Not... Conquering Germany's Highest Peak
Why knowing when to pivot made our toughest hike one of our best experiences yet
This blog post is about my longest and toughest hike so far: Zugspitze. The truth is, we didn't even hike all the way to the top – for the final ~350m we took the gondola because the terrain and weather were so bad. But I'm so happy we did it exactly that way: not compromising on safety and maximizing the fun we have as a team, not as individuals. Great experience, great learning.
Falling in Love with Hiking
I fell a bit in love with hiking during my time in Nauders for the Reschenseelauf and also during our Munich Tech Sauna hike. Zugspitze – Germany's highest mountain at 2,962m – came up in conversation a few times after that.
During August, I finally found time to research the many routes to get to Zugspitze. Together with my great friend André, we decided on the easiest but longest route via the Reintal. This route is about 21km long with 2,400m of elevation gain from Garmisch-Partenkirchen to the top. It still requires great fitness and basic hiking gear like proper shoes, rain and wind protection, lot’s of water plus you need to be prepared for changing conditions – sun, rain, fog, even snow once you get close to the peak.
The Journey Begins
I got up super early and caught the first train to Garmisch while André arrived by car. At 7:30 AM we kicked it off, starting from the Olympiaschanze in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
The easy part took us first through the Partnachklamm, then all along the beautiful Reintal, always following the Partnach river. After about 2 hours and 45 minutes, we reached the Reintalangerhütte – a well-known hut for many hikers on their way to Zugspitze. We fueled up with Apfelstrudel and juice for some fast carbs.
The Challenge Ramps Up
From Reintalangerhütte, the more challenging part begins. Our next stop was Knorrhütte, where hikers from Austrian paths also meet on their way to Zugspitze. The terrain was already changing – more stones, often foggy conditions, and some serious gradients.
But we had great moments too. Views when the sun broke through, and funny experiences like sheep crossing our hiking path on their way down to their farm (trying to eat the food right out of our hands!). We had hours to talk and chat, but also quiet moments to think and enjoy the landscape, or fully focus on putting one foot in front of the other up the mountain. We had another break at Knorrhütte – some cake plus lots of drinks to fuel up.
The Hardest Decision
We then started the final segment with the initial goal to hike all the way up to Zugspitze. The terrain got even harder, and the temperature dropped close to 0°C as soon as the sun disappeared. We were covered in fog around the time we reached Sonnalpin (about another hour later) – the point where you decide if you have enough energy to hike the final 400m or take the gondola up to Zugspitze.
We initially tried to hike up. There was a long line of people moving strangely slow up the mountain, all covered in fog. We couldn't even see how long the line was. We soon figured out why they were so slow – this segment was filled with loose gravel stones. You put one foot down, try to take the next step, and the ground beneath your feet starts moving and drags you down again. Very challenging and not much fun.
Choosing Safety and Team Experience
That's when we realized the final 350m weren't going to be fun – plus quite unsafe with the changing weather conditions. While it was mentally really hard for me to let go of the original route, I'm very (yes, very) happy we took plan B and walked back down to Sonnalpin.
From the beginning of our planning, we knew this was teamwork. Safety and maximizing the fun and experience we have as a team comes first. That's why this was the right decision, even though it wasn't our initial plan.
We took the gondola all the way up, had a great break in the mountain lodge, and used the Eibsee Gondola back down toward Garmisch. We hiked back to the car and spent almost 4 hours recovering at the Trimini Sauna in Kochel am See.
The Real Victory
The best part of this hike was making the right decisions – in this case, stopping at the last 350m and taking the gondola. The conversations we had during roughly 6 hours of hiking, commuting via gondolas, and later in the car were amazing. We didn't destroy a great experience with a potentially dangerous and exhausting slog at the very end.
I admit it takes mental flexibility to let go of your plan, but it's really great to put the team and safety first. We had tons of fun this way. Would do it again!
What about you – have you ever had to change your plans on an adventure, and did it turn out better than expected? I'd love to hear your stories in the comments below!