Brennkogel, Mountain summit in Heiligenblut, Austria

Brennkogel is a 3,018-metre summit on the main Alpine ridge, exactly on the border between Carinthia and Salzburg, about 2.5 km northwest of the Hochtor. Its upper slopes are scree and block terrain, and the ridge from the Hochtor carries serpentinite cut by quartz veins. A cross stands on the summit.

The first documented ascent took place in 1800, when the Leipzig botanist Christian Friedrich Schwägrichen climbed the Brennkogel during his journey to the Großglockner. Because the mountain is easy to climb, people are assumed to have reached the summit long before. The normal route today starts at the Hochtor (2,576 m) and leads over the Bretterscharte and the Brennkogelscharte to the cross on the summit, about 2½ hours.

The Brennkogel's south-west ridge and the neighbouring Kloben (2,938 m) are among the best-known ski tours in the state of Salzburg. The name Brennkogel refers to the serpentinite outcrops on the ridge from the Hochtor, cut by quartz veins worked for gold in the early modern period.

The climb requires mountaineering experience and proper gear, as weather conditions can shift rapidly at this altitude. Plan your ascent during stable weather windows and bring warm clothing, a hat, and protective equipment.

The ridge between Hochtor and Brennkogel exposes serpentinite cut by quartz veins known as the Tauern gold veins, mined for gold in the early modern period and noted for a high content of free gold.