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Zugspitze : Climbing, Hiking & Mountaineering : SummitPost

Overview

Also called Zugspitz in the area, Zugspitze is part of Wettersteingebirge, a small but important group of limestone mountains on the Austro-German borther, immediately South of the ski resort of Garmish-Partenkirchen. There are a lot of routes on the mountain. The buildings at the top are realy nasty, there're a lot of people but the routes are really fine, especialy from Hamersbach. The easiest route leads through the Reintal but the nicest one is the way through the Höllental. The area is realy crowded and not cheap. But the Zugspitze is the Germany's highest mountain and the way up through the Höllental is beautiful until 50 meters under the summit.

First Climb

By the Germans G. Deutschl, Maier and K. Naus in 1820.

Getting There

You can reach Garmisch by motorway or German railways, even to Hamersbach. Also you've a bus (Eibseebus) or the Bavarian Zugspitzbahn. Start in Hamersbach up through the Höllentalklamm on the Brett (small ferrata), over the Höllentalferner (really small glacier in Summer, no crampons needed) to the ferrata up to the mountain height ap. 650 m. You have to be in good form because the start is at 770 m. There're almost 2.200 m to go but you can sleep at the Höllentalangerhütte, often overcrowded.

See the "External Links" section for more information (railway, bus, cable cars, etc).

Red Tape

Yes, for the Höllentalklamm is a few Euros, if you are there before 6 in the morning you'll find nobody. Late in the season the way through the Klamm is closed until May. You have to take the "Stangelsteig" that needs one more hour.

When To Climb

Good to climb from July to beginning of September (depends on snow). In winter there is often risk of avalanches so be careful.

Camping and Huts

There is a small campground on the way to Ehrwald. You could sleep at several mountain huts for ap. 20 Marks (if you are a member of a mountaineering society in Europe you can get your bed cheaper).

HOLLENTALANGERHUTTE (1.379 m)

DAV, 65 places (12 emergency places, none in Winter), open from early May to the end of September / early October, 00 49 (0) 88 21 / 88 11. Guard: Richard Prommer, Postfach 1650, 82456 Garmisch Partenkirchen (or Zugspitzstrasse 3, D - 82490 Farchant ).
From Hammersbach (770 m), 2 hours. http://

WIENER NEUSTADTER HUTTE (2.209 m)

OTK, 35 places (14 in Winter), open from July to the end of September, tel 06 76 477 09 25, zentrale@touristenklub.at
From Ehrwald Zugspitzbahn (1.228 m), 3 hours.

For information about REINTALANGERHUTTE (Angerhütte) and KNORRHUTTE see Normal route (Reintal) / Accomodation. I'll add more huts' data soon.

More Information

This site offers you information about weather and a webcam of Zugspitze:

Alpenverein

Download your pdf format file about Wetterstein "clicking" on PANORAMA.

The maps of zugspitze.de

External Links

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