Birnhorn

The Birnhorn, at 2,634 metres, is the highest summit of the Leoganger Steinberge massif in Salzburg's Pinzgau region and ranks among the 30 most topographically prominent peaks in the entire Alps. Its south face — up to 1,400 metres of Dolomite rock rising above the valley floor near Leogang — is frequently compared to the Watzmann's east wall and is considered one of the tallest continuous rock faces in the Eastern Alps. The face was first climbed on 1 October 1900 by Josef Oberlader and Karl Mayrhofer, a milestone in early Austrian alpinism. Today the mountain attracts both experienced mountaineers tackling the demanding south-wall routes and fit hikers following the longer standard ridge approach. The pyramid-shaped summit offers an expansive panorama across the Pinzgau, the Loferer Steinberge, and on clear days as far as the Grossglockner.