Besler, Mountain summit in Bavaria, Germany

Besler is a 1,679 m mountain in the Allgäu Alps, south of the Riedberg Pass between the Lochbach and Schönberger Ach valleys. Its rocky main or eastern summit rises like a wall from the surrounding meadows; a central peak, the Beslerkopf, reaches 1,655 m, and the western summit, the Schafkopf, 1,627 m. A low rise between main summit and Beslerkopf is called the Beslergrat (1,668 m).

The sources record no trade route over the Besler; the mountain's documented history is tied to alpine farming and hunting. Its name is said to come from a man from Basel who once laid out several alps on its slopes. The Königsweg, a hunting trail on the ascent from Obermaiselstein, is named after King Max II of Bavaria.

The name Besler is said to come from a man from Basel who once established several alpine pastures on the mountain. The Königsweg, a hunting trail named after King Max II of Bavaria, leads past the Schwarzenberg Jagdhaus. In early summer, white silverweed, gentian and auricula bloom on the slopes.

Ascents start from Obermaiselstein (859 m), Tiefenbach (880 m), Rohrmoos (1070 m) or Grasgehren (1450 m) on the Riedberg Pass road. From Obermaiselstein the route via the Königsweg and Schwarzenberg Jagdhaus includes a short via ferrata of difficulty A/B and takes about three hours; from Tiefenbach through the Lochbach valley also about three hours, from Rohrmoos about two and a half, and from the Riedberg Pass about one and a half. Snow and ice usually allow climbing from mid to late May, with the south side from the Lochbach valley favoured.

The summit rock is Helvetic Chalk, a sedimentary rock rare on the surface of the Allgäu Alps; the same rock builds the Hohe Ifen, parts of the Grünten, the Diedamskopf and the Säntis. On the south side lies a karst landscape. The name is said to go back to a man from Basel who once laid out several alps on this mountain.