Großer Widderstein, Mountain summit in Vorarlberg, Austria

The Großer Widderstein is a 2,533 m high mountain in Vorarlberg, Austria, the highest peak of the Southeastern Walsertal Mountains in the Allgäu Alps. Its summit block consists of Main Dolomite of the Lech valley formation, pushed up over the Allgäu formation. The normal route starts at the Hochtannberg Pass and leads via the Widderstein Hut and a waymarked rock path (UIAA I) through a rockfall-endangered gully to the summit cross.

The first recorded ascent was made on 25 July 1669 by a Reverend Bickel from Schröcken, though other sources give 1664. The name appears in 1059 as "in Widerostein" in a document of the Bishopric of Augsburg, and again in 1471 and 1485 as Widerstain. Climbing routes followed much later: the north face (IV+) was opened by E. König and R. Schmierle in 1897, and the southwest face in 1951 by B. Segger and F. Hieber.

The name Widderstein was first recorded in 1059 as "Widerostein" in a document of the Augsburg bishopric, with further spellings in 1471 and 1485 and "Widerstein Sp." on Blasius Hueber's 1783 Vorarlberg map. It means "stone of the Widder", which can denote either an ibex or a male sheep. The summit boundary between Warth and Mittelberg runs over the mountain.

The normal route starts at the Hochtannberg Pass (1,676 m) and crosses meadow slopes toward the Widderstein Hut; at about 2,000 m a path forks west and reaches the rock in under 15 minutes. From there a waymarked rock path (UIAA I–II) climbs through a rockfall-prone gully to the summit ridge and the cross. Alternative approaches come from Baad over the Hochalp Pass or from Bödmen through the Gemstelbach valley and over the Gemstel Pass.

The first recorded ascent was made on 25 July 1669 by a Reverend Bickel from Schröcken, though other sources give 1664. The normal route from the Hochtannberg Pass reaches the rock at about 2,000 m, then follows a waymarked rock path through a gully prone to rockfall to the summit cross.