Ochsentaler Gletscher, Alpine glacier near Gaschurn, Austria

Ochsentaler Gletscher lies at the northern foot of the Großer and Kleiner Piz Buin in Vorarlberg, bordered by the Wiesbadner Grätle to the east and the Signalhorn to the west. Its upper part is a broad snowfield with faint crevasse lines; below, the ice becomes a ridged grey-white tongue between dark lateral moraines. The Wiesbadener Hütte now stands far from the glacier tongue.

In the 1950s the glacier tongue still lay at about 2260 m, below the Wiesbadener Hütte. From about 1965, when up to 75% of Alpine glaciers briefly grew again, the tongue advanced once more. After a maximum around 1980 a continuous retreat set in; by 2024 the glacier had lost 912 m compared with the start of measurements, including 17.8 m between September 2023 and September 2024.

The Ochsentaler Gletscher remains the traditional route for climbing the Piz Buin, Vorarlberg's highest peak, and the Wiesbadener Hütte below it serves as the starting point. Because the ice is cut by many crevasses, climbers cross it only on secured ropes. The glacier is also regarded as the source of the Ill river.

The best time to visit is during warmer months when snow retreats and routes become more accessible. Visitors should always go with an experienced guide, as crevasses are hazardous and proper equipment is essential for safety.

The Ochsentaler Gletscher is considered the source of the Ill, the river that drains the valley below. Its tongue once reached about 2,260 m, below the Wiesbadener Hütte; by 2024 the ice had lost 912 m compared with the start of measurements, and 17.8 m in the single year from September 2023 to September 2024.