow mountaineering, this is a great starter mountain, requiring approximately 4 hours to ascend from Malbun. In my opinion, the best topographic map of the area is Schesaplana, #1156, 1:25,000 by Bundesamt fur Landestopographie 3048 Waburn Ausgabe 1999. Although it does not show the town of Malbun, it shows everything else necessary for an ascent of the Augstenberg. I offer this mountain to summitpost as an invitation for novices (with the necessary backgournd training) for their first "independent" snow conditions summit.

Getting There


The best way to get there is to park in the small ski town of Malbun. From there one can follow the paved switchbacks, or break trail at the south end of the town. The best routes, are to ascend the ridge immediately to the east of Malbun, and follow the marked trail around to the Augstenberg. In the snow, it may be impossible to follow any trails or trail markings. There are multiple crosses below the Augstenberg, one on each of the main trails to the summit.

Red Tape


There is free parking in Malbun, and it is well posted, on the north edge of the town. It cannot get much easier than that, and there are no permits required to hike up there.

When To Climb


As long as there is no snow, this is a very easy mountain, and it is only 759 meters higher than the town of Malbun. Out of season, it becomes exponentially more difficult

Camping


There is the Pfalzer hut only 30 minutes south of the Augstenberg (when there is no snow). The town of Malbun is so close that the hut should not be needed, unless doing a traverse into Switzerland from Malbun.

Mountain Conditions


I know of no know sites or phone numbers for updated weather information or mountain conditions. If conditions are lousey, however, there is ample skiing all around Malbun (in the snow season). Of interest, I have been in this area for four climbs in 4 weekends, from early August to mid October. Three of the four weekends had substandard weather.

Additions and CorrectionsPost an Addition or Correction

Viewing: 1-3 of 3
Luidger

Luidger - Oct 21, 2002 1:52 am - Hasn't voted

Untitled Comment

There is another Augstenberg in the Silvretta.

Luidger

rgg

rgg - Mar 6, 2013 9:59 am - Hasn't voted

Re: Untitled Comment

And another one much closer, on the Swiss-Austrian border between Naafkopf and Schesaplana. This other one is also known as Tschingel.

rgg

rgg - Jul 13, 2012 10:51 am - Hasn't voted

Wrong location of the summit cross

There is a large summit cross, but according to my altimeter, my eyes and the Swiss Topo map, the actual summit is about 250m further to the south, and 6m higher. I guess the fact that the summit cross would be invisible from Malbun if it were on the real summit plays a role here ...

Viewing: 1-3 of 3


Children

Children

Children refers to the set of objects that logically fall under a given object. For example, the Aconcagua mountain page is a child of the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits.' The Aconcagua mountain itself has many routes, photos, and trip reports as children.

Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.

RaetikonMountains & Rocks