Hoher Freschen, Mountain summit in Dornbirn, Austria
Hoher Freschen is a mountain summit in Vorarlberg, Austria, sitting at the meeting point of four municipalities: Dornbirn, Laterns, Viktorsberg, and Zwischenwasser. The terrain around the top combines open alpine meadows with rocky ridges and steep gullies that give the mountain its shape.
In the 3rd century the summit was already used as a watch and observation point, when Rätoromanen lived in the Walgau and Alemanni in the Alpine Rhine valley. Records of alpine farming on the Hoher Freschen go back to 883; the Obere Saluveralpe lies a few minutes' walk below the Freschenhaus. The name Freschen, also Frexen or Fröschen, is linked to words for eating and grazing, referring to the pasture and mowing of the slopes.
The mountain is well known among locals as a reliable viewpoint that opens up toward the Rhine valley and Lake Constance on clear days. Hikers from nearby communities like Dornbirn and Laterns often visit it as a day trip and many grew up walking its paths.
The hike to the top is long and physically demanding, with the steeper sections coming in the upper part of the route. Good footwear and rain gear are worth bringing since mountain weather at this elevation can shift without much warning.
From the summit, the tower of Ulm Minster can be made out 123 km to the north when the haze allows. The view also reaches the Black Forest with Belchen, Feldberg and Kandel, and the Swabian Alb to the northwest.
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