Dürrnbachhorn, Mountain summit in Chiemgau Alps, Austria

Dürrnbachhorn rises to 1776 meters and marks the border between Austria and Germany with its steep slopes and distinctive ridge. The sharp rock formations and exposed terrain define the character of this Chiemgau Alps summit.

The first direct ascent of the steep north face was made by Walter Schmidkunz on 4 September 1906. In 1959 a one-seat chairlift, the Winklmoos-Sesselbahn, opened from the Winklmoos-Alm to the Dürrnbacheck ridge at 1610 m; built for skiing on the Dürrnbachalm, it now runs only in summer and has a restaurant at the top station. From the Heutal side, three T-bar lifts (Wildalmlift 1–3) were installed in 1971 up to the Riegerkaser at about 1530 m. Plans to link the two areas into a ski circuit have been raised repeatedly since 1973.

The name comes from the Dürrnbach stream, which rises at almost 1500 m above the Dürrnbachalm and drains the mountain's west side toward Seegatterl. Three alm areas surround the south side: the Dürrnbachalm in Bavaria, the Finsterbachalm and the Wildalm in Salzburg's Heutal. The Winklmoos-Alm chairlift, built for skiing on the Dürrnbachalm, now runs only in summer and has a restaurant at its 1610 m top station.

Multiple marked trails depart from the Seegatterl parking lot and reach the summit, with the challenging hike taking about three hours. Sturdy boots and plenty of water are essential, especially as the upper sections are exposed and can be windy.

The summit ridge forms the watershed between the Alz and Salzach rivers, and the border between the Salzburg municipality of Unken and Bavaria's Ruhpolding runs across the main peak. The lower western summit, at 1767 m, lies in the municipality of Reit im Winkl. From the summit cross, the three lakes of the Dreiseengebiet — Weitsee, Mittersee and Lödensee — are clearly visible.