Schneeglocke, Alpine summit in Gaschurn, Austria.
Schneeglocke is a glaciated mountain summit of the Silvretta group in the Eastern Alps, reaching 3,223 m above sea level. It is a secondary peak of the Silvrettahorn and lies in the Montafon region of Vorarlberg. The Klostertal Glacier lies to the west of the summit and the Schneeglocken Glacier to the east. It is the highest peak entirely within Vorarlberg.
The route was developed during the height of alpinism in the 19th century and tested by mountaineers from the region. This exploration integrated the peak into the development of Vorarlberg's mountain culture.
The name Schneeglocke means "snow bell", from the German Schnee and Glocke, referring to the bell-shaped snow-covered summit. The peak lies in the Montafon, and its name is used in German-language alpine literature and maps of the Silvretta. The French form of the name is sometimes rendered as "Cloche de Neige".
The normal route starts at the Silvretta reservoir, reached from Bielerhöhe, and leads toward the Klostertaler Umwelthütte before continuing into the Klostertal. At roughly 2,400 m the route turns east onto the Klostertaler Gletscher toward the summit. The same approach serves ski tours; glacier travel and full mountaineering equipment are required.
The Schneeglocke is the highest summit lying entirely within Vorarlberg, at 3,223 m; the slightly higher Silvrettahorn next door straddles the Swiss border. Members of the Saarbrücken section of the Alpine club erected the metal summit cross in 1960.
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