Großer Beil, Mountain summit in Wildschönau Valley, Austria.

Großer Beil is a mountain summit in the Alpbach and Wildschönau valleys reaching 2.309 meters high. The landscape features wide alpine meadows that lie between rocky cliffs and forested areas below.

The name does not come from the German word Beil (hatchet) but from a dialect term for a place where animals are held or surrounded during a hunt, which is why the mountain is grammatically masculine. The Großer Beil is the main summit of the ridge separating the Wildschönau from the Alpbach valley, with the Seekopf (2,189 m) about 500 m north and the Kleine Beil (2,197 m) beyond it.

The mountain's name comes from a dialect word for a spot where animals are held during a hunt, not from the German word Beil (hatchet); this is why the name is masculine. The usual starting point for visitors is the Schönangeralm at 1,173 m at the head of the Wildschönau valley behind Auffach.

The hike starts from the Schönangeralm parking area on a marked and well-maintained trail. Bring sturdy hiking boots and weather protection, as conditions at altitude can change rapidly.

The Großer Beil is climbed on marked trails from the Schönangeralm (1,173 m) behind Auffach, and in winter it is a popular ski tour. Its name is not from the German word Beil ("hatchet") but from a dialect term for a place where animals are held during a hunt, which is why the mountain is masculine: der Große Beil.