Große Arnspitze, Mountain summit on the German-Austrian border near Scharnitz, Austria

The Große Arnspitze is the main summit of the Arnspitze Group in the Wettersteingebirge, reaching 2,196 m above sea level west of Scharnitz. The German-Austrian border runs over its highest point, marked by a pole, while the summit cross stands somewhat lower to the north. The group is a dry limestone massif.

The Große Arnspitze lies on the border between Germany and Austria, which runs over its summit at 2,196 m. The Arnspitze Group is a dry limestone massif, and the Arnspitzhütte at 1,955 m is an unmanned shelter with only collected rainwater. Three marked Alpine Club routes lead to the hut, from Scharnitz, from the Hohe Sattel and from the Riedbergscharte.

The mountain serves as a natural boundary between two valleys and draws visitors who want to experience how this landscape shaped local movement and trade routes. The paths reveal how communities historically crossed this high ground to connect with each other.

Three marked routes lead to the summit via the Arnspitzhütte at 1955 m, an unstaffed shelter with no running water; only collected rainwater is available, so carry your own supply. The normal route, AV trail 851, climbs from Scharnitz through the eastern flank. A gentler approach comes from the Hohe Sattel (1495 m) on AV trail 854, reached from Gießenbach or the Leutasch. The longest approach crosses the Riedbergscharte (1450 m) from the north.

The summit is marked by a pole, not a cross: the Gipfelkreuz stands somewhat lower on a northern outcrop. The border between Germany and Austria runs over the highest point, and the Arnspitzhütte below (1955 m) is an unmanned shelter with only collected rainwater.