Visiting the highest mountain of Germany together was long time coming. I was up there 2 times through the Höllental, so we decided we take another route over the Reintal.

Difficulty: trekking, the difficult parts are secured with cables

Parking: Garmisch-Patenkirchen Olympia Skistadion; 47.482612, 11.118200

Accomodation: Münchener Haus, 2940 m

Top: Zugspitze 2962 m

Getting down: Lift t Sonnalpin, then with the alpine train back to the parking lot

 

Garmisch-Patenkirchen Olympia Skistadion 740 m – Bockhütte 1052 m – Reintalangerhütte 1366 m – Knorrhütte 2051 m

Download file: Zugspitze1.gpx

 

Knorrhütte 2051 m – Münchener Haus 2940 m – Zugspitze 2962 m

Download file: Zugspitze2.gpx

The weather was predicted to be very bad for the weekend, so we didn’t decide, how far we will go and which route we will take down. We started from Garmisch at around 9am. So we parked in the big parking place and started our hike.

The route over the Reintal is considered technically easy, but this is the longest one. It is 25 kilometers long, and the height difference is 2300 meters. But it is very nice, and the vegetation changes nicely with the height. The first few meters are pawed, but after 15 minutes we reach the Partnachklamm entrance, where we payed 4 euros as an entry fee.

The narrow valley was totally wet because of the rains during the night. We crossed some caves, which were not lit, like the ones in Höllental. No lamp was needed, but it might be necessary in the darker hours.

Leaving the valley we arrived in a totally different world, with wide river banks sorrunded by hills.We cross the river and follow the signs, which show the way, crossing a lot of “steinmann”

The next 4-5 km lead us next to the river. We gain height really slowly, we doesn’t even notice it.

Before the Bockhütte, the road will narrow down, from here you can only go on foot.

After 2,5 hours we reach the Bockhütte, we take a small break with cake and coffee. Here we made 10 kilomters and only 300 heightmeters. It looked like it is going to rain so we continued fast.

Because of the weather, not many peole are on the trail, which is normally full in good weather. Slowly we start ascending from the river. And it started to rain. From here the big waterfall can be seen, which comes from a cave.

The rain stops and we finally see the sun. We enjoy the view.

After another 1,5 hours, we reach the Reintalangerhütte at 1366 m, here we do not stop, because it is not raining and we want to reach the part, where we have to climb a little before reaching the Knorrhütte.

In the next 4 kilometers we ascend 700 meters. We cross the small bridge, we follow the trail and reach a small platue with herds of sheep. We met the sheepherder on our way up riding a motorcycle, with his dog.

Here starts the serpentin and the rain. It is not nice, because the clouds are comming in, so we see basically nothing, but the hütte is near.

In the Knorrhütte we hang our stuff to dry, and order soup with drinks.

It is 3pm, it is raining cats and dogs, we eat and ask for some weather info which is not good, more rain and even some snow in the night. We decide if we want to reach the summit, we have to do it this afternoon. We still have 1300 hm and 5 kms. The rain, stops so we start, it is now just rocks, formed by the gletscher once.

The way is marked, and we get closer and closer to Sonnalpin. Here is the station for the alpine train, end the enstation for the cablecar comming from Zugspitze.

At 2560 meters we rache the meterology station and the pile of rocks which leads up. This is the part which is not nice.

Reaching the base of the stonewall, starts aneasy climb, it can be graded as an A klettersteig. No set is needed, but if it is slippery/snowy then a small leash can come in handy.

The last 200 meters are secured with cables. It starts with a small climb, then comes the ridge, which is the border between Germany and Austria.

The cables are in good condition, and there are only a few parts where we have use our hands. And the rain starts again.

In the rainy weather we have to watch out, because the limestone is really slippery. We slowly reach the buildings and the rain doesn’t fall from here it basically floods us. This places is familiar from the WebcamWe see no souls. Entering the Münchner Haus the staff is surprised that they see somebody. We ask for accomodation, and they tell us, that the hütte is empty, so we got our own room! We eat something and notice the sound of ice slamming at the window. And we go to bed.

The next morning, breakfast awaits us. The snow didn’t fall, but the rain didn’t stop. We pack and go up to the summit.

They are building a new cable car, so the way up changed a bit. But is is secured with cables.

Sadly we didn’t see anything, but Eszter made her first ascend to the Zugspitze.

We originally planned to go down over the Höllental, but because of the rain we take the easy way. Cable car down to Sonnalpin, then Alpine train to Garmisch.

The Sonnalpin is really turisty, because it is the center of the ski resort in winter. Stylish in the mountains 🙂 The alpine train goes through the belly of the mountain in a tunnel, it leaves it in Riffelriss. We changed trains in Grainau.

15-16.08.2015